Vocabulary for SSC, Banking & Government Exams

English vocabulary plays a decisive role in SSC, Banking, Railways, Insurance, Defence, and State Government exams.
This page covers high-frequency English vocabulary words asked repeatedly in competitive exams, explained with simple meaning, Hindi meaning, synonyms, antonyms, exam-oriented examples, FAQs, and practice MCQs.

1. DISMAL (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning: निराशाजनक / उदास
Meaning: Gloomy; depressing

Synonyms: glum, mournful
Antonyms: cheerful

Example:
His dismal mood was not dispelled by finding the house empty.

2. INVENTIVENESS (Noun)

Hindi Meaning: रचनात्मकता
Meaning: Creativity or originality in thinking

Synonyms: originality, innovation
Antonyms: unimaginativeness

Example:
We all loved the inventiveness of the staging.

3. ONGOING (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning: चालू
Meaning: In progress; continuing

Synonyms: under way, going on
Antonyms: finished

Example:
Training is part of our ongoing career development program.

4. DISPEL (Verb)

Hindi Meaning: दूर करना
Meaning: To remove or banish

Synonyms: eliminate, dismiss
Antonyms: keep, maintain

Example:
The brightness of the day did nothing to dispel my sadness.

5. FIERCE (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning: प्रचंड
Meaning: Violent, intense, or aggressive

Synonyms: strong, violent
Antonyms: gentle

Example:
Fierce storms lashed the country.

6. DRACONIAN (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning: कठोर
Meaning: Extremely harsh or severe

Synonyms: severe, strict
Antonyms: mild

Example:
He criticized the draconian measures taken by the police.

7. DESICCATE (Verb)

Hindi Meaning: सुखा देना
Meaning: To dry completely

Synonyms: dry, dehydrate
Antonyms: moisten, hydrate

Example:
Months of relentless sun desiccated the vegetation.

8. LAMENT (Verb)

Hindi Meaning: विलाप करना
Meaning: To express deep sorrow

Synonyms: wail
Antonyms: celebrate

Example:
She lamented the loss of her friend.

9. EXPEDIENT (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning: फ़ायदेमंद
Meaning: Convenient or practical in a situation

Synonyms: advantageous, useful
Antonyms: inexpedient, impractical

Example:
The agreement could be broken if it were expedient.

10. EXTOL (Verb)

Hindi Meaning: प्रशंसा करना
Meaning: To praise enthusiastically

Synonyms: sing the praises of, eulogize
Antonyms: criticize

Example:
He extolled the virtues of Indian culture.

• Asked repeatedly in SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS
• High weightage in Bank PO, Clerk, RBI, NABARD
• Direct usage in Reading Comprehension & Cloze Tests
• Frequently used in Editorial-based questions

Q1. Are these words important for SSC exams?

Yes. All these words have appeared directly or indirectly in SSC and Banking exams.

Q2. Should I memorize synonyms and antonyms?

Absolutely. Many exams ask direct synonym–antonym questions.

Q3. Is Hindi meaning useful for English exams?

Yes. It helps in faster understanding and retention, especially for non-English medium students.

Q4. How many vocabulary words should I learn daily?

10–15 high-quality words daily is ideal for long-term retention.

Q5. Are example sentences important?

Yes. They help in context-based questions and sentence improvement.

Q1. Which word means “extremely harsh”?
A) Fierce
B) Draconian ✅
C) Dismal
D) Expedient

Q2. Antonym of ‘Dispel’ is:
A) Eliminate
B) Dismiss
C) Maintain ✅
D) Remove

Q3. ‘Extol’ means:
A) Criticize
B) Ignore
C) Praise highly ✅
D) Reduce