Vocabulary Made Easy series: Guide to ace verbal section like a pro | Competitive Exams

Are you one among those who think it is difficult to improve your vocabulary? Are you preparing for competitive exams like IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, GRE, UPSC, etc? Do you think it is difficult to improve your word power to attempt the verbal section of these exams?

Here is a way to help you score better in the verbal section of the competitive exams. Check out the words for the day and a small quiz to push yourself to improve your word power.

Hackneyed (Adjective)

Meaning: having been overused; unoriginal and trite

Example: It is littered with hackneyed phrases and lazy commonplaces

Hyperbole (Noun)

Meaning: exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

Example: But this exclamation is hyperbole; we are not speaking in literal seriousness

Also Read: Vocabulary Made Easy series: Guide to hone your word power

Hypocritical (Adjective)

Meaning: behaving in a way that suggests one has higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case.

Example: But the reasons, one has to admit, are hypocritical and sometimes contradictory

Heretical (Adjective)

Meaning: believing in or practising religious heresy.

Example: I followed none of the numerous heretical factions

Try to answer the following questions to understand how much you have understood.

1. Can you come up with a few sentences using the word heretical?
2. lying, phoney, sincere – which of these words is an antonym/opposite of the word hypocritical?

Also Read: Vocabulary Made Easy series: Guide to strengthen your word power

Watch out for this space for your weekly update on improving word power.

(Definitions and examples are from Oxford Languages)