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English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Loneliness - Vocabulary (Part 2)

SSC (Class 9-10) ¡ English ¡ 1 Nov 2026

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SSC (Class 9-10)English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Loneliness - Vocabulary (Part 2)

Chapter: Loneliness

📚 Vocabulary
English For Today Classes Nine and Ten
⭐ Most Important Exam Words
lonelinesssolitarypervasivediscomfortsocial connectionisolationdemographic factorsimmigrantretirementdisabilitybereavementrestrictioninteractcope withfulfildiminishvolunteeraccomplishmentnurturewellnessregimeweepmirthrejoiceshrinkdeclinenectargallgriefrepressionself-assertionsignificancepersistenceimposeconvey
📃 Word Formation Rules
â–ē Add the suffix -ness to an adjective to form a noun: lonely → loneliness, happy → happiness.
â–ē Add the suffix -ment to a verb to form a noun: accomplish → accomplishment, retire → retirement.
â–ē Add the suffix -tion or -sion to a verb to form a noun: isolate → isolation, perceive → perception, repress → repression.
â–ē Add the prefix dis- to form an opposite or negative word: comfort → discomfort, ability → disability, connect → disconnect.
â–ē Add the prefix im- before words beginning with p, b or m to form a negative: possible → impossible, mature → immature.
â–ē Add the suffix -ive to form an adjective: affect → affective, restrict → restrictive.
â–ē Add the suffix -ful to form an adjective meaning full of: care → careful, meaning → meaningful.
â–ē Add the suffix -less to form an adjective meaning without: home → homeless, care → careless.
â–ē Change a noun into a verb by using a related form: communication → communicate, connection → connect.
â–ē Use self- as a prefix to form words related to personal identity or independence: self-assertion, self-confidence, self-control.
1. Loneliness: Core Concepts (8 words)
loneliness[/ˈləʊnlinəs/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻāĻ•āĻžāĻ•āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ; āύāĻŋāσāϏāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ
Alt: āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ•āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāĻŋāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āύ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ•āĻž āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Loneliness can affect people of every age.
Syn: solitude, isolationAnt: companionship, togetherness
💡 Exam tip: Loneliness is a feeling, whereas being alone is a situation.
solitary[/ˈsɒlətri/]adjmedium
Meaning: āύāĻŋāσāϏāĻ™ā§āĻ—; āĻāĻ•āĻžāϕ⧀
Alt: āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āφāϞāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ•āĻž
Example: The old man lived a solitary life.
Syn: lonely, isolatedAnt: social, friendly
💡 Exam tip: Solitary means alone; it can describe a person, place or activity.
pervasive[/pəˈveÉĒsÉĒv/]adjhard
Meaning: āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻĒā§€; āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻĒāĻ•āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻ›āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāύ⧋
Alt: āϝāĻž āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻ¤ā§āϰ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ
Example: The feeling of fear became pervasive during the crisis.
Syn: widespread, prevalentAnt: limited, rare
💡 Exam tip: Use pervasive for something that spreads throughout a place or situation.
affective[/əˈfektÉĒv/]adjhard
Meaning: āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋāϏāĻ‚āĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ; āφāĻŦ⧇āĻ—āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāĻŖ
Alt: āĻŽāύ⧇āϰ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āφāĻŦ⧇āϗ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ•āĻŋāϤ
Example: Loneliness causes affective discomfort.
Syn: emotional, sentimentalAnt: unemotional, rational
💡 Exam tip: Do not confuse affective with effective; affective relates to feelings.
cognitive[/ˈkɒɡnətÉĒv/]adjhard
Meaning: āĻœā§āĻžāĻžāύāϏāĻ‚āĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ; āϚāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻžāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāϏāĻ‚āĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ
Alt: āϚāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻž, āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻž āĻ“ āωāĻĒāϞāĻŦā§āϧāĻŋāϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ•āĻŋāϤ
Example: Loneliness may cause cognitive discomfort.
Syn: mental, intellectualAnt: physical, unconscious
💡 Exam tip: Cognitive is often used with mental processes and understanding.
discomfort[/dÉĒsˈkƌmfət/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻ…āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āϤāĻŋ; āĻ…āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻšā§āĻ›āĻ¨ā§āĻĻā§āϝ
Alt: āĻļāĻžāϰ⧀āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻŦāĻž āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ• āĻ•āĻˇā§āĻŸā§‡āϰ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ
Example: Social isolation can create emotional discomfort.
Syn: uneasiness, distressAnt: comfort, ease
💡 Exam tip: The prefix dis- often gives a negative meaning.
connection[/kəˈnekʃən/]nouneasy
Meaning: āϝ⧋āĻ—āĻžāϝ⧋āĻ—; āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ•
Alt: āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻžāϜāĻŋāĻ• āĻŦāĻž āφāĻŦ⧇āĻ—āĻ—āϤ āĻŦāĻ¨ā§āϧāύ
Example: Strong social connections protect people from loneliness.
Syn: relationship, linkAnt: separation, disconnection
💡 Exam tip: Social connection is a key phrase from the lesson.
isolation[/ˌaÉĒsəˈleÉĒʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻŦāĻŋāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āύāϤāĻž; āĻāĻ•āϘāϰ⧇ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Alt: āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻļāĻžāϰ⧀āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻŦāĻž āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻžāϜāĻŋāĻ•āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āφāϞāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻž
Example: Physical isolation may increase loneliness.
Syn: separation, solitudeAnt: integration, companionship
💡 Exam tip: Isolation can be physical, social or emotional.
2. Causes and Risk Factors (8 words)
contribute[/kənˈtrÉĒbjuːt/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻŦāĻĻāĻžāύ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻž; āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻšāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻĢāϞāĻžāĻĢāϞ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: Several factors contribute to loneliness.
Syn: help, causeAnt: prevent, hinder
💡 Exam tip: Contribute to is followed by a noun or gerund.
demographic[/ˌdeməˈɡrÃĻfÉĒk/]adjhard
Meaning: āϜāύāĻŽāĻŋāϤāĻŋāϏāĻ‚āĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ
Alt: āϜāύāϏāĻ‚āĻ–ā§āϝāĻžāϰ āĻŦāϝāĻŧāϏ, āϞāĻŋāĻ™ā§āĻ— āĻŦāĻž āĻ—ā§‹āĻˇā§āĻ ā§€āϏāĻ‚āĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ
Example: Demographic factors may influence loneliness.
Syn: population-based, statisticalAnt: individual, personal
💡 Exam tip: Demographic factors include age, occupation and social group.
immigrant[/ˈÉĒmÉĒÉĄrənt/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻ­āĻŋāĻŦāĻžāϏ⧀
Alt: āϝ⧇ āĻŦā§āϝāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĻ⧇āĻļ⧇ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧā§€āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāϏāĻŦāĻžāϏ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ
Example: An immigrant may feel lonely in an unfamiliar country.
Syn: migrant, settlerAnt: native, citizen
💡 Exam tip: An immigrant enters a country; an emigrant leaves a country.
retirement[/rÉĒˈtaÉĒəmənt/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻŦāϏāϰ āĻ—ā§āϰāĻšāĻŖ
Alt: āϚāĻžāĻ•āϰāĻŋ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧā§€āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻ…āĻŦāϏāϰ āύ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Retirement may reduce a person's daily social interaction.
Syn: withdrawal, pensioningAnt: employment, service
💡 Exam tip: Retirement is a common cause of loneliness among older adults.
disability[/ˌdÉĒsəˈbÉĒləti/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻ•ā§āώāĻŽāϤāĻž; āĻĒā§āϰāϤāĻŋāĻŦāĻ¨ā§āϧāĻ•āϤāĻž
Alt: āĻļāĻžāϰ⧀āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻŦāĻž āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ• āϏ⧀āĻŽāĻžāĻŦāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻž
Example: A disability may restrict social activities.
Syn: impairment, infirmityAnt: ability, fitness
💡 Exam tip: Disability may be physical, mental or sensory.
bereavement[/bÉĒˈriːvmənt/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻļā§‹āĻ•; āĻĒā§āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāϜāύ āĻšāĻžāϰāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āĻĻ⧁āσāĻ–
Alt: āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁āϰ āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ• āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Bereavement can make a person feel deeply lonely.
Syn: mourning, griefAnt: happiness, joy
💡 Exam tip: Bereavement is usually associated with the death of someone close.
restriction[/rÉĒˈstrÉĒkʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: āϏ⧀āĻŽāĻžāĻŦāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻž; āύāĻŋāώ⧇āϧāĻžāĻœā§āĻžāĻž
Alt: āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻŦāĻž āϚāϞāĻžāĻĢ⧇āϰāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻŦāĻžāϧāĻž
Example: Physical restrictions may limit opportunities for socialising.
Syn: limitation, constraintAnt: freedom, permission
💡 Exam tip: Restriction is commonly followed by on: restrictions on movement.
interact[/ˌÉĒntərˈÃĻkt/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻŽāĻŋāĻĨāĻ¸ā§āĻ•ā§āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž; āϝ⧋āĻ—āĻžāϝ⧋āĻ— āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻāϕ⧇ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āĻŦāϞāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: Students interact with others through group activities.
Syn: communicate, socialiseAnt: ignore, withdraw
💡 Exam tip: Interact with someone means communicate or work with that person.
3. Effects and Prevention (8 words)
cope[/kəʊp/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻŽā§‹āĻ•āĻžāĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻ•āĻ āĻŋāύ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϤāĻŋ āϏāĻžāĻŽāϞāĻžāύ⧋
Example: Friends can help us cope with loneliness.
Syn: manage, handleAnt: surrender, neglect
💡 Exam tip: The correct structure is cope with a problem.
fulfil[/fƊlˈfÉĒl/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻĒā§‚āϰāĻŖ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§‹āϜāύ āĻŦāĻž āχāĻšā§āĻ›āĻž āϏāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧁āĻˇā§āϟ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: Healthy relationships fulfil our need for companionship.
Syn: satisfy, achieveAnt: frustrate, fail
💡 Exam tip: Fulfil a need, desire, duty or promise.
diminish[/dÉĒˈmÉĒnÉĒʃ/]verbhard
Meaning: āĻ•āĻŽāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž; āĻšā§āϰāĻžāϏ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰāĻž āĻŦāĻž āϗ⧁āϰ⧁āĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āĻ•āĻŽā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Example: Regular communication can diminish feelings of loneliness.
Syn: reduce, decreaseAnt: increase, intensify
💡 Exam tip: Diminish may be transitive or intransitive.
volunteer[/ˌvɒlənˈtÉĒə/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻ¸ā§āĻŦ⧇āĻšā§āĻ›āĻžāϏ⧇āĻŦā§€ āĻšāĻŋāϏ⧇āĻŦ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āχāĻšā§āĻ›āĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻŦāĻŋāύāĻž āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋāĻļā§āϰāĻŽāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: Many students volunteer for charitable organisations.
Syn: serve, offerAnt: refuse, avoid
💡 Exam tip: Volunteer for an organisation or volunteer to do something.
accomplishment[/əˈkƌmplÉĒʃmənt/]nounmedium
Meaning: āϏāĻžāĻĢāĻ˛ā§āϝ; āĻ…āĻ°ā§āϜāύ
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻ•āĻžāϜ āϏāĻĢāϞāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ¨ā§āύ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āĻĢāϞ
Example: Volunteering gives people a sense of accomplishment.
Syn: achievement, successAnt: failure, defeat
💡 Exam tip: Accomplishment is a noun formed from accomplish.
nurture[/ˈnɜːtʃə/]verbhard
Meaning: āϞāĻžāϞāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž; āϝāĻ¤ā§āύ āύ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ• āĻŦāĻž āϗ⧁āĻŖāϕ⧇ āϝāĻ¤ā§āύ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻžāĻ§ā§āϝāĻŽā§‡ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ•āĻļāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: Regular contact helps nurture emotional health.
Syn: nourish, developAnt: neglect, damage
💡 Exam tip: Nurture can be used for children, relationships and abilities.
wellness[/ˈwelnəs/]nounmedium
Meaning: āϏ⧁āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāϤāĻž; āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻ—ā§āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻž
Alt: āĻļāĻžāϰ⧀āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻ“ āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ•āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Exercise promotes physical and emotional wellness.
Syn: health, well-beingAnt: illness, sickness
💡 Exam tip: Wellness includes physical, mental and social health.
regime[/reÉĒˈʒiːm/]nounhard
Meaning: āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻŽāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻĒāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻŋ; āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāύ
Alt: āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻĨā§āϝ āĻŦāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻŦāϜāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻžāϰ āύāĻŋāĻ°ā§āĻĻāĻŋāĻˇā§āϟ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: A regular exercise regime improves health.
Syn: routine, programmeAnt: disorder, inactivity
💡 Exam tip: In this chapter, regime means a systematic routine, not a government.
4. Poem: Solitude (8 words)
weep[/wiːp/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāĻž; āĻ…āĻļā§āϰ⧁āĻĒāĻžāϤ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻĻ⧁āσāϖ⧇ āĻšā§‹āϖ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋ āĻĢ⧇āϞāĻž
Example: She began to weep after hearing the sad news.
Syn: cry, sobAnt: laugh, smile
💡 Exam tip: Weep is an irregular verb: weep, wept, wept.
mirth[/mɜːθ/]nounmedium
Meaning: āφāύāĻ¨ā§āĻĻ; āĻšāĻžāϏāĻŋāϖ⧁āĻļāĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ
Alt: āωāĻ˛ā§āϞāĻžāϏ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āϰāĻĢ⧁āĻ˛ā§āϞāϤāĻž
Example: The children filled the room with mirth.
Syn: joy, happinessAnt: sorrow, sadness
💡 Exam tip: Mirth is a literary word meaning great amusement or joy.
rejoice[/rÉĒˈdʒɔÉĒs/]verbmedium
Meaning: āφāύāĻ¨ā§āĻĻ āĻ•āϰāĻž; āωāĻ˛ā§āϞāϏāĻŋāϤ āĻšāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āϖ⧁āĻļāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: The people rejoiced at their team's victory.
Syn: celebrate, delightAnt: grieve, mourn
💡 Exam tip: Rejoice at or over something; rejoice in good news.
sigh[/saÉĒ/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻĻā§€āĻ°ā§āϘāĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāϏ āĻĢ⧇āϞāĻž
Alt: āĻĻ⧁āσāĻ–, āĻ•ā§āϞāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āϤāĻŋāϤ⧇ āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāϏ āĻ›āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻž
Example: She sighed with relief after the examination.
Syn: exhale, moanAnt: inhale, laugh
💡 Exam tip: Sigh can be both a verb and a noun.
shrink[/ʃrÉĒŋk/]verbmedium
Meaning: āϏāĻ™ā§āϕ⧁āϚāĻŋāϤ āĻšāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž; āĻ•āĻŽā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āĻ­āϝāĻŧ āĻŦāĻž āĻĻ⧁āσāϖ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Example: The audience shrank from hearing the painful truth.
Syn: contract, recoilAnt: expand, enlarge
💡 Exam tip: Shrink is irregular: shrink, shrank, shrunk.
decline[/dÉĒˈklaÉĒn/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻžāĻ–ā§āϝāĻžāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž; āĻ•āĻŽā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¸ā§āϤāĻžāĻŦ āĻ—ā§āϰāĻšāĻŖ āύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: He declined the invitation politely.
Syn: refuse, decreaseAnt: accept, increase
💡 Exam tip: Decline has two common meanings: refuse and decrease.
nectar[/ˈnektə/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻŽā§ƒāϤ; āĻŽāĻŋāĻˇā§āϟāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāύ⧀āϝāĻŧ
Alt: āĻĢ⧁āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽāϧ⧁ āĻŦāĻž āĻ…āĻ¤ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤ āϏ⧁āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ⧁ āĻĒāĻžāύ⧀āϝāĻŧ
Example: The bee collected nectar from the flowers.
Syn: honey, sweetnessAnt: poison, bitterness
💡 Exam tip: In the poem, nectared wine symbolises great pleasure.
gall[/ɡɔːl/]nounhard
Meaning: āϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϤāϤāĻž; āĻĻ⧁āσāϖ⧇āϰ āϤ⧀āĻŦā§āϰ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ
Alt: āϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϤ āϤāϰāϞ āĻŦāĻž āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟāĻ•āϰ āĻ…āĻ­āĻŋāĻœā§āĻžāϤāĻž
Example: He had to drink the gall of disappointment alone.
Syn: bitterness, sorrowAnt: sweetness, pleasure
💡 Exam tip: Gall is used metaphorically in the poem to mean suffering.
5. The Story of an Hour: Emotions (8 words)
afflicted[/əˈflÉĒktÉĒd/]adjhard
Meaning: āφāĻ•ā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ; āĻĒā§€āĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϰ⧋āĻ— āĻŦāĻž āϏāĻŽāĻ¸ā§āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻ­ā§‹āĻ—āĻž
Example: Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble.
Syn: troubled, sufferingAnt: healthy, well
💡 Exam tip: Afflicted with is a common collocation for illness.
grief[/ɥriːf/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻļā§‹āĻ•; āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻĻ⧁āσāĻ–
Alt: āĻŽā§ƒāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻ•ā§āώāϤāĻŋāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϰāϪ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāύāϏāĻŋāĻ• āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟ
Example: She was overcome by grief after hearing the news.
Syn: sorrow, mourningAnt: joy, delight
💡 Exam tip: Grief is usually a noun; grieve is the related verb.
abandonment[/əˈbÃĻndənmənt/]nounhard
Meaning: āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§āϰāĻŖāĻšā§€āύāϤāĻž; āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻžāĻ—
Alt: āϏāĻ‚āϝāĻŽ āĻ›āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻž āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ
Example: She wept with sudden, wild abandonment.
Syn: desertion, unrestrainednessAnt: restraint, control
💡 Exam tip: In the story, abandonment means a complete lack of restraint.
repression[/rÉĒˈpreʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻĻāĻŽāύ; āĻ…āĻŦāĻĻāĻŽāύ
Alt: āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āχāĻšā§āĻ›āĻž āĻšā§‡āĻĒ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻžāϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Her calm face showed years of repression.
Syn: suppression, restraintAnt: expression, freedom
💡 Exam tip: Repression is often connected with emotions and desires.
elusive[/ÉĒˈluːsÉĒv/]adjhard
Meaning: āϧāϰāĻž-āϛ⧋āρāϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇; āĻĻ⧁āĻ°ā§āĻŦā§‹āĻ§ā§āϝ
Alt: āϏāĻšāĻœā§‡ āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āϏāĻ‚āĻœā§āĻžāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ āύāĻž āĻāĻŽāύ
Example: The emotion was subtle and elusive.
Syn: unclear, evasiveAnt: clear, obvious
💡 Exam tip: Elusive describes something difficult to find, catch or understand.
tumultuously[/tjuːˈmʌltʃuəsli/]advhard
Meaning: āĻĒā§āϰāϚāĻŖā§āĻĄāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇; āĻ…āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇
Alt: āϤ⧀āĻŦā§āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤ⧇āϜāύāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ…āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϰāϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇
Example: Her bosom rose and fell tumultuously.
Syn: wildly, violentlyAnt: calmly, quietly
💡 Exam tip: The adverb modifies an action done in great agitation.
exalted[/ÉĒɥˈzɔːltÉĒd/]adjhard
Meaning: āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻŦāĻŋāϤ; āĻ…āĻ¤ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤ āφāύāĻ¨ā§āĻĻāĻŋāϤ
Alt: āωāĻšā§āϚāϤāϰ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āφāĻŦ⧇āϗ⧇ āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŖ
Example: She felt an exalted sense of freedom.
Syn: elevated, gloriousAnt: depressed, humble
💡 Exam tip: Exalted may describe a high position or an elevated feeling.
self-assertion[/ˌself əˈsɜːʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻĒā§āϰāϤāĻŋāĻˇā§āĻ āĻž; āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āĻ…āϧāĻŋāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ
Alt: āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āχāĻšā§āĻ›āĻž āĻ“ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāϧ⧀āύāϤāĻž āĻĻ⧃āĻĸāĻŧāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ
Example: Mrs. Mallard experienced a powerful feeling of self-assertion.
Syn: self-confidence, independenceAnt: submission, obedience
💡 Exam tip: Self-assertion is central to Mrs. Mallard's changing emotions.
6. Academic and Literary Vocabulary (8 words)
perception[/pəˈsepʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: āωāĻĒāϞāĻŦā§āϧāĻŋ; āĻĻ⧃āĻˇā§āϟāĻŋāĻ­āĻ™ā§āĻ—āĻŋ
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻž āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­āĻŦ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āĻ•ā§āώāĻŽāϤāĻž
Example: Her perception of freedom changed suddenly.
Syn: understanding, awarenessAnt: ignorance, misunderstanding
💡 Exam tip: Perception means the way something is understood or interpreted.
significance[/sÉĒɥˈnÉĒfÉĒkəns/]nounmedium
Meaning: āϤāĻžā§ŽāĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝ; āϗ⧁āϰ⧁āĻ¤ā§āĻŦ
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻ°ā§āĻĨ āĻŦāĻž āĻŽā§‚āĻ˛ā§āϝ
Example: She could not immediately accept the significance of the news.
Syn: importance, meaningAnt: insignificance, triviality
💡 Exam tip: Significance is the noun form of significant.
persistence[/pəˈsÉĒstəns/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ…āĻ§ā§āϝāĻŦāϏāĻžāϝāĻŧ; āĻ…āĻŦāĻŋāϚāϞāϤāĻž
Alt: āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻ•āĻžāĻœā§‡ āĻ…āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻšāϤ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āϗ⧁āĻŖ
Example: Persistence is necessary for success.
Syn: perseverance, continuityAnt: inconstancy, weakness
💡 Exam tip: Persistence may be positive, but blind persistence can be harmful.
impose[/ÉĒmˈpəʊz/]verbmedium
Meaning: āϚāĻžāĻĒāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Alt: āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻ“ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āχāĻšā§āĻ›āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻž āĻœā§‹āϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§‹āĻ— āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: No one should impose a personal will on another person.
Syn: force, inflictAnt: relieve, withdraw
💡 Exam tip: Impose something on someone is the common sentence pattern.
subtle[/ˈsʌtəl/]adjhard
Meaning: āϏ⧂āĻ•ā§āĻˇā§āĻŽ; āĻ…āĻ¸ā§āĻĒāĻˇā§āϟ
Alt: āϝāĻž āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϏāĻšāĻœā§‡ āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āϞāĻ•ā§āĻˇā§āϝ āĻ•āϰāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ āύāĻž
Example: A subtle change appeared in her expression.
Syn: delicate, faintAnt: obvious, ភ大
💡 Exam tip: The b in subtle is silent; pronunciation is /ˈsʌtəl/.
compassionate[/kəmˈpÃĻʃənət/]adjmedium
Meaning: āϏāĻšāĻžāύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋāĻļā§€āϞ; āĻĻāϝāĻŧāĻžāϞ⧁
Alt: āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ⧇āϰ āĻĻ⧁āσāϖ⧇ āϏāĻšāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻŽā§€
Example: Richards was compassionate when he brought the sad news.
Syn: sympathetic, kindAnt: cruel, heartless
💡 Exam tip: Compassionate people show concern for others' suffering.
anticipate[/ÃĻnˈtÉĒsÉĒpeÉĒt/]verbhard
Meaning: āφāĻ—āĻžāĻŽ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻŽāĻžāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž; āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻžāĻļāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻ­āĻŦāĻŋāĻˇā§āϝāϤ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āϘāϟāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāϞ⧇ āϧāĻžāϰāĻŖāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž
Example: They anticipated a difficult reaction from Mrs. Mallard.
Syn: expect, foreseeAnt: doubt, ignore
💡 Exam tip: Anticipate is followed by a noun or gerund, not usually by to + verb.
convey[/kənˈveÉĒ/]verbmedium
Meaning: āϜāĻžāύāĻžāύ⧋; āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ āĻ•āϰāĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϤāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­ā§‚āϤāĻŋ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āĻĒ⧌āρāϛ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž
Example: Josephine had to convey the sad news gently.
Syn: communicate, expressAnt: conceal, withhold
💡 Exam tip: Convey a message, idea, feeling or information.
💡 Exam Tips
â€ĸ Remember the contrast: being alone is a situation, but loneliness is an emotional feeling.
â€ĸ Use cope with, contribute to, listen to and suffer from as fixed prepositional phrases.
â€ĸ For gap filling, identify the exact grammatical form needed: noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
â€ĸ In the poem, laugh, rejoice, be glad and succeed are contrasted with weep, grieve, be sad and fail.
â€ĸ The central theme of The Story of an Hour is the conflict between social expectations and personal freedom.
â€ĸ Use context to distinguish multiple meanings: decline means both refuse and decrease; gall means bitterness in the poem.
â€ĸ For synonym questions, remember loneliness–isolation, grief–sorrow, mirth–joy and diminish–reduce.
â€ĸ For antonym questions, remember solitary–social, grief–joy, repression–expression and restriction–freedom.
â€ĸ In transformation exercises, remember that lonely is an adjective, loneliness is a noun and alone is an adjective or adverb.
â€ĸ When writing answers, support opinions with details from the text, such as retirement, illness, bereavement and physical isolation.
â€ĸ In literature answers, explain quotations in your own words instead of copying the original lines.
â€ĸ Check spelling carefully: loneliness has one l in the middle and two n letters; fulfil may also be written fulfill in American English.

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