PYQ Vault

Playbook

Vocabulary — Synonyms

150 stems, 150 unique words. Sentence-context picks the right register. 99% EASY+MOD.

questions in the bank
150
tagged HARD
1%
subtopic(s) covered
1
worked examples
2

When you’ll see it

An underlined word inside a sentence; pick the option closest in meaning.

How this question type works

150 q in 10 years; every single stem uses a unique word — there's no overlap to memorise. So the prep isn't 'memorise 150 words'; it's 'build vocabulary breadth across the 13 thematic families NDA reuses' (see /guide/nda-english/vocab-families).

The sentence frame around the underlined word is not decoration — it sets the register. 'meticulous attention' (positive) vs 'meticulous interrogation' (could be cold/clinical) shifts which synonym fits. Read the surrounding adjectives and the verb tense before scanning options.

Distractor design: the wrong options are almost always real synonyms of *a different sense* of the word. 'CANDID' has options like (a) frank (b) careful (c) clear (d) honest — both frank and honest are correct in different registers, but the sentence's context picks one over the other.

The sub-skills

The rules and habits that decide whether you get this question right.

  • Register matching

    Match the formality of the surrounding sentence. Formal stems get Latinate synonyms (commence); informal stems get Anglo-Saxon (start).

  • Part-of-speech preservation

    If the underlined word is an adjective, all 4 options should be adjectives. If one option is a noun, it's almost certainly wrong — unless the wrap-around grammar would survive the swap.

  • Polarity check

    If the sentence implies criticism, the synonym should be neutral-to-negative. The 'wrong sentiment' option is a common distractor.

2 worked examples from the bank

Real past-year questions tagged to this playbook. Click to reveal options + solution.

NDA · Apr 2026 · Q1Easy

Example 1 · Vocabulary · Synonyms

Directions (Q. Nos. 1 to 10): Each item in this section consists of a sentence with underlined word/words followed by four words. Select the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word/words and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
The 'Jataka Tales' present moral narratives in the form of allegories.
NDA · Apr 2026 · Q3Moderate

Example 2 · Vocabulary · Synonyms

Directions (Q. Nos. 1 to 10): Each item in this section consists of a sentence with underlined word/words followed by four words. Select the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word/words and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
The obstreperous behavior of the students inside the classroom drew the attention of the Principal.

Traps to expect

Distractor shapes specific to this playbook. The page-wide Traps section covers the bank-level patterns.

  • Near-synonym of a different sense

    The wrong option is a real synonym of the word in a sense that doesn't fit this sentence. ('clear' for CANDID is right in 'crystal clear' but wrong for 'a candid admission'.)

  • False friend

    An option that LOOKS like it should be the answer (similar root, similar prefix) but isn't. 'inflammable' looks opposite of 'flammable' but means the same — recall the family.

Drill every vocabulary — synonyms question

150 questions from the bank, scoped to the named subtopic.

Drill the 150 questions

Related playbooks

Often paired with this one — drill these next if you found the worked examples above tractable.