One-word substitutions

 

One-Word Substitution

A list of 100 important one-word substitutions frequently asked in competitive exams:

1. Anthropology - The study of human societies and cultures.
2. Autobiography - The life story of a person written by themselves.
3. Bibliophile - A lover of books.
4. Biography - The life story of a person written by someone else.
5. Cannibalism - The practice of eating the flesh of one's own species.
6. Circumlocution - The use of many words where fewer would do.
7. Claustrophobia - The fear of confined spaces.
8. Cosmopolitan - A person who is at home in any country.
9. Credible - Believable or trustworthy.
10. Cynic - One who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest.
11. Debonair - Confident, stylish, and charming.
12. Eccentric - A person with unusual or odd behavior.
13. Edible - Fit to be eaten.
14. Egoist - A person who is excessively conceited or self-centered.
15. Emigrant - A person who leaves their own country to settle permanently in another.
16. Enigmatic - Mysterious and difficult to understand.
17. Epitaph - An inscription on a tombstone in memory of the person buried there.
18. Ephemeral - Lasting for a very short time.
19. Epilogue - A section at the end of a book that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.
20. Fatalist - One who believes that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable.
21. Feminist - A person who supports the rights of women.
22. Fratricide - The killing of one's brother.
23. Gourmet - A connoisseur of good food.
24. Gregarian - Someone who likes to be with other people.
25. Honorary - Given as an honor without the usual requirements.
26. Illiterate - Unable to read or write.
27. Immigrant - A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
28. Inaudible - Unable to be heard.
29. Incredible - Unbelievable.
30. Indefatigable - Persisting tirelessly.
31. Infanticide - The killing of an infant.
32. Insolvent - Unable to pay debts owed.
33. Invincible - Too powerful to be defeated or overcome.
34. Introvert - A shy, reticent person.
35. Irreparable - Impossible to repair.
36. Juxtapose - To place side by side for comparison.
37. Kleptomania - A recurrent urge to steal.
38. Linguist - A person skilled in foreign languages.
39. Manuscript - A handwritten or typed document, especially a writer's first draft.
40. Matricide - The killing of one's mother.
41. Misanthrope - A person who dislikes humankind.
42. Misogyny - Dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.
43. Monologue - A long speech by one actor in a play or movie.
44. Mortuary - A place where dead bodies are kept.
45. Narcissist - A person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.
46. Neophyte - A person who is new to a subject or activity.
47. Omnipotent - Having unlimited power.
48. Omniscient - Knowing everything.
49. Optimist - A person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future.
50. Ornithology - The study of birds.
51. Pacifist - A person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable.
52. Pediatrician - A medical practitioner specializing in children and their diseases.
53. Pessimist - A person who tends to see the worst aspect of things.
54. Philatelist - A person who collects or studies stamps.
55. Philanthropist - A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others.
56. Polygamy - The practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
57. Posthumous - Occurring or published after death.
58. Protagonist - The main character in a play, film, or novel.
59. Pseudonym - A fictitious name, especially one used by an author.
60. Psychoanalysis - A method of treating mental illness.
61. Punctual - Happening or doing something at the agreed or proper time.
62. Pyromania - An obsessive desire to set fire to things.
63. Reticent - Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.
64. Sadist - A person who derives pleasure from inflicting pain on others.
65. Somnambulist - A person who walks in their sleep.
66. Somniloquist - A person who talks in their sleep.
67. Somnophobia - The fear of sleep.
68. Soporific - Tending to induce drowsiness or sleep.
69. Sporadic - Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places.
70. Subordinate - Lower in rank or position.
71. Tangible - Perceptible by touch.
72. Teetotaler - A person who never drinks alcohol.
73. Ubiquitous - Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
74. Unanimous - Fully in agreement.
75. Verbose - Using more words than are needed.
76. Veteran - A person who has had long experience in a particular field.
77. Vigilante - A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement.
78. Vivacious - Attractively lively and animated.
79. Vulnerable - Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.
80. Widower - A man who has lost his wife by death and has not remarried.
81. Zealot - A person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
82. Zoology - The scientific study of animals.
83. Skeptic - A person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions.
84. Fugitive - A person who has escaped from captivity or is in hiding.
85. Nomad - A member of a people who have no permanent home but move from place to place.
86. Mercenary - A person primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.
87. Connoisseur - An expert judge in matters of taste.
88. Iconoclast - A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions.
89. Martyr - A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs.
90. Bigot - A person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions.
91. Ostracize - To exclude someone from a society or group.
92. Plagiarism - The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
93. Plutocracy - Government by the wealthy.
94. Sovereign - A supreme ruler, especially a monarch.
95. Pusillanimous - Showing a lack of courage or determination; timid.
96. Symposium - A conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject.
97. Tranquil - Free from disturbance; calm.
98. Verbatim - In exactly the same words as were used originally.
99. Lament - A passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
100. Demagogue - A political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument.
102. Eulogy - A speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, typically someone who has just died.
103. Exonerate - To free from blame or responsibility.
104. Altruist - A person who is selflessly concerned for the well-being of others.
105. Agoraphobia - Fear of open or crowded spaces.
106. Omnivorous - Feeding on both plants and animals.
107. Belligerent - Hostile and aggressive.
108. Benevolent - Well-meaning and kindly.
109. Blasphemy - The act of speaking sacrilegiously about sacred things.
110. Bohemian - A socially unconventional person, especially one involved in the arts.
111. Capitulate - To surrender or cease to resist an opponent.
112. Carnivorous - Feeding on other animals.
113. Catastrophe - A sudden and widespread disaster.
114. Chauvinist - A person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
115. Conflagration - A large, destructive fire.
116. Connoisseur - An expert judge in matters of taste.
117. Contemporary - Belonging to or occurring in the present.
118. Contradictory - Mutually opposed or inconsistent.
119. Cosmopolitan - Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.
120. Credulous - Having too great a readiness to believe things.
121. Culprit - A person responsible for a crime or other misdeed.
122. Democracy - A system of government by the whole population.
123. Detrimental - Tending to cause harm.
124. Eccentric - A person with an unusual or odd personality.
125. Egalitarian - Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal.
126. Egotist - A person who is excessively conceited or absorbed in themselves.
127. Elucidate - To make something clear or explain.
128. Emancipation - The fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions.
129. Empathy - The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
130. Ephemeral - Lasting for a very short time.
131. Euphemism - A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt.
132. Exacerbate - To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
133. Exemplary - Serving as a desirable model or representing the best of its kind.
134. Extrovert - An outgoing, socially confident person.
135. Fanatic - A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal.
136. Fastidious - Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
137. Fatalist - A person who believes that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable.
138. Garrulous - Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.
139. Gourmet - A connoisseur of good food.
140. Gratuitous - Uncalled for or lacking good reason.
141. Guerrilla - A member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting.
142. Hedonist - A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life.
143. Herbivorous - Feeding on plants.
144. Iconoclast - A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions.
145. Illegible - Not clear enough to be read.
146. Impecunious - Having little or no money.
147. Impartial - Treating all rivals or disputants equally.
148. Infallible - Incapable of making mistakes or being wrong.
149. Inimical - Tending to obstruct or harm.
150. Insoluble - Impossible to solve.
151. Insurgent - A person fighting against a government or invading force.
152. Intangible - Unable to be touched or grasped; not having physical presence.
153. Intermittent - Occurring at irregular intervals.
154. Irrefutable - Impossible to deny or disprove.
155. Juxtapose - To place side by side for comparison.
156. Laborious - Requiring considerable effort and time.
157. Libretto - The text of an opera or other long vocal work.
158. Malingerer - A person who exaggerates or feigns illness to escape duty or work.
159. Metamorphosis - A change of form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one.
160. Misogynist - A person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
161. Nihilist - A person who believes that life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles.
162. Obsolete - No longer produced or used; out of date.
163. Obstetrician - A doctor specializing in childbirth and the care of women giving birth.
164. Omniscient - Knowing everything.
165. Onerous - Involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty.
166. Ornithology - The study of birds.
167. Pacifist - A person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable.
168. Panacea - A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
169. Paradox - A statement that, despite sound reasoning, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless.
170. Pellucid - Translucently clear.
171. Philanthropy - The desire to promote the welfare of others.
172. Philology - The branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical development, and relationships of languages.
173. Phlegmatic - Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
174. Plausible - Seeming reasonable or probable.
175. Polyglot - A person who knows and is able to use several languages.
176. Prognosis - The likely course of a disease or ailment.
177. Propaganda - Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause.
178. Protagonist - The main character in a drama, movie, novel, or other narrative.
179. Quintessence - The most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.
180. Redundant - No longer needed or useful.
181. Retrospect - A survey or review of a past course of events or period of time.
182. Sacrilege - Violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred.
183. Sangfroid - Composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances.
184. Satiate - To satisfy fully or to excess.
185. Schizophrenia - A long-term mental disorder involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior.
186. Soliloquy - An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers.
187. Soporific - Tending to induce drowsiness or sleep.
188. Spectrum - Used to classify something in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme points.
189. Sporadic - Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places.
190. Sycophant - A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important to gain advantage.
191. Taciturn - Reserved or uncommunicative in speech.
192. Theocracy - A system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.
193. Thesaurus - A book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts.
194. Translucent - Allowing light to pass through, but not detailed shapes.
195. Travesty - A false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.
196. Trilogy - A group of three related novels, plays, films, operas, or albums.
197. Ubiquitous - Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
198. Unanimous - Fully in agreement.
199. Vanguard - A group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas.
200. Verbose - Using or expressed in more words than are needed.
201. Zephyr - A gentle, mild breeze.