This article will provide a list of One Word Substitution PDF which forms an important part of competitive examination.
Candidates preparing for various Government exams are advised to go through the one-word substitution list carefully as English language is a part of the syllabus for most of these exams.
What is One Word Substitution in English Language?
One word substitution is the use of one word in place of a wordy phrase in order to make the sentence structure clearer. The meaning, with the replacement of the phrase remains identical while the sentence becomes shorter.
One Word Substitution Example:
My friend drives me in a car around town. Using one-word substitution in this sentence would give something like this – My friend chauffeurs me around town.
To avoid confusion, we have categorized the list of one-word substitution into 8 categories:
For their convenience, candidates may download the one-word substitution pdf containing more than 200 words from the links given below and at the bottom of the article.
List Of One Word Substitution PDF:-Download PDF Here
The table below highlights the one-word substitution related to generic terms, for competitive exams:
One Word Substitution For Generic Terms
| List Of One Word Substitution | |
| One Word Substitution | Generic terms |
| An act of abdicating or renouncing the throne | Abdication |
| An annual calendar containing important dates and statistical information such as astronomical data and tide tables | Almanac |
| A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that is born in water and breathes with gills | Amphibian |
| A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one | Allegory |
| A statement or proposition on which an abstractly defined structure is based | Axiom |
| A nation or person engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by international law | Belligerent |
| An examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause or extent of a disease | Biopsy |
| The action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk | Blasphemy |
| The arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence | Chronology |
| A vigorous campaign for political, social, or religious change | Crusade |
| Lasting for a very short time | Ephemeral |
| Spoken or done without preparation | Extempore |
| Release someone from a duty or obligation | Exonerate |
| Fond of company | Gregarious |
| Making marks that cannot be removed | Indelible |
| Incapable of making mistakes or being wrong | Infallible |
| Certain to happen | Inevitable |
| A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past | Nostalgia |
| A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases | Panacea |
| A doctrine which identifies God with the universe | Pantheism |
| Excessively concerned with minor details or rules | Pedantic |
| The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own | Plagiarism |
| Safe to drink | Potable |
| The emblems or insignia of royalty | Regalia |
| Violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred | Sacrilege |
| A position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit | Sinecure |
| A thing that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event | Souvenir |
| An imaginary ideal society free of poverty and suffering | Utopia |
| Denoting a sin that is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace | Venial |
| In exactly the same words as were used originally | Verbatim |
Candidates can download the comprehensive One word Substitution PDF for all the categories given after the lists. Below given is the one word substitution for Government Or Systems.
One Word Substitution For Government/Systems
| One Word Substitutes | Government/System |
| A state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems | Anarchy |
| A form of government in which power is held by the nobility | Aristocracy |
| A system of government by one person with absolute power | Autocracy |
| A self-governing country or region | Autonomy |
| A system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives | Bureaucracy |
| A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives | Democracy |
| A state, society, or group governed by old people | Gerontocracy |
| A state or country run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens | Kakistocracy |
| Government by new or inexperienced hands | Neocracy |
| Government by the populace | Ochlocracy |
| A small group of people having control of a country or organization | Oligarchy |
| Government by the wealthy | Plutocracy |
| Government not connected with religious or spiritual matters | Secular |
| A form of government with a monarch at the head | Monarchy |
| A political system based on the government of men by God | Thearchy |
Candidates preparing for any Government exam can check other important topics for English language section.
For more articles based on the concepts, rules and sample questions check General English For Competitive exams page.
One Word Substitution For Venue Or Spot
| List of One Word Substitutions | Venue/Spot |
| A collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people | Archives |
| A large cage, building, or enclosure to keep birds | Aviary |
| A building where animals are butchered | Abattoir |
| A place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives | Apiary |
| A building containing tanks of live fish of different species | Aquarium |
| A place or scene of activity, debate, or conflict | Arena |
| A collection of weapons and military equipment | Arsenal |
| An institution for the care of people who are mentally ill | Asylum |
| A hole or tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, as a dwelling | Burrow |
| A collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place | Cache |
| A public room or building where gambling games are played | Casino |
| A large burial ground, especially one not in a churchyard | Cemetery |
| A room in a public building where outdoor clothes or luggage may be left | Cloakroom |
| A place where a dead person’s body is cremated | Crematorium |
| A Christian community of nuns living together under monastic vows | Convent |
| Nursery where babies and young children are cared for during the working day | Creche |
| A stoppered glass container into which wine or spirit is decanted | Decanter |
| A large bedroom for a number of people in a school or institution | Dormitory |
| The nest of a squirrel, typically in the form of a mass of twigs in a tree | Drey |
| A room or building equipped for gymnastics, games, and other physical exercise | Gymnasium |
| A storehouse for threshed grain | Granary |
| A large building with an extensive floor area, typically for housing aircraft | Hangar |
| A box or cage, typically with a wire mesh front, for keeping rabbits or other small domesticated animals | Hutch |
| A place in a large institution for the care of those who are ill | Infirmary |
| A small shelter for a dog | Kennel |
| A place where wild animal live | Lair |
| A place where coins, medals, or tokens are made | Mint |
| A collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition | Menagerie |
| A building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows | Monastery |
| A place where bodies are kept for identification | Morgue |
| A piece of enclosed land planted with fruit trees | Orchard |
| A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply | Reservoir |
| A small kitchen or room at the back of a house used for washing dishes and another dirty household work | Scullery |
| A close-fitting cover for the blade of a knife or sword | Sheath |
| A room or building for sick children in a boarding school | Sanatorium |
| A place where animal hides are tanned | Tannery |
| A large, tall cupboard in which clothes may be hung or stored | Wardrobe |
Candidates preparing for competitive exams must update themselves with the basic differences between the confusing but common words in English Language. Check the links given below:
More such articles on various concepts of English as well as other subjects, important topics, etc are given in the 100 Difference Between Articles on the given link.
One Word Substitution For Group/Collection
| One Word Substitution | Group/Collection |
| A group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place | Battery |
| A large bundle bound for storage or transport | Bale |
| A large gathering of people of a particular type | Bevy |
| An arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a present | Bouquet |
| A family of young animals | Brood |
| A group of things that have been hidden in a secret place | Cache |
| A group of people, typically with vehicles or animals travelling together | Caravan |
| A closed political meeting | Caucus |
| An exclusive circle of people with a common purpose | Clique |
| A group of followers hired to applaud at a performance | Claque |
| A series of stars | Constellation |
| A funeral procession | Cortege |
| A group of worshippers | Congregation |
| A herd or flock of animals being driven in a body | Drove |
| A small fleet of ships or boats | Flotilla |
| A small growth of trees without underbrush | Grove |
| A community of people smaller than a village | Hamlet |
| A group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals | Herd |
| A large group of people | Horde |
| A temporary police force | Posse |
| A large number of fish swimming together | Shoal |
| A strong and fast-moving stream of water or other liquid | Torrent |
One Word Substitution List for a Person Or People
| One Word Substitution | Person/People |
| One who is not sure about God’s existence | Agnostic |
| A person who deliberately sets fire to a building | Arsonist |
| One who does a thing for pleasure and not as a profession | Amateur |
| One who can use either hand with ease | Ambidextrous |
| One who makes an official examination of accounts | Auditor |
| A person who believes in or tries to bring about a state of lawlessness | Anarchist |
| A person who has changed his faith | Apostate |
| One who does not believe in the existence of God | Atheist |
| A person appointed by two parties to solve a dispute | Arbitrator |
| One who leads an austere life | Ascetic |
| An unconventional style of living | Bohemian |
| One who is bad in spellings | Cacographer |
| One who feeds on human flesh | Cannibal |
| A person who is blindly devoted to an idea/ a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism | Chauvinist |
| A critical judge of any art and craft | Connoisseur |
| Persons living at the same time | Contemporaries |
| One who is recovering health after illness | Convalescent |
| A girl/woman who flirts with a man | Coquette |
| A person who regards the whole world as his country | Cosmopolitan |
| One who is a centre of attraction | Cynosure |
| One who sneers at the beliefs of others | Cynic |
| A leader or orator who espouses the cause of the common people | Demagogue |
| A person having a sophisticated charm | Debonair |
| A leader who sways his followers by his oratory | Demagogue |
| A dabbler (not serious) in art, science and literature | Dilettante |
| One who is for pleasure of eating and drinking | Epicure |
| One who often talks of his achievements | Egotist |
| Someone who leaves one country to settle in another | Emigrant |
| A man who is womanish in his habits | Effeminate |
| One who is hard to please (very selective in his habits) | Fastidious |
| One who runs away from justice | Fugitive |
| One who is filled with excessive enthusiasm in religious matters | Fanatic |
| One who believes in fate | Fatalist |
| A lover of good food | Gourmand |
| Conferred as an honour | Honorary |
| A person who acts against religion | Heretic |
| A person of intellectual or erudite tastes | Highbrow |
| A patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments | Hypochondriac |
| A person who is controlled by wife | Henpeck |
| One who shows sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality | Indefatigable |
| Someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions | Iconoclast |
| One who does not express himself freely | Introvert |
| Who behaves without moral principles | Immoral |
| A person who is incapable of being tampered with | Impregnable |
| One who is unable to pay his debts | Insolvent |
| A person who is mentally ill | Lunatic |
| A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society | Misanthrope |
| A person who is primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics | Mercenary |
| Someone in love with himself | Narcissist |
| One who collect coins as hobby | Numismatist |
| A person who likes or admires women | Philogynist |
| A lover of mankind | Philanthropist |
| A person who speaks more than one language | Polyglot |
| One who lives in solitude | Recluse |
| Someone who walks in sleep | Somnambulist |
| A person who is indifferent to the pains and pleasures of life | Stoic |
| A scolding nagging bad-tempered woman | Termagant |
| A person who shows a great or excessive fondness for one’s wife | Uxorious |
| One who possesses outstanding technical ability in a particular art or field | Virtuoso |
This table highlights the one word substitution pdf for words related to murder or death.
One Word Substitution For Death/Murder
| One Word Substitution | Murder/Death |
| A solemn procession, especially for a funeral | Cortege |
| A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead | Elegy |
| A phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died | Epitaph |
| Killing of one’s son or daughter | Filicide |
| Destruction or abortion of a fetus | Foeticide |
| Killing of one’s brother or sister | Fratricide |
| Killing of a large group of people | Genocide |
| Killing of one person by another | Homicide |
| Killing of infants | Infanticide |
| Burial of a corpse in a grave or tomb | Interment |
| Killing of one’s mother | Matricide |
| A room or building in which dead bodies are kept | Mortuary |
| A news article that reports the recent death of a person | Obituary |
| Killing of a parent or other near relative | Parricide |
| Killing of one’s father | Patricide |
| An examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death | Postmortem |
| Action of killing a king | Regicide |
| Killing of one’s sister | Sororicide |
| Act of intentionally causing one’s own death | Suicide |
| Killing of one’s wife | Uxoricide |
List of One Word Substitutes For Profession/Research
| One Word Substitution | Profession/Research |
| The medieval forerunner of chemistry | Alchemy |
| A person who presents a radio/television programme | Anchor |
| One who studies the evolution of mankind | Anthropologist |
| A person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft | Astronaut |
| The scientific study of the physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification and economic importance of plants | Botany |
| A person who draws or produces maps | Cartographer |
| A person who writes beautiful writing | Calligrapher |
| A person who composes the sequence of steps and moves for a performance of dance | Choreographer |
| A person employed to drive a private or hired car | Chauffeur |
| A person who introduces the performers or contestants in a variety show | Compere |
| A keeper or custodian of a museum or other collection | Curator |
| The branch of biology concerned with cyclical physiological phenomena | Chronobiology |
| A secret or disguised way of writing | Cypher |
| The study of statistics | Demography |
| The use of the fingers and hands to communicate and convey ideas | Dactylology |
| A person who sells and arranges cut flowers | Florist |
| A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor | Genealogy |
| The therapeutic use of sunlight | Heliotherapy |
| The art or practise of garden cultivation and management | Horticulture |
| One who supervises in the examination hall | Invigilator |
| The theory or philosophy of law | Jurisprudence |
| A person who compiles dictionaries | Lexicographer |
| The scientific study of the structure and diseases of teeth | Odontology |
| One who presents a radio programme | Radio Jockey |
| The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing | Rhetoric |
| The branch of science concerned with the origin, structure and composition of rocks | Petrology |
| One who studies the elections and trends in voting | Psephologist |
| An artist who makes sculptures. | Sculptor |
| The scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification and distribution of animals | Zoology |
Candidates preparing for competitive exams must check the following for English language section:
- Active and Passive Voice Rules
- Conjunctions List & Rules
- Rules For Prepositions
- Rules For Tenses
One Word Substitution For Sound
| One Word Substitution | Sound |
| The branch of physics concerned with the properties of sound | Acoustics |
| The sound of Alligators | Bellow |
| The sound of Deers | Bell |
| The sound of Crows | Caw |
| The sound of Geese | Cackle |
| The sound of Hens | Cluck |
| The sound of Dolphins | Click |
| The sound of Frogs | Croak |
| The sound of Crickets | Creak |
| The sound of Monkeys | Gibber |
| The sound of Camels | Grunt |
| The sound of Owls | Hoot |
| The sound of Penguins | Honk |
| The sound of Cattle | Moo |
| The sound of Horses | Neigh |
| The sound of Nightingales | Pipe |
| The sound of Ducks | Quack |
| The sound of Parrots | Screech |
| The sound of Rats | Squeak |
| The sound of Birds | |
| The sound of Elephants | Trumpet |
| The sound of Mosquitoes | Whine |
To get all one-word substitution words, candidates are advised to download the One Word Substitution PDF, for convenience in preparation.
List Of One Word Substitution PDF:-Download PDF Here
Sample Question – One Word Substitutions For the English Language
To better understand the concept of one word substitution and its relevance for the competitive examination, it is important to know the types of questions asked in exams, based on the same.
Hence, given below are a few sample questions on one word substitution asked in various government examinations.
Directions – In questions given below, out of the four options, pick the one which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence.
Q.1. The Government wing responsible for making Rules
- Judiciary
- Executive
- Court
- Legislature
Answer (4) Legislature
Q.2. Life history of a person written by that person
- Autobiography
- Topography
- Flexography
- Biography
Answer (1) Autobiography
Q.3. One who does not take any alcoholic drink
- Saint
- Teetotaller
- Forestaller
- Vegetarian
Answer (2) Teetotaller
Q.4. A speech delivered without any previous preparation
- Elocution
- Dialogue
- Extempore
- Dialect
Answer (3) Extempore
Q.5. A disease which attacks many people in a particular area in one time
- Epidemic
- Pandemic
- Sardonic
- Academic
Answer (1) Epidemic
Apart from the above-given questions, one-word substitute can be asked in the form of spotting the error, word replacements as well as in reading comprehension passages. Candidates can go through the exercise on One Word Substitution Questions and Answers for practice and revision.
Also, go through the questions and answers of other relevant topics of English Language covered in the syllabus of various competitive exams.
- Tenses Questions And Answers
- Idioms and Phrases Questions and Answers
- Prepositions Questions And Answers
For more such articles on the questions and answers on various English topics check the Verbal Ability page.
Therefore, candidates should check the Previous Year Question Papers PDF with Solutions to understand the scope and difficulty level of questions that appear in the exams.
Almost all the exams such as SSC exam, Bank exam, RRB exam, Insurance exam or any other Government exams have a separate section for the English Language in both objective and descriptive paper.
Candidates preparing for the various government exams can refer to the detailed exam syllabus in the links given below:
75+ PDF List of Frequently Asked One Word Substitutions for Competitive Exams
Ashutosh Sharma
| Updated: Jun 1, 2021 11:14 IST
‘One word substitution’ is a replacement for long and lengthy sentences or definitions. One word substitution falls under the category of ‘Vocabulary’ as word, sentences, definitions are parts of a speech as well. To make the language crisp, short and intact, one word is replaced with lengthy, elongated and elucidated contexts. ‘One-word substitutions’ are also known as ‘Verbatim’. The practice of ‘One-word substitution’ is, also, something that replaces a word with a context but without changing the meaning of the given same context.
Check out Gerund, Infinitive and Participle here.
Example of One Word Substitution
The government that dictates, is no government at all.
Dictatorship is no government at all.
- Why is One Word Substitution Important in Exams?
- Usage and Benefits of One Word Substitution
- List of Frequently Asked One Word Substitutions
- One Word Substitution Sample Questions
- One Word Substitutions FAQs
Why is One Word Substitution Important in Exams?
One word substitution replaces words and communicates the meaning more effortlessly. It also lessens the words. Thus, saving time and space. In ‘one word substitution’, the words are in pragmatic relation with one another to form logical construction of language. It is frequently asked in exams like SSC CGL, NDA, IBPS, UPSC, MBA, bank and insurance exams. A student having good knowledge of One Word Substitution can write better Essays and Reports.
Usage and Benefits of One Word Substitution
- Makes the language and writing concise, yet crisp.
- Makes the structure more understanding, more clear.
- The language is briefly expressed.
- The meaning is identical yet shorter.
- Embellishes the language.
- Helps avoid repetition in Language.
For details on the Para Jumbles, refer to the linked article.
List of Frequently Asked One Word Substitutions
One word substitution is a topic that has many categories under which the ‘replacements’ fall. So, let’s glance over all of them!
Fears and Phobias:
| Phrase | One word |
| An extreme or irrational fear of heights | Acrophobia |
| An irrational fear of fresh air or drafts of air | Aerophobia |
| Fear of being egoistical, alone or isolated | Autophobia |
| Phobia of pain | Algophobia |
| An emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat | Anorexia |
| Phobia of open places | Agoraphobia |
| A persistent fear of depths | Bathophobia |
| Fear or hatred of Books | Bibliophobia |
| Fear of time | Chronophobia |
| Fear of Dogs | Cynophobia |
| Fear of Women | Gynephobia |
| Fear of Knowledge | Gnosiophobia |
| Fear of marriage, or getting in a relationship | Gamophobia |
| An intense fear of Travelling | Hodophobia |
| Fear of Diseases | Haemetophobia |
| Fear of Words | Logophobia |
| An extreme fear of night or Dark | Nyctophobia |
| Fear of Medication | Pharmacophobia |
| Fear of Death | Thanatophobia |
Learn all about Adverbs here.
Studies and Languages:
| Phrase | One word |
| The study of ancient things | Archaeology |
| The study of plants | Botany |
| The study of animals | Zoology |
| The study of the environment | Biology |
| The study of a body | Physiology |
| The study of mankind | Anthropology |
| The study of human behaviour | Psychology |
| The study of female reproductive organs | Gynaecology |
| The study of the mental structure of children | Pediatry |
| The study of the physical structure of children | Pediatrics |
| The study of different skin diseases | Dermatology |
| The study of the structure of bones and curvature of the spine | Orthopaedics |
| The study of the heart diseases and circulatory system | Cardiology |
| The study of brain structure, treatment of nervous system | Neurology |
To get details on Idioms and Phrases, candidates can visit the linked article.
Person and Personality
| Phrase | One word |
| One who cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| One who has mixed feelings | Ambivalent |
| One who has two or more skilled | Ambidextrous |
| One who is outspoken and outgoing | Extrovert |
| One who is reserved and conservative | Introvert |
| One who hates or disgust mankind | Misanthrope / Misanthropist |
| One who hates or disgust females | Misogynist |
| One who hates or disgust males | Misandrist / Misander |
| One who is showy/flirtatious/ Pompous of character | Flamboyant |
| One who is difficult to please or to convince | Uncomplecent / Fastidious |
| One who has a strong sixth sense | Psychic |
| One who is mentally unsound | Psychotic |
| One who is addicted to hard drinks | Dipsomaniac |
| One who is not addicted to anything | Teetotaler |
| One who is full of life and has a charismatic personality | Convivial |
| One is innocent and unaware of worldly affairs | Gullible |
| One who is prone to hurt | Vulnerable |
For details on the Cloze Test, refer to the linked article.
Habits and Ability
| Phrase | One word |
| An ability to use both the hands | Dexterity |
| An ability to express oneself in speech | Oracity |
| An ability to make good judgments and take quick decisions | Acumen |
| An ability to see what might happened in future | Foresight |
| An ability to stay calm in difficult situations | Sangfroid |
| An ability to do something | Knack |
| An ability to copy the behaviour of a person | Mimicry |
| An ability to find ways or directions | Navigate |
| An ability to add diagrams or explanation to a written context | Annotate |
| Having no legal power | Nutt |
| Having complete power | Omnipotent, Omnipotence |
| Having an appealing taste or appearance | Luscious |
| Having to a useful purpose | Otiose |
| Having knowledge of the power of learning | Erudite |
For details on the Types and Rules of Tenses, refer to the linked article.
Killing and Manias
| Phrase | One Word |
| Killing of Humankind | Genocide/ Carnage |
| Killing of Wife | Uxoricide |
| Killing of Husband | Mariticide |
| Killing of sister | Sororicide |
| Killing of brother | Fratricide |
| Killing of mother | Matricide |
| Killing of father | Patricide |
| The killing of a son (own’s child) | Filicide |
| The killing of a daughter (own’s child) | Filicide |
| The killing of an animal for food | Slaughter |
| Killing someone illegally | Lynch |
| The killing of an elder/older | Senicide |
To get detailed knowledge and examples on Prefixes and Suffixes, candidates can visit the linked article.
Governance Systems
| Phrase | One word |
| Government by people | Democracy |
| Government by rich | plutocracy |
| Government by educated/high-class society | Aristocracy |
| Government by dictator | Dictatorship |
| Government by non-elected | Bureaucracy |
| Government by monopolists | Capitalism |
| Government by a particular community | Communalism |
| Government by king or queen | Monarchy |
| Absence of government rule | Anarchy |
| Government by small fraction or group of families | Oligocracy |
| Government by religious institutions | Theocracy |
Profession
| Phrase | One word |
| A person who travels in space | Astronaut |
| A person who makes maps | Cartographer |
| A person who sells flowers | Florist |
| A person with beautiful penmanship | Calligrapher |
| A person who supervises | Invigilator |
| A person who anchors a radio show | Radio Jockey |
| A person who teaches dance moves | Choreographer |
| A person who supervises the meusem | Curator |
| A person who collects coins | Numismatist |
| A person who drives a car | Chauffeur |
One Word Substitution Sample Questions
Replace the underlined words with One Word Substitution.
Q1. He was hanged because he killed his brother.
A. Patricide
B. Matricide
C. Fratricide
D. Suicide
A1. Option C is correct.
Q2. Germany had a dictator based reign with HitlerChancellor.Plutocracy
A. Plutocracy
B. Aristocracy
C. Dictatorship
D. Bureaucracy
A2. Option C is correct.
These are the frequently asked One word Substitutions in exams. Instead of trying to memorise one by one, practise them through mock tests on Testbook App to remember it effectively.
For details on the Synonyms & Antonyms, refer to the linked article.
One Word Substitutions FAQs
Q.1 What is the one-word substitute?
Ans.1 ‘One-word substitution’ is a replacement for long and lengthy sentences or definitions. It falls under the category of ‘Vocabulary’ as word, sentences, definitions are parts of a speech as well.
Q.2 Why are one-word substitutes important?
Ans.2 One word substitution replaces words and communicates the meaning more effortlessly.
Q.3 Which causes death one word substitution?
Ans.3 Toxic, Fatal.
Q.4 What is one word that Cannot be read?
Ans.4 Illegible.
Q.5 What Cannot be seen in one-word substitution?
Ans.5 Unseen, Invisible.
Q.6 Which can be seen through one word?
Ans.6 Transparent, Visible.
-
7
What is One Word Substitution? Word Substitution simply means using a specific word to replace a wordy phrase or sentence and making it shorter, more concise and clearer to understand. This way, the word becomes identical to the sentence thus providing the same meaning as the wordy sentence. The best way to master this concept is to learn their meanings by putting them in a particular sentence or visualising them through an interesting story. One-word substitution questions frequently occur in many competitive exams such as SBI PO, UPSC, CAPF, CDS, RRB, SSC etc. Read this blog to find 100+ one-word substitutions with examples as well as practice questions and quizzes for competitive exams.
This Blog Includes:
- What is One Word Substitution in the English Language?
- How to Solve One-Word Substitution?
- Why Do We Need One-Word Substitutions?
- Categories of One Word Substitution
- 100+ One Word Substitutions with Examples
- Study-Related One-Word Substitution with Examples
- One-Word Substitution For Government/Systems
- One Word Substitution For Venue Or Spot
- One-Word Substitutes For Profession/Research
- Group/Collection-related One Word Substitution
- Person/People-related One Word Substitution
- Profession-related One Word Substitution
- Terms-related One Word Substitution
- Killing-related One Word Substitution
- Top 40 One-Word Substitutions Asked in Competitive Exams
- One-Word Substitution Sample Questions
- [BONUS] One Word Substitution Quiz
- FAQs
What is One Word Substitution in the English Language?
One-word substitution is the use of one word in place of a wordy phrase in order to make the sentence structure clearer and avoid lengthy sentences. The meaning, with the replacement of the phrase, remains identical while the sentence becomes shorter.
How to Solve One-Word Substitution?
Before checking on the examples for one word substitutions, let’s see how to solve them. These can be solved by identifying its ‘root word’ or core meaning and then identifying the prefix and suffix. Many words like Anthropology come from the root word anthrōpos which means humans (Here ‘Anthro’ is the prefix and ‘ology’ is the suffix). Hence anthropology means the study of humanity. To gain mastery in understanding root words, you should be familiar with the etymology and linguistics of the words.
Did you know? ‘ology‘ is the most common suffix in science which means “a branch of knowledge“. (Example: Psychology, Biology).
Another common suffix is “cracy” which comes from the Greek word “kratia” which means “rule or government“. (Example: Autocracy, Democracy)
Why Do We Need One-Word Substitutions?
One-word substitutions are important as they make communication in the English language much more concise, lucid, and easy. People can remember words and communicate bigger meanings through simple words. For example, saying “She is someone who puts forth an idea which she herself doesn’t believe” is much harder as compared to just saying “She is a Hypocrite”. One-word substitutions make our sentences more precise and reduce complexity. These substitutions also help us to classify words based on the suffixes which makes it easy to categorize them and put similar words together.
Categories of One Word Substitution
There are different categories of One Word Substitution:
- Study-related
- Terms-related
- Group/Collection
- Government/Political Systems-related
- People/Person
- Profession/Occupation
- Science/Research
- Killing/Death-related
- Sound/Event/Spots
100+ One Word Substitutions with Examples
Here is the complete list of 100+ One Word Substitutions for competitive exams:
| Study-related | One Word Substitution | Examples |
| Study of Stars | Astronomy | I love this book on Astronomy. |
| The study of statistics is known as | Demography | The demography of the whole town’s population has been mapped. |
| The study of ancient writing and scriptures | Palaeography | These three university professors have been immersed in the research and study of Paleography for over a decade. |
| The study of rocks and soil | Geology | My Geology homework is not going to be completed by the final submission date. |
| The ancient search for a universal panacea, and of the philosopher’s stone. The medieval version of the study of Chemistry | Alchemy | The magician wanted to learn Alchemy to master some ancient spells. |
| The study of the evolution of mankind | Anthropology | Anthropological research helps us trace our civilization. |
| The study of the Human Mind | Psychology | I am really interested in studying Psychology and how the mind works. |
| The practice of writing dictionaries | Lexicography | She works in the Lexicography department of the publishing house. |
| The study of plants | Botany | Her interest in plants motivated her to pursue this course in Botany. |
| The study of rocks and soils | Geology | Do I need to study Geology before going rock climbing? |
| The study of languages | Philology | How many languages does Philology cover? |
One-Word Substitution For Government/Systems
| One Word Substitutes | Government/System |
| A state of disorder due to the absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems | Anarchy |
| A form of government in which power is held by the nobility | Aristocracy |
| A system of government by one person with absolute power | Autocracy |
| A self-governing country or region | Autonomy |
| A system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives | Bureaucracy |
| A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives | Democracy |
| A state, society, or group governed by old people | Gerontocracy |
| A state or country run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens | Kakistocracy |
| Government by new or inexperienced hands | Neocracy |
| Government by the populace | Ochlocracy |
| A small group of people having control of a country or organization | Oligarchy |
| Government by the wealthy | Plutocracy |
| Government not connected with religious or spiritual matters | Secular |
| A form of government with a monarch at the head | Monarchy |
| A political system based on the government of men by God | Thearchy |
One Word Substitution For Venue Or Spot
| List of One-Word Substitutions | Venue/Spot |
| A collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people | Archives |
| A large cage, building, or enclosure to keep birds | Aviary |
| A building where animals are butchered | Abattoir |
| A place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives | Apiary |
| A building containing tanks of live fish of different species | Aquarium |
| A place or scene of activity, debate, or conflict | Arena |
| A collection of weapons and military equipment | Arsenal |
| An institution for the care of people who are mentally ill | Asylum |
| A hole or tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, as a dwelling | Burrow |
| A collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place | Cache |
| A public room or building where gambling games are played | Casino |
| A large burial ground, especially one not in a churchyard | Cemetery |
| A room in a public building where outdoor clothes or luggage may be left | Cloakroom |
| A place where a dead person’s body is cremated | Crematorium |
| A Christian community of nuns living together under monastic vows | Convent |
| The nursery where babies and young children are cared for during the working day | Creche |
| A stoppered glass container into which wine or spirit is decanted | Decanter |
| A large bedroom for a number of people in a school or institution | Dormitory |
| The nest of a squirrel, typically in the form of a mass of twigs in a tree | Drey |
| A room or building equipped for gymnastics, games, and another physical exercise | Gymnasium |
| A storehouse for threshed grain | Granary |
| A large building with an extensive floor area, typically for housing aircraft | Hangar |
| A box or cage, typically with a wire mesh front, for keeping rabbits or other small domesticated animals | Hutch |
| A place in a large institution for the care of those who are ill | Infirmary |
| A small shelter for a dog | Kennel |
| A place where wild animals live | Lair |
| A place where coins, medals, or tokens are made | Mint |
| A collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition | Menagerie |
| A building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows | Monastery |
| A place where bodies are kept for identification | Morgue |
| A piece of enclosed land planted with fruit trees | Orchard |
| A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply | Reservoir |
| A small kitchen or room at the back of a house used for washing dishes and other dirty household work | Scullery |
| A close-fitting cover for the blade of a knife or sword | Sheath |
| A room or building for sick children in a boarding school | Sanatorium |
| A place where animal hides are tanned | Tannery |
| A large, tall cupboard in which clothes may be hung or stored | Wardrobe |
One-Word Substitutes For Profession/Research
| One Word Substitution | Profession/Research |
| The medieval forerunner of chemistry | Alchemy |
| A person who presents a radio/television programme | Anchor |
| One who studies the evolution of mankind | Anthropologist |
| A person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft | Astronaut |
| The scientific study of the physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification and economic importance of plants | Botany |
| A person who draws or produces maps | Cartographer |
| A person who writes beautiful writing | Calligrapher |
| A person who composes the sequence of steps and moves for a performance of dance | Choreographer |
| A person employed to drive a private or hired car | Chauffeur |
| A person who introduces the performers or contestants in a variety show | Compere |
| A keeper or custodian of a museum or other collection | Curator |
| The branch of biology concerned with cyclical physiological phenomena | Chronobiology |
| A secret or disguised way of writing | Cypher |
| The study of statistics | Demography |
| The use of the fingers and hands to communicate and convey ideas | Dactylology |
| A person who sells and arranges cut flowers | Florist |
| A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor | Genealogy |
| The therapeutic use of sunlight | Heliotherapy |
| The art or practise of garden cultivation and management | Horticulture |
| One who supervises in the examination hall | Invigilator |
| The theory or philosophy of law | Jurisprudence |
| A person who compiles dictionaries | Lexicographer |
| The scientific study of the structure and diseases of teeth | Odontology |
| One who presents a radio programme | Radio Jockey |
| The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing | Rhetoric |
| The branch of science concerned with the origin, structure and composition of rocks | Petrology |
| One who studies the elections and trends in voting | Psephologist |
| An artist who makes sculptures. | Sculptor |
| The scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification and distribution of animals | Zoology |
| Group/Collection | One Word Substitution | Examples |
| A group of sheep | Flock | I saw a shepherd down the hill with a flock of sheep. |
| A family of young animals | Brood | Mr Styles like spending hours bathing the brood of horses in the stable. |
| A number of people travelling together in a big van or jeep | Caravan | A caravan of hippies just passed by. |
| A series of stars | Constellation | This constellation looks like a burger! |
| A large group of people | Horde | A horde of college students was gathered around the voting booth. |
| A temporary police force | Posse | Jake went to arrest the criminal with his posse. |
| A group of cattle or sheep | Herd | Keep your herd of cows in the backyard. |
| A number of fish swimming together | Shoal | I saw a shoal of mackerel on that side of the river. |
| A group of worshippers | Congregation | The congregation will happen at St. Mary’s Church at 4pm tomorrow. |
Must Read: 50 Common Difficult Idioms with Examples
| Person/People | One Word Substitution | Examples |
| The one who loves mankind | Philanthropist | He became a renowned philanthropist after joining Buddhism. |
| The one who looks at the brighter side of everything | Optimist | Louis has always been the biggest optimistic person I know. |
| The one who looks at the negative/dark side of everything. | Pessimist | I am always on the edge of becoming a total pessimist. |
| The one who does not believe in God. | Atheist | I am neither an Atheist nor a religious person. |
| The one who eats human flesh | Cannibal | The police caught these cannibals from the jungle. |
| Someone who regards the world as their country | Cosmopolitan | Globalisation will give rise to more cosmopolitans. |
| The one who loves good food and knows a lot about it | Gourmet | I could have been a Gourmet if I liked spicy food! |
| Someone who lives in solitude | Recluse | I want to become a recluse after I retire. |
| Someone who speaks more than one language | Polyglot | I took up Turkish to become a Polyglot. |
| A person who boasts of one’s achievements | Egotist | She saw him as a thoughtless egotist. |
| People who can vote in an election: | Electorate | Last year’s electorate comprised of many first-time voters. |
| A person who loves himself the most | Narcissist | John is a narcissist and will never love anyone else but himself. |
| A person who draws maps | Cartographer | A cartographer can help you find the right way through a complex forest land through his mastery of maps. |
| A person who abandons his religion | Apostate | Watching his daughter die of cancer made Steve become an apostate. |
| A person was appointed to settle a dispute between two parties | Arbitrator | In their final judgement, the jury presented that it is necessary for the parties to have an arbitrator to reach mutual consent. |
| The one who knows everything | Omniscient | He is such a know-it-all but he is not an omniscient. |
| The one who is all powerful | Omnipotent | We often stereotype a superhero as an Omnipotent but it’s important to have some flaws to make them human. |
| The one who is present everything | Omnipresent | Technology has become synonymous with omnipresent nowadays. |
| Someone who is eighty years old. | Octogenarian | My grandpa is an octogenarian. |
| The one who settles in another country. | Immigrant | It isn’t easy being an immigrant in the USA. |
| Someone who cares about mankind. | Humanitarian | She is known for her humanitarian efforts. |
| Person/People | One Word Substitution | Examples |
| Someone trained to travel and operate a spacecraft. | Astronaut | Kalpana Chawla is one of the greatest women astronauts. |
| The one who makes maps or charts | Cartographer | We need a cartographer to decode these cryptic maps. |
| Someone who sells or grows flowers or studies or writes about flowers. | Florist | Harry is my favorite florist and I like how he gives unique facts about what every flower symbolises. |
| Someone with a beautiful handwriting | Calligrapher | I started as a calligrapher and then became a tattoo artist. |
| The supervising person during an examination | Invigilator | The invigilator is too lazy to even check the students in the back. |
| Someone who presents or hosts a radio show | Radio Jockey | A radio jockey needs to have brilliant communication skills. |
| Someone who choreographs dances attuning certain sequences of steps and movements along music | Choreographer | Can you find me a wedding choreographer? |
| Someone who is the custodian or the keeper of a museum | Curator | I like being a curator as I get to meet artists from different parts of the world. |
| A person who doesn’t like humankind devoids himself of human society | Misanthrope | Grinch wasn’t the mean-spirited misanthrope most of us took him to be. |
| A person who collects coins as a hobby | Numismatist | As a Numismatist, I have a huge collection of currencies from almost all the countries around the world. |
| Someone employed to drive a hired car | Chauffeur | The chauffeur will come by 4 pm to the venue. |
| Someone who walks by foot. | Pedestrian | This side of the road is for Pedestrians. |
| Someone who is reserved and shy. | Introvert | I like being an introvert and I am happy with a small social circle. |
Also Read: 50 Difficult Phrases with Meanings!
| Terms | One Word Substitutions | Example |
| Indefinite period of time | Aeon | Those days became boring, aeon and too long to pass. |
| Appreciation of beauty, by a set of principles. | Aesthetics | I found this website quite appealing especially because of its aesthetics |
| Spartan snowstorms with uncontrollable winds | Blizzard | On our way back to the hotel, we got caught in a blizzard. |
| An eccentric manner of living | Bohemian | She felt embarrassed when her friends made fun of her bohemian clothing. |
| Huge fire for celebration | Bonfire | The campers spent their night by the bonfire. |
| Dwarfed varieties of trees and shrubs in pots | Bonsai | Her room was filled with bonsai plants. |
| The remote regions of a country which are far away from the rivers | Hinterland | Her cottage was situated in a hinterland deprived of any beautiful scenery. |
| Complex situation or a mix-up | Imbroglio | The romantic imbroglio happened when he met my landlords assuming they were my parents. |
| Make someone feel young | Rejuvenate | This exfoliating scrub can completely rejuvenate your skin. |
| Not showing enough care and attention | Remiss | I realised that she was totally remiss in finishing her daily tasks. |
| A shelter for a Dog | Kennel | Our new pup spent all his day hiding inside the kennel. |
| Where wild animals live | Lair | I found a hidden lair in the forest but was too afraid to go inside it. |
| A place where coins are made | Mint | This industrial facility is actually a mint which manufactures coins. |
| Ordinary and Dull | Mundane | I am bored with the mundane life of the quarantined days. |
| Published after someone’s death | Posthumous | Mr Smith’s posthumous works brought him an immense number of accolades. |
| The profession of teaching or the approach or style of teaching | Pedagogy | It was his unique approach to pedagogy that made him every student’s favourite. |
| The symbols of royalty | Regalia | The queen was adorned in full regalia. |
| A political system solely based on the government of men by God | Thearchy | The village was ruled by the system of thearchy. |
| A person promises to tell the truth in court | Oath | I couldn’t disrespect the oath and thus revealed everything. |
| Beginning to exist and evolve | Nascent | Biotechnology bloomed from a nascent sector to a booming industry. |
| Ethically good behaviour one has | Virtue | Patience is seen as the virtue of a man. |
| Humour that describes the weaknesses | Satire | Ghasiram Kotwal is an incredibly written satire on the political scenario of Maharashtra in the early 20th century. |
| Changing the direction of one’s path suddenly | Veer | He veered the car in the other direction as the deer came in the way. |
| Enjoy something for an extended time | Savour | Don’t forget to savour this delectable wine! |
| Someone who is wrongly blamed for things that others have done | Scapegoat | They used him as a scapegoat to accuse him of the whole conspiracy |
| Space where animal hides are tanned | Tannery | The leather for this coat has been skinned in the tannery. |
| Determined to achieve something | Tenacious | She was tenacious enough to chase after her dream of becoming a film actor. |
| The sound of Parrots | Screech | I woke up to the screeching of birds by the window. |
| Using a word or name that is inappropriate | Misnomer | It’s quite a misnomer to call it a victory since he scored the lowest marks in the test. |
| A government that has a monarch as the head | Monarchy | With a king ruling the country, the Monarchy is different from a democracy. |
| The sound of Camels | Grunt | In the vastness of the desert, the only sound you can hear is the constant grunting of camels from far away. |
| Events manifested by festivities | Fiesta | Last night’s party was a total fiesta. |
| The ranting of a person | Whine | Aakriti is always whining about the weather. |
| People who are extremely poor | Destitute | Ajay grew up in a destitute existence. |
| Absolute freedom to act as one wishes | Carte blanche | Her mother gave her carte blanche to follow the career path she wants to. |
| A person who is unsure about God’s existence | Agnostic | Though he was raised in a conservative Hindu family, he remained agnostic most of his life. |
| Extreme physical or mental sufferings | Agony | He fell to the ground in agony. |
| Japanese form of self-defense with the usage of locks holds | Aikido | He has mastered Aikido and his next goal is to learn Kung fu. |
| A soldier who fights for the sake of money | Mercenary | You are a mercenary and you kill people with any guns! |
| An accolade or honour bestowed in recognition for an achievement: | Laurel | She enjoyed the laurels of her acting achievements. |
| A person who behaves without moral principles | Immoral | Lying is completely immoral even if it is done for a good purpose. |
| Charging a politician with a serious crime | Impeach | Trump was impeached recently but it didn’t really affect his position as the president. |
| Government instructions that limit trade in some way | Embargo | With the danger of virus hovering over the whole world, an embargo on international trade was mutually decided upon. |
| Believer of fate | Fatalist | I am fatalist for I believe that our destiny has already been written. |
| Loves being social and enjoys the company of others | Gregarious | Gurleen is a gregarious girl and we often call her the social butterfly of our class! |
| Trees grow without underbrush. | Grove | This garden is filled with beautiful groves that amazingly complemented the tall trees |
| An office with high salary but no work | Sinecure | After listening to the perks that Seema has at her office, Vishal assumes as if she works at a Sinecure. |
| A person who betrays and descents and organisation or country | Renegade | It is currently flashing in the news that a renegade policeman shot three innocent people. |
| One who is much concerned about details and accuracy | Fastidious | Virat is fastidious about his hair. He makes sure that he visits the salon at regular intervals. |
| A place for storage of arms and ammunition | Arsenal | The officer informed the soldier about his new posting in Arsenal. |
| One who is expelled from a religious community | Excommunicate | His misconduct at the previous religious gathering led to his ex-communication. |
| A person who eats too much | Glutton | As soon as the guests left, Riya didn’t miss a chance to call our cousin glutton. |
| Something which can be copied | Immitable | As the captain’s approach for the finale was imitable, he is still called a legend. |
| Killing-related | One Word Substitution | Examples |
| When someone kills their own father | Patricide | Jean was arrested for patricide. |
| The act of killing a king | Regicide | The monarchy fell with the regicide. |
| The killing of a person by another | Homicide | He went to jail on the charge of homicide. |
| The killing of one’s child | Filicide | The police filed a report about filicide that happened in the C block. |
Top 40 One-Word Substitutions Asked in Competitive Exams
One-Word Substitution Sample Questions
Now that you have understood the concept of one-word substitution, let us sample some sample questions so that you develop a strong command over it!
Q1. An individual who is unable to express or interact easily
A) Extrovert
B) Introvert
C) Ambivert
D) None of the Above
Q2. A stream of water moving very fast
A) Current
B) Tide
C) Torrent
D) Storms
Q3. Shikha spends a lot of money on clothes. Her cousins call her a:
A) Frugal
B) Economical
C) Miser
D) Spendthrift
Q4. Asmita works really hard for the upliftment of poor children. She even donates half of her salary to NGOs. She is:
A) Philanthropist
B) Selfish
C) Tightfisted
D) None of the Above
Q5. It is impossible to see through it.
A) Translucent
B) Fragile
C) Opaque
D) Transparent
Q6. Aman is really scared of thunderstorms. He suffers:
A) Acrophobia
B) Ophidiophobia
C) Nephophobia
D) Astraphobia
Q7. She caught the robbers
A) Courageously
B) Frightened
C) Cowardly
D) None of the above
Q8. Lalit has a good knowledge of Music. His father calls him:
A) Incompetent
B) Amateur
C) Maestro
D) Beginner
Q9. After attending a career counseling session, he understood that his ____ was cooking:
A) Niche
B) Supplant
C) Replacement
D) None of the above
Q10. You can’t park your truck here. It is:
A) Lawful
B) Allowed
C) Unauthorized
D) None of the Above
Answers:
- B
- C
- D
- A
- C
- D
- A
- C
- A
- C
[BONUS] One Word Substitution Quiz
One Word Substitution Quiz
FAQs
Q1. How to learn one-word substitutes?
Ans. Techniques for One-Word Substitution:
1. Comprehend the whole meaning of a sentence or a group of words.
2. Look for terms that have a comparable meaning to the sentence and use them instead.
3. Discover the replacement words for the statement and keep the word in your memory for later usage.
4. Improving your vocabulary (synonyms and antonyms)
Q2. What is one-word substitution also known as?
Ans. One-word substitutions are also referred to as “Verbatim.” One-word substitution is a technique that substitutes a word for a context without altering the meaning of the original context.
Q3. What is a one-word substitution in English Class 7?
Ans. Single words used to represent a person, an item, a place, etc. instead of a set of words are known as one-word substitutions. Words that sound the same but have diverse meanings are referred to as homophones.
We hope that this blog was informative and helpful, whether you are preparing for a competitive exam, school-related examination, or olympiad. If you are preparing for IELTS, GMAT, SAT, or any other such competitive exam, connect with our experts at Leverage Edu by signing up for a free online session and we will help you prepare for the exam with the best study materials as well as mentoring classes to ensure that you clear it with flying colors!
This volume deals with compounds (e. g., boat house, softball) and multi-word expressions (piece of cake, dry cough) in European languages. Compounds and multi-word expressions (henceforth MWEs) are similar as they are both lexical units and complex, made up of at least two constituents. The most basic difference between compounds and MWEs seems to be that the former are the product of a morphological operation and the latter result from syntactic processes. This is, admittedly, a very vague distinction. However, as soon as one takes into account more than one specific language (or language family), it seems that this is the closest one may come to a definition that is more or less applicable to the European languages. In fact, in light of Romance examples such as French glace au chocolat, Spanish helado de chocolate ‘chocolate ice cream’ which have often been analyzed as compounds although they contain syntactic relational markers, even the morphological criterion for compoundhood seems to be questionable. Further complicating matters, whereas in many languages compounds are regarded as being opposed to MWEs, in other languages, and particularly in English, compounds are often regarded as a kind of MWE. In addition, for languages that are assumed to have an opposition between compounds and MWEs, the question arises of whether compounds and MWEs act in competition or complementation with regard to the formation of new lexical units. Given this background, the aim of the volume is to present an overview of compounds and MWEs in a sample of European languages. Central questions that are discussed for each language concern the formal distinction between compounds and MWEs (in particular prosodic, morphological, and syntactic properties), the relation between compounding and MWE formation as well as the conclusions concerning the theory of grammar and the lexicon that follow from these observations. Although several comprehensive volumes on compounding and phraseology have appeared in recent (and not so recent) years (cf. Scalise (ed.) 1992; Burger et al. (eds.) 2007; Lieber/Štekauer (eds.) 2009a; Gaeta/Grossmann (eds.) 2009; Scalise/Vogel (eds.) 2010; Gaeta/Schlücker (eds.) 2012), the relationship between compounds and MWEs with respect to their status in lexicon and grammar has received comparatively little attention (cf. Hüning/Schlücker 2015 for an overview). For this reason, this relationship constitutes the central focus of this volume. The aim of the present chapter is to review the language-specific properties, bring them together and compare them against German. German is well-known for its propensity for (nominal) compounding, as compared to, e. g., French. Also, there is a rather clear demarcation line between compounds and MWEs in German, in contrast to English, for instance. Taking German as a reference point may help to shed more light on some of the crucial questions with respect to the compound-MWE relationship in the various European languages such as, for instance, the potential competition between the two processes, or their demarcation line. By way of language comparison, the differences and commonalities between languages – both within language families and across these borders – become clearer, ultimately revealing that a cross-linguistically valid definition of compounds and the demarcation from MWEs may be impossible, given that languages vary greatly in their defining properties and in the number and productivity of compound and MWE subpatterns. The volume contains chapters on English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Finnish, and Hungarian. Although this sample is neither complete nor representative of “the” languages of Europe, it nevertheless provides thorough analyses of a large set of central European languages. Importantly, it should be noted that the selection here is mostly due to various practical reasons, rather than an assessment of the relevance of languages. In addition to the languages mentioned, the present chapter also comprises an overview of the North Germanic languages. The structure of this chapter is as follows: Section 2 starts with general considerations about the lexicon and the lexicon-syntax interface and discusses basic notions such as morphological vs. syntactic lexical unit, lexicalization, and the problem of correspondence. Section 3 discusses compounds and MWEs against the background of German, sorted by language families. The chapter ends with a brief conclusion in Section 4.
Idiomatic Expressions List and Meaning PDF!
Learn the big list of idiomatic expressions with their meaning and example sentences, these idiomatic expressions are for IELTS and also British idiomatic expressions also get a quiz of idiomatic expressions.
Idiomatic Expressions List and Meaning Examples
| Expressions | Meanings | Examples |
| A bad quarter of an hour | uncomfortable time | He spent a bad quarter of an hour with the board of directors |
| A blue-eyed- boy | a favorite | Beware of him, he is the blue-eyed-boy of the principal |
| (To) affect ignorance | to pretend not to know | He affects the ignorance of any plan to dismantle the house |
| A Fish out of water | a person who feels uncomfortable in his present surroundings | He is a fish out of the water He cannot stay here for long |
| A Flash in the pan | Something that lasts only for a short time | It proved to be a flash in the pan All his efforts have ended in smoke |
| A Freudian slip | unintentional mistake revealing true thoughts | He made one mistake during his entire speech and it proves to be a Freudian slip |
| A friend at court | an influential friend | The most important factor of success these days is a friend at court |
| A going concern | successful business | This project is a lame-duck It needs courage and application to make it a going concert |
| A hot potato | an issue that is embarrassing to deal with | Do not bring up this subject for discussion in the meeting It is a hot potato |
Idiomatic Expressions-Video Lesson
Idiomatic Expressions List and Meaning PDF – Image 1
| A lame-duck | an enterprise that is not a success | This project is a lame-duck It needs courage and application to make it a going concern |
| A long way out | Inaccurate | Your assessment of the situation is a long way out |
| An eagle-eye | a very quick eye | It is very difficult to work beneath his eagle-eye |
| A passing fancy | temporary liking | It was a passing fancy He does not want to see any longer |
| Apple pie order | in perfect order | She set everything in the house in apple-pie order within a week of her Arrival |
| Pretty kettle of fish | state of confusion, a mix-up | It is a pretty kettle of fish you are in Am sorry I cannot help you out |
| A pretty penny | quite a lot of money | This house must have cost a pretty penny to build |
| A random shot | a wild guess | It was a random shot but it has come out to be true |
| A ready pen | someone who can write easily and quickly | A ready pen and will write this article for you within the stipulated period of time |
| A ruling passion | a passion that dominates a person’s life | The desire for popularity is his ruling passion and he will do everything to achieve it |
British Idiomatic Expression – Image 2
| A skeleton in the cupboard | something embarrassing or shameful | There is a skeleton in every cupboard, we had better not probe into the matter |
| Snake in the grass | a deceitful person | You should trust your secretory he is a snake in the grass |
| As good as one’s word | to keep promise | He promised me to send me a watch and he was as good as his words |
| A Thumb-nail sketch | a brief description or a small scale drawing | You must give me the thumbnail sketch on the man before I go to the meeting |
| Tower of strength | a person who can be relied upon for help in time of need | He is a tower of strength for me |
| At the first blush | at first glance | The project does not appeal at the first blush |
| Willing horse | a willing worker | I want only willing horses for my office |
| (to) be at a loss for words | to be so surprised that one does not know what to say | |
| (to) be at cross purposes | to misunderstand someone | He is at a cross purpose with his father but I hope that they will soon end their differences |
| (to) be at one’s best | to be most able | John is at his best when he is working under pressure |
| (to) be at one’s ease | to feel comfortable | He is at his ease in the absence of his boss |
| (to) be hard-pressed for something | to be under pressure | I am hard-pressed for time Please leave me alone for a while |
| (to) be hard put to do something | to have difficulty in doing something | He was hard put to give a convincing answer to my question |
| (to) be in a flutter | to be in a state of nervous excitement | He was in a flutter when he saw that the car had a flat tire |
| (to) be in keeping with something | to correspond | Jealousy is not in keeping with his character |
| (to) be in one’s elements | to be in agreeable circumstances | He is in his elements Everything has worked out according to his wishes |
| (to) be in one’s line | to be in one’s province | Singing is not in my line |
| (to) be in the bag | to be certain | John is sure that the contract is in the bag already |
| (to) be in tune | to be in a happy frame of mind, he is in tune. | You can talk to him about anything in the world |
| (to) be of a piece with | in keeping with | The latest letter is of a piece with her usual conduct |
| (to) be one too many | to be better than | John is one too many for Shaun at chess |
| (to) butter someone up | to flatter | You will have to butter him up to get something from him |
English Idiomatic Expression – Image 3
| (to) catch someone napping | to discover someone not doing what one should be doing | The manager caught some workers napping when he visited the factory |
| (to) clip someone’s wings | to slow down someone’s progress | The bank manager clipped his wings when he refused to advance the required loan |
| (to) cool one’s heels | to wait | I was left in the car to cool my heels for about half an hour |
| Crossed in love | disappointed in love | He has been crossed in love a number of times |
| (to) drop a line | to write | She dropped a line to thank me for the birthday gift |
| Every inch | completely, entirely | Shylock was every Inch a Jew |
| Eye-wash | deceit | All this sweet talk is eye-wash In fact he does not like me |
| (to) feel someone’s pulse | to find out the secret opinion | In his conversation yesterday, he tried to feel my pulse about the new project |
| Feet of clay | to be weak or cowardly | He has feet of Clay You cannot depend on him |
| (to) fight shy of something | to avoid | Why do you fight shy of writing articles for literary magazines? I am you can do it |
| (to) Fly off the handle | to become furious | He flew handle when she accused him of double |
| French leave | leave without permission | He goes French leave so often that sometimes it becomes difficult for me to provide him necessary cover |
| (to) get a word in edgeways | to get a chance to speak | I could hardly get a word in edgeways It was khan who Spoke all the time |
| Give a dog a bad name and kill him | to attribute fault and dismiss | He was given a dog name and killed only because he did not carry out the evil wish of the landlord |
| (to) go flat out | to do with all one’s power | Imran Khan went flat out and captured three wickets in one spell of five overs |
| (to) go grey | to become grey-haired | He is going grey even at 3 |
| (to) go into black | to mourn | She went into black for her husband |
| (to) go red | to blush | His unbridled praise for her physical charms made her go red |
| Good at heart | kind | I could not care less about what He has said I know he is good at heart |
| (to) hand a bouquet | to pay compliments | The retiring Principal was handed a bouquet worthy of his services to the College |
| (to) handle someone with kid gloves | to treat very Carefully | She is a very sensitive lady You will have to handle her with kid gloves |
| (to) hang on to something | retain, not to part with | Old Jeopardy should have retired long ago, but he is hanging on to his job |
Idiomatic Expressions List and Meaning PDF – Image 4
Also Check: List of Common Idioms
| (to) have a bee in one’s bonnet | to be slightly unbalanced mentally | His actions are erratic because he has a bee in his bonnet |
| (to) have a bone in the leg | to be tired | I cannot walk in his place I have a bone in the leg |
| (to) have a bone to pick | to have a cause of complaint | she has a bone to pick with him about the quarrel they had yesterday |
| (to) have a way with one | to have some pleasing Characteristic | She is not a charming girl but she has a way with her that is appealing |
| (to) have the gift of the gab | to have the talent for speaking | The only thing he has is the gift of the gab |
| (to) hold water | to be sound | This argument does not hold water |
| In good time | with time to spare | He finished his work in good time |
| In the pink | good in health | I am very happy to learn that you are in the pink |
| Iron something out | resolve | You can iron out your differences only if you sit down and talk |
| (to) join forces with someone | to cooperate | I appealed to him to join forces with me to restore the prestige of the family |
| To keep one’s fingers crossed | to hope for the best | He is very unpredicted We can only keep our fingers crossed |
| To kick up a row | to make fuss | She kicked up such a big row over nothing |
| To knuckle under | to give way | He knuckled under after putting up some resistance |
| Let someone off | forgive | The principal let the student off with a warning |
| To live by one’s wits | to live by deceit or fraud | I suspect your friend lives by his wits |
| (to) look green | to look sick | You do look green Is anything the matter? |
| (to) lose one’s head | to lose the presence of mind | He lost his head as soon as he read the charge-sheet |
| (to) meet someone halfway | to make a compromise | I am prepared to meet him halfway You can tell him so on my behalf |
| (to) mind one’s p’s and q’s | to be very polite | Yesterday you made a very bad impression You must mind your p’s and q’s in polite society |
| Neck or nothing | every risk must be taken | There was no choice It was a case of neck or nothing with us |
| On the square | above board | I am sure, they will succeed in their business There dealings are on the square |
| Other fish to try | other business to do | She can’t come to see you daily, she has other fish to try |
| Out of character | not typical | He was not his usual self today His conversation was completely out of character |
| (to) pat someone on the back | to congratulate someone on something | You deserve a pat on the back for the excellent job you have done |
| (to) pay through the nose | to pay dearly | She is paying through the nose for her faults |
| (to) pick holes in something | to find fault with something | Don’t pick holes in everything that other people do |
| (to) play fast and loose | to say one thing and do another | He always plays fast and lose it has become his second nature |
| (to) pluck at someones heart strings | to try to arouse sympathy | Do not pluck at everyone’s heart strings by narrating your tale of woe |
| (to) plumb the depths of something | to try to find out the truth | wish to plumb the depths of the problem she is facing She is really leading a miserable life |
| (to) put your best foot forward | to make effort | You won’t be able to complete this work before the end of the month unless you put your best foot forward |
| (to) run in the blood | characteristic of the members of a family | Gallantry runs in the blood of Indians |
| (to) set her cap at | to pay attention to | In my opinion, Sana has set her cap at Joe |
| Settle for something | be prepared to accept | I am not prepared to settle for a second-rate job |
| Shake someone up | upset | The news of his father’s death has shaken him up badly |
| (to) sit on the fence | not to take sides | the policy of sitting on the fence does not always pay |
| (to) spill the beans | to tell a secret | Why can’t you be careful You have spilled the beans |
| (to) stick to one’s colors | to be faithful to the cause | The Principal advised the students to stick to their colors |
| Stir something up | revoke | He is trying to stir up trouble again, but he would not succeed this time |
| (to) take a firm line | to deal decisively | you will have to take a firm line with those employees who do not pull their weight |
| (to) take with a grain of salt | to doubt | I take his Statements with a grain of salt |
| (to) talk shop | to talk exclusively about one’s professional affairs | He always talks shop That is why so many Persons shun his company |
| (to) talk through one’s hat | to talk nonsense | He is talking through his hat when he says that he is going to help you in time or need |
| Tell a person straight | to speak frankly | Told her straight that I meant business |
| The olive branch | offer of peace | America holds out the olive branch to all its neighbors |
Idiomatic Expression for Ielts – Image 5
| The backbone | chief support | He is the backbone of the family |
| The finger of fate | destiny | The finger of fate has always guided him to success |
| The fourth estate | the press | the fourth estate plays an important role in a democratic set-up |
| The pick of the bunch | boss of all | Rose is the pick of the bunch among flowers |
| The skin of one’s teeth | just manage to escape | we escaped from falling into the river by the skin of our teeth |
| The underdog | a person at a disadvantage | She always sympathizes with the underdog |
| Till the cows come home | a long time to wait | He is prepared to wait for her till the cows come home |
| (to) tighten one’s belt | to spend less money | We must tighten our belts to pull through this crisis |
| Touch bottom | to sink very low | He cannot sink any lower He has already touched bottom |
| Tongue in cheek | to say one thing and mean another | G B Shaw often writes with his tongue in his cheek |
| Up with the lark | to rise very early | You must get up with the lark and go for a walk if you want to improve your health |
| Walkout on someone | abandon | When reconciliation failed she walked out on her husband |
| (to) wear the breeches | to be the controlling force in the house | He is only a figurehead It is his wife who wears the breaches |
| With the tail between the legs | with a beaten look | He retired from the ring with his tail between the legs |
| Win one’s spurs | to make one’s reputation | He won his spurs as a statesman in the parliament |
| Win the palm | to win a prize | I hope your daughter wins the palm by topping the 1st of successful candidates this year |
| Wreathed in smiles | smiling broadly | Her face was wreathed in smiles when she saw her fiancé |
Download this lesson in infographics Pdf. (Get Here)