The Hindu Vocabulary 12 February 2026

Word/Phrase

Part of speech

Meaning

Synonyms

Antonyms

Sentence

Bigot

Noun

A person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic toward a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.

(कट्टर व्यक्ति)

Fanatic, Zealot, Dogmatist, Sectarian, Partisan, Racist, Chauvinist, Extremist, Discriminator, Intolerant

Liberal, Moderate, Tolerant, Broad-minded, Unbiased, Open-minded, Humanitarian, Fair, Impartial, Accepting

He was labeled a bigot after making several offensive remarks about other cultures.

Incendiary

Adjective

Designed to cause fires; tending to stir up conflict or excitement.

(भड़काऊ)

Inflammatory, Provocative, Seditious, Agitprop, Explosive, Combustible, Volatile, Stirring, Rabble-rousing, Rebellious

Peacemaking, Calming, Soothing, Conciliatory, Non-inflammatory, Peaceful, Tranquil, Assuaging, Subduing, Gentle

The politician was criticized for his incendiary speech that incited a riot.

Rhetoric

Noun

The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

(भाषणकला)

Oratory, Eloquence, Persuasion, Articulacy, Discourse, Declamation, Wordplay, Expression, Bombast, Hyperbole

Sincerity, Fact, Honesty, Reality, Simplicity, Truth, Quiet, Silence, Directness, Understatement

The audience was impressed by the speaker's powerful rhetoric, even if they didn't agree with all his points.

Laggard

Noun

A person who makes slow progress and falls behind others.

(पिछड़ जाने वाला)

Straggler, Slowcoach, Dawdler, Idler, Loiterer, Sluggard, Latecomer, Slow-mover, Procrastinator

Leader, Pioneer, Front-runner, Achiever, Hustler, Speedster, Expediter, Precursor, Progressive, Accelerator

The company was once a leader in tech, but it has now become a laggard in innovation.

Lacunae

Noun

Unfilled spaces or intervals; gaps.

(रिक्तियां)

Gaps, Intervals, Omissions, Blanks, Vacuums, Breaks, Cavities, Holes, Missing-links, Deficiencies

Continuities, Fullness, Completeness, Totality, Closures, Connections, Solidness, Abundance, Bridges, Links

The historian noted several lacunae in the ancient records, making it hard to tell the full story.

Insidious

Adjective

Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.

(घातक)

Stealthy, Subtle, Treacherous, Deceptive, Cunning, Crafty, Sneaky, Corrupting, Harmful, Underhanded

Straightforward, Honest, Open, Apparent, Harmless, Sincere, Benign, Visible, Direct, Obvious

High blood pressure is often called an insidious disease because it has no obvious symptoms.

Bogeymen

Noun( Plural)

Imaginary evil spirits or persons used to frighten children; people or things that are objects of fear or dread.

(डरावना हौआ)

Phantoms, Monsters, Specters, Shadows, Threats, Nightmares, Bugbears, Goblins, Apparitions, Terrors

Protectors, Guardians, Friends, Saviors, Comforts, Realities, Heroes, Allies, Angels

Politicians sometimes create imaginary bogeymen to distract the public from real issues.

Populace

Noun

The people living in a particular country or area.

(जनता)

Public, Population, Masses, People, Inhabitants, Citizens, Society, Community, Commonalty, Folk

Elite, Nobility, Aristocracy, Leaders, Rulers, Individual, Minority, Royalty, Gentry, Oligarchy

The government must address the concerns of the entire populace, not just the wealthy.

Hobgoblin

Noun

A mischievous imp or sprite; a source of fear or dread.

(हौआ)

Bugbear, Bogey, Monster, Demon, Imp, Sprite, Phantom, Nuisance, Fear, Terror

Comfort, Delight, Angel, Reality, Certainty, Peace, Pleasure, Joy, Friend, Guardian

For many students, the final math exam is a terrifying hobgoblin.

Fraternity

Noun

A group of people sharing a common profession or interests; friendship and mutual support within a group.

(बिरादरी)

Brotherhood, Association, Society, Fellowship, Guild, Alliance, Kinship, Union, Club, Community

Isolation, Hostility, Estrangement, Division, Rivalry, Disunity, Individualism, Separation, Conflict

 The medical fraternity came together to discuss the latest advancements in heart surgery.

Manoeuvre

Noun

A movement or series of moves requiring skill and care; a carefully planned strategy to achieve an objective.

(पैंतरेबाज़ी)

Strategy, Tactic, Movement, Operation, Scheme, Trick, Exercise, Deployment, Action, Ploy

Inaction, Stagnation, Blunder, Mistake, Clumsiness, Honesty, Openness, Stillness, Accident, Failure

Through a clever political manoeuvre, she managed to win the committee's vote.

Cumulative

Adjective

Increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions.

(संचयी)

Collective, Accumulative, Aggregate, Total, Growing, Increasing, Combined, Summed, Successive, Heaped

Subtractive, Decreasing, Individual, Diminishing, Separated, Fragmentary, Declining, Single, Divided, Partial

The cumulative effect of missing small deadlines led to the project's failure.