CSS 2019 — Synonyms & Antonyms (Solved) — English (Precis & Composition)

ℹ️

Option sets for 2019 were never published, so each question shows the word and the keyed answer. Cover the green box to self-test.

(a) Synonyms

1. OXIDIZED

✅

Answer: Rusty / corroded

Urdu: زنگ آلود، آکسیجن سے متاثر
Meaning (adj.): combined chemically with oxygen; rusted
Synonyms: rusted, corroded, tarnished, rusty, eroded, decayed
Antonyms: polished, untarnished, pristine, shiny, rust-free
Sentences:
1. The oxidized iron gate squeaked on its hinges.
2. Oxidized silver jewellery is back in fashion.

2. BELLICOSE

✅

Answer: Warlike

Urdu: جنگجو، لڑاکا، جنگ پسند
Meaning (adj.): demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight
Synonyms: warlike, belligerent, hawkish, pugnacious, aggressive, combative
Antonyms: peaceable, conciliatory, pacific, peace-loving, docile
Sentences:
1. Bellicose statements from Delhi raised tensions along the LoC.
2. The bellicose speech worried diplomats.

3. CHARLATAN

✅

Answer: Quack

Urdu: عطائی، دھوکے باز، جعلی ماہر
Meaning (n.): a person falsely claiming special knowledge or skill
Synonyms: quack, fraud, impostor, mountebank, swindler, fake
Antonyms: expert, genuine professional, specialist, authority
Sentences:
1. A charlatan selling "miracle cures" was arrested in the bazaar.
2. Voters eventually saw through the charlatan.
Trap: some lists translate it as "magician", which is wrong.

4. EMBRYONIC

✅

Answer: Rudimentary / undeveloped

Urdu: ابتدائی، نوزائیدہ، خام حالت میں
Meaning (adj.): in a rudimentary stage, with potential for development
Synonyms: rudimentary, nascent, incipient, early, undeveloped, budding
Antonyms: mature, developed, advanced, full-grown, established
Sentences:
1. Pakistan's EV industry is still at an embryonic stage.
2. The plan was only an embryonic idea.

5. FLABBERGASTED

✅

Answer: Astonished

Urdu: ہکا بکا، حیران و ششدر
Meaning (adj.): greatly surprised
Synonyms: astounded, dumbfounded, stunned, amazed, staggered, speechless
Antonyms: unsurprised, unmoved, indifferent, blasé
Sentences:
1. She was flabbergasted to see her name at the top of the merit list.
2. Fans were flabbergasted by the sudden retirement.

6. SABBATICAL

✅

Answer: Leave of absence

Urdu: مطالعاتی رخصت، طویل تعطیل
Meaning (n.): a period of paid leave for study or travel, traditionally every seventh year
Synonyms: leave, break, study leave, time off, furlough, rest period
Antonyms: service, duty, work period
Sentences:
1. The professor took a sabbatical to write his book.
2. She spent her sabbatical at Oxford.

7. VACILLATE

✅

Answer: Waver

Urdu: ڈانواں ڈول ہونا، تذبذب میں رہنا
Meaning (v.): to alternate between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive
Synonyms: waver, dither, oscillate, hesitate, fluctuate, shilly-shally
Antonyms: decide, resolve, stand firm, determine, commit
Sentences:
1. The government vacillated for months over the IMF deal.
2. He vacillated between medicine and engineering.

8. TUMULT

✅

Answer: Commotion

Urdu: ہنگامہ، شور و غل، ہلچل
Meaning (n.): a loud, confused noise made by a mass of people; confusion
Synonyms: commotion, uproar, turmoil, din, clamour, upheaval
Antonyms: calm, peace, order, tranquillity, silence
Sentences:
1. His speech was drowned out by the tumult in the house.
2. The country was in tumult after the assassination.

9. SLEAZY

✅

Answer: Sordid / cheap

Urdu: گھٹیا، بدنام، اخلاق سے گرا ہوا
Meaning (adj.): squalid and seedy; corrupt or immoral
Synonyms: sordid, seedy, disreputable, shabby, sleazy, squalid
Antonyms: respectable, upmarket, decent, reputable, classy
Sentences:
1. The tabloid ran a sleazy story with no evidence.
2. They met in a sleazy hotel near the station.

10. PUSILLANIMOUS

✅

Answer: Cowardly

Urdu: بزدل، کم ہمت، ڈرپوک
Meaning (adj.): showing a lack of courage or determination
Synonyms: cowardly, timid, faint-hearted, spineless, craven, fearful
Antonyms: brave, courageous, bold, valiant, intrepid
Sentences:
1. The pusillanimous response to the crisis cost the leader his credibility.
2. Only a pusillanimous officer would abandon his men.

(b) Antonyms

11. INANE

✅

Answer: Sensible

Urdu: بے ہودہ، بے معنی، احمقانہ
Meaning (adj.): silly; lacking sense or meaning
Synonyms: silly, foolish, vacuous, fatuous, senseless, absurd
Antonyms: sensible, intelligent, meaningful, wise, sound
Sentences:
1. The talk show was full of inane chatter.
2. Stop asking inane questions during the lecture.

12. ANOMALY

✅

Answer: Consistency / regularity

Urdu: بے قاعدگی، غیر معمولی بات
Meaning (n.): something that deviates from what is standard or expected
Synonyms: irregularity, aberration, oddity, deviation, exception, abnormality
Antonyms: consistency, regularity, norm, conformity, uniformity
Sentences:
1. Auditors flagged several anomalies in the accounts.
2. A snowfall in Karachi would be an anomaly.

13. OBLITERATE

✅

Answer: Create / build

Urdu: مٹا دینا، نیست و نابود کرنا
Meaning (v.): to destroy utterly; to wipe out
Synonyms: destroy, annihilate, erase, raze, wipe out, eradicate
Antonyms: create, build, preserve, construct, restore
Sentences:
1. The earthquake obliterated entire villages in 2005.
2. Time had obliterated the inscription on the tomb.
🔁 Also asked in 2010.

14. MELANCHOLY

✅

Answer: Exuberant / cheerful

Urdu: اداسی، افسردگی، غمگینی
Meaning (n./adj.): a deep, persistent sadness
Synonyms: sorrow, gloom, dejection, sadness, despondency, misery
Antonyms: exuberant, cheerful, joyful, happy, elated
Sentences:
1. Faiz's poetry carries a gentle melancholy.
2. A melancholy mood hung over the village after the flood.
🔁 Also asked in 2010.

15. STRIDENT

✅

Answer: Muffled / soft

Urdu: کرخت، تیز و تلخ (آواز)، پرزور
Meaning (adj.): loud and harsh; presenting a point forcefully
Synonyms: harsh, shrill, raucous, grating, vociferous, forceful
Antonyms: muffled, soft, muted, gentle, quiet
Sentences:
1. Strident criticism followed the petrol price hike.
2. The strident whistle of the train woke us.

16. CONVOLUTED

✅

Answer: Simple / straightforward

Urdu: پیچیدہ، الجھا ہوا
Meaning (adj.): extremely complex and difficult to follow
Synonyms: complicated, tortuous, intricate, involved, labyrinthine, knotty
Antonyms: simple, straightforward, lucid, clear, uncomplicated
Sentences:
1. The tax code is so convoluted that few people understand it.
2. He gave a convoluted excuse for being late.

17. ENFRANCHISE

✅

Answer: Subjugate / disenfranchise

Urdu: حقِ رائے دہی دینا، آزاد کرنا
Meaning (v.): to give the right to vote; to free from bondage
Synonyms: give the vote, emancipate, liberate, free, empower
Antonyms: disenfranchise, subjugate, enslave, disempower, oppress
Sentences:
1. The 1956 Constitution enfranchised all adult citizens.
2. Reforms enfranchised millions of women voters.

18. DENIGRATE

✅

Answer: Laud / praise

Urdu: بدنام کرنا، تحقیر کرنا
Meaning (v.): to criticise unfairly; to disparage
Synonyms: disparage, belittle, defame, vilify, run down, malign
Antonyms: laud, praise, extol, commend, acclaim
Sentences:
1. It is unfair to denigrate teachers for systemic failures.
2. He never denigrated his opponents in public.

19. SALUTARY

✅

Answer: Injurious / harmful

Urdu: مفید، سودمند (اگرچہ ناخوشگوار)
Meaning (adj.): producing good effects; beneficial
Synonyms: beneficial, wholesome, advantageous, useful, valuable, healthy
Antonyms: injurious, harmful, detrimental, damaging, pernicious
Sentences:
1. The defeat was a salutary lesson for the team.
2. Fresh air has a salutary effect on health.

20. SCURRILOUS

✅

Answer: Decent / complimentary

Urdu: توہین آمیز، فحش، بہتان طرازانہ
Meaning (adj.): making scandalous claims intended to damage someone's reputation
Synonyms: defamatory, slanderous, abusive, libellous, scandalous, insulting
Antonyms: complimentary, decent, respectful, flattering, laudatory
Sentences:
1. The minister sued the paper over a scurrilous article.
2. Scurrilous rumours spread on social media.

Sources: CSS Exam Desk list · Scribd 2014–2020 compilation