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CSS 2023 (Special) — Synonyms & Antonyms (Solved)

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This was the re-conducted special exam of 2023. The four-option sets were never reliably published, so each question shows the word and the keyed answer. To self-test, cover the green box and recall the meaning first.

(a) Synonyms

1. ADROITNESS

✅

Answer: Skill / dexterity

  • Urdu: مہارت، چابک دستی، ہنر مندی
  • Meaning (n.): cleverness or skill, especially with the hands or in handling situations
  • Synonyms: dexterity, deftness, skill, finesse, adeptness, expertise
  • Antonyms: clumsiness, ineptitude, awkwardness, incompetence, gaucheness
  • Sentences:
    1. The negotiator handled hostile questions with great adroitness.
    2. The potter shaped the clay with remarkable adroitness.

2. MUNIFICENCE

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Answer: Generosity

  • Urdu: فیاضی، سخاوت، دریا دلی
  • Meaning (n.): great generosity
  • Synonyms: generosity, liberality, bounty, largesse, philanthropy, charity
  • Antonyms: stinginess, meanness, parsimony, miserliness, greed
  • Sentences:
    1. The hospital was built through the munificence of a local trader.
    2. Edhi's munificence touched millions of lives.

3. AFICIONADO

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Answer: Enthusiast / devotee

  • Urdu: شوقین، دلدادہ، ماہر شائق
  • Meaning (n.): a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity or subject
  • Synonyms: enthusiast, devotee, fan, buff, connoisseur, admirer
  • Antonyms: novice, detractor, critic, layman, sceptic
  • Sentences:
    1. Cricket aficionados still debate Wasim Akram's best spell.
    2. Music aficionados travelled from abroad for the qawwali night.

4. ABSEIL

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Answer: Descend (by rope)

  • Urdu: رسی کی مدد سے نیچے اترنا
  • Meaning (v.): to descend a rock face or wall using a rope fixed at a higher point
  • Synonyms: rappel, descend, drop, lower oneself, slide down
  • Antonyms: ascend, climb, scale, mount, rise
  • Sentences:
    1. Rescuers abseiled down the cliff to reach the stranded hikers.
    2. Commandos abseiled from the helicopter onto the roof.
  • Note: some compilations list "ascend" here, which is wrong. Abseil means to go down.

5. INURE

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Answer: Harden / accustom

  • Urdu: عادی بنانا، سخت جان کرنا
  • Meaning (v.): to accustom someone to something unpleasant so they stop feeling it strongly
  • Synonyms: harden, habituate, accustom, toughen, season, desensitise
  • Antonyms: sensitise, soften, weaken, unaccustom
  • Sentences:
    1. Years in the newsroom had inured her to tragedy.
    2. Villagers are inured to long power cuts.

6. INVEIGH

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Answer: Rail against / denounce

  • Urdu: سخت مذمت کرنا، برا بھلا کہنا
  • Meaning (v.): to speak or write about something with great hostility
  • Synonyms: denounce, rail, condemn, fulminate, censure, criticise
  • Antonyms: praise, extol, commend, laud, applaud
  • Sentences:
    1. The columnist inveighed against feudal politics.
    2. Preachers inveighed against extravagance at weddings.

7. DEMIT

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Answer: Resign / relinquish

  • Urdu: عہدہ چھوڑنا، استعفیٰ دینا
  • Meaning (v.): to resign from an office or position
  • Synonyms: resign, relinquish, quit, step down, abdicate, vacate
  • Antonyms: assume, take up, accept, occupy, retain
  • Sentences:
    1. The chairman demitted office after the audit report.
    2. He chose to demit rather than face an inquiry.

8. PALLIATE

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Answer: Alleviate

  • Urdu: تخفیف کرنا، کم کرنا (بغیر جڑ سے ختم کیے)
  • Meaning (v.): to make a disease or problem less severe without removing its cause
  • Synonyms: alleviate, mitigate, ease, soothe, relieve, lessen
  • Antonyms: aggravate, worsen, exacerbate, intensify, inflame
  • Sentences:
    1. Cash transfers palliate poverty but do not cure it.
    2. Painkillers palliate the symptoms of the disease.

9. PANACEA

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Answer: Cure-all / remedy

  • Urdu: ہر مرض کی دوا، اکسیر
  • Meaning (n.): a solution for all problems or diseases
  • Synonyms: cure-all, elixir, universal remedy, nostrum, magic bullet
  • Antonyms: bane, affliction, poison, curse, disease
  • Sentences:
    1. Technology is not a panacea for bad governance.
    2. Foreign loans are no panacea for a weak economy.
  • 🔁 Also asked in 2026.

10. ASSUAGE

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Answer: Soothe / ease

  • Urdu: تسکین دینا، کم کرنا
  • Meaning (v.): to make an unpleasant feeling less intense
  • Synonyms: soothe, allay, relieve, ease, mollify, alleviate
  • Antonyms: aggravate, intensify, exacerbate, inflame, worsen
  • Sentences:
    1. Nothing could assuage her grief.
    2. Cold water assuaged his thirst after the march.
  • 🔁 Also asked in 2024.

(b) Antonyms

11. TEMERITY

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Answer: Timidity / caution

  • Urdu: بے باکی، گستاخی، جرأتِ بے جا
  • Meaning (n.): excessive confidence or boldness; audacity
  • Synonyms: audacity, nerve, gall, effrontery, impudence, rashness
  • Antonyms: timidity, shyness, caution, humility, diffidence
  • Sentences:
    1. He had the temerity to question the chief justice in open court.
    2. She had the temerity to ask for a raise on her first day.
  • 🔁 Asked as a synonym in 2016.

12. DALLY

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Answer: Hurry / hasten

  • Urdu: وقت ضائع کرنا، ٹال مٹول کرنا، دیر لگانا
  • Meaning (v.): to act or move slowly; to waste time
  • Synonyms: dawdle, linger, loiter, delay, dilly-dally, idle
  • Antonyms: hurry, hasten, rush, speed, expedite
  • Sentences:
    1. Don't dally on the MCQs. You have only 30 minutes.
    2. The children dallied on their way home from school.

13. DOTE

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Answer: Neglect / ignore

  • Urdu: حد سے زیادہ پیار کرنا، فریفتہ ہونا
  • Meaning (v.): to be extremely and uncritically fond of someone
  • Synonyms: adore, idolise, pamper, cherish, spoil, worship
  • Antonyms: neglect, ignore, disregard, despise, scorn
  • Sentences:
    1. Grandparents often dote on their first grandchild.
    2. He doted on his daughter and denied her nothing.

14. BRUSQUE

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Answer: Polite / courteous

  • Urdu: روکھا، اکھڑ، درشت
  • Meaning (adj.): abrupt or offhand in speech or manner
  • Synonyms: curt, blunt, abrupt, gruff, terse, rude
  • Antonyms: courteous, polite, gracious, gentle, civil
  • Sentences:
    1. The clerk's brusque reply upset the pensioner.
    2. Her brusque manner hides a kind heart.
  • 🔁 Asked in 2011, 2014 and 2023-S.

15. VIE

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Answer: Cooperate

  • Urdu: مقابلہ کرنا، بازی لے جانے کی کوشش کرنا
  • Meaning (v.): to compete eagerly in order to achieve something
  • Synonyms: compete, contend, rival, struggle, strive, jostle
  • Antonyms: cooperate, collaborate, assist, unite, yield
  • Sentences:
    1. Major powers vie for influence in the Indian Ocean.
    2. Students vied with each other for the top position.

16. ABET

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Answer: Hinder / discourage

  • Urdu: اعانت کرنا (برے کام میں)، اکسانا
  • Meaning (v.): to encourage or assist someone to do something wrong
  • Synonyms: assist, aid, incite, support, encourage, instigate
  • Antonyms: hinder, obstruct, discourage, prevent, thwart
  • Sentences:
    1. He was charged with aiding and abetting the fraud.
    2. Officials who abet smuggling must be punished.

17. CONVALESCE

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Answer: Deteriorate / worsen

  • Urdu: صحت یاب ہونا، بیماری کے بعد بحال ہونا
  • Meaning (v.): to recover one's health and strength after an illness
  • Synonyms: recover, recuperate, heal, get better, rally, mend
  • Antonyms: deteriorate, worsen, decline, weaken, relapse
  • Sentences:
    1. She convalesced at her village home after the operation.
    2. The patient is convalescing well.

18. TYRO

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Answer: Veteran / expert

  • Urdu: نو آموز، اناڑی، مبتدی
  • Meaning (n.): a beginner or novice
  • Synonyms: novice, beginner, neophyte, greenhorn, learner, apprentice
  • Antonyms: veteran, expert, master, professional, old hand
  • Sentences:
    1. As a tyro in coding, he struggled with recursion.
    2. The tyro journalist was sent to cover the flood.

19. MODICUM

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Answer: Abundance

  • Urdu: تھوڑی سی مقدار، ذرا سا
  • Meaning (n.): a small quantity of something good or desirable
  • Synonyms: little, bit, iota, scrap, trace, shred
  • Antonyms: abundance, plenty, profusion, excess, wealth
  • Sentences:
    1. Anyone with a modicum of sense would read the instructions.
    2. The rules give workers a modicum of protection.

20. RANCOR

✅

Answer: Amicability / goodwill

  • Urdu: کینہ، بغض
  • Meaning (n.): bitter, long-lasting resentment
  • Synonyms: bitterness, animosity, spite, malice, hostility, resentment
  • Antonyms: amicability, goodwill, harmony, friendship, affection
  • Sentences:
    1. The divorce was settled without rancor.
    2. Political rancor made cooperation impossible.
  • 🔁 Also asked in 2024.

Source: CSS Exam Desk year-wise list