1.Pragmatism

Meaning: an approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms

of the success of their practical application.

Synonym: Logical, practical

Sentence: “ideology had been tempered with pragmatism”

2.Sanctimonious

Meaning: making a show of being morally superior to other

people.

Synonym: self-righteous,

Antonym: forthright, honest

Sentence: “what happened to all the sanctimonious talk about

putting his family first?”

3.Vanquish

Meaning: defeat thoroughly.

Synonym: conquer, defeat

Antonym: surrender

Sentence: “he successfully vanquished his rival”

4.Repertoire

Meaning: a stock of plays, dances, or items that a company or a

performer knows or is prepared to perform.

Synonym: collection, stock, range, repertory

Sentence: “the mainstream concert repertoire”

5.Primordial

Meaning: existing at or from the beginning of time; primaeval.

Synonym: first, prehistoric, antediluvian, antique,

Antonym: modern

Sentence: “the primordial oceans”

6.Kingpin

Meaning: a person or thing that is essential to the success of an

organisation or operation.

Synonym: bigwig,

Antonym: inferior, subordinate, underling; mediocrity,

Sentence: “the kingpins of the television industry

7. Slander

Meaning: the action or crime of making a false spoken statement

damaging to a person’s reputation.

Synonym: besmirch, tarnish, taint, misrepresent

Sentence: “he is suing the TV company for slander”

8. Ameliorate

Meaning: make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.

Synonym: improve, amend, better, enhance, enrich

Antonym: damage, endamage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, spoil,

tarnish, vitiate

Sentence: “the reform did much to ameliorate living standards

9.Laconic

Meaning: (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few

words.

Synonym: brief, concise, terse, succinct, short, economical,

Antonym: verbose, long-winded, loquacious

Sentence: “his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the

topic”

10.Punitive

Meaning: inflicting or intended as punishment.

Synonym: penal, disciplinary, corrective,

Antonym: exonerating, condoning, pardoning

Sentence: “he called for punitive measures against the Eastern

bloc”