Vocabulary Made Easy series: Strengthen your language skills to ace in exams

Scoring well in exams is not a herculean task. With strong language skills, students can ensure they score well in exams.

Scoring well in exams is not a herculean task. With strong language skills, students can ensure they score well in exams.

Here's a way to improve your vocabulary and communication skills. (Shutterstock)

Here's a way to improve your vocabulary and communication skills. Check out the words for the day and a small quiz to push yourself to improve your word power and language skills.

Abdicate (Verb)

Meaning: (of a monarch) renounce one's throne/ fail to fulfil or undertake (a responsibility or duty)

Example: In 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor

Abeyance (Noun)

Meaning: a state of temporary disuse or suspension

Example: All property rights in the property to which the order relates lie in abeyance

Amortize (Verb)

Meaning: gradually write off the initial cost of (an asset) over a period

Example: The vessel's owners could not amortize her high capital costs

Belie (Verb)

Meaning: (of an appearance) fail to give a true impression of (something)/ fail to fulfil or justify (a claim or expectation)

Example: Already, we have encountered many instances that would belie any such claim

Bonhomie (Noun)

Meaning: cheerful friendliness; geniality

Example: He exuded good humour and bonhomie

Circumspect (Adjective)

Meaning: wary and unwilling to take risks

Example: The officials were very circumspect in their statements

Caustic (Adjective)

Meaning: able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action/ sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way.

Example: The players were making caustic comments about the refereeing

Brandish (Verb)

Meaning: wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement

Example: A man leaped out brandishing a knife

Clamber (Verb)

Meaning: climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet

Example: A final clamber led to cliff where we could look out to the open sea

Put your thinking cap on and try to answer the following questions to understand how much you have grasped.

1. To the left, a ______________ up some muddy boulders leads towards Gypsum Cavern. Which of the following words fits best in the sentence? (Clamber, Brandish)
2. Can you think of some antonyms for the words Caustic and Circumspect?
3. Can you think of some synonyms for the words Bonhomie and Belie?

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

(Definitions and examples are from Oxford Languages)