18/12/2025
THE HINDU EDITORIAL VOCABS
Rearguard action: On weather change and consistent action
📋 Rearguard action – A defensive response taken late, usually after damage has already occurred Defence | Damage control, Holding operation
📋 Commenced – Began formally or officially Started | Initiated, Launched
📋 Adversity – A situation involving difficulty or suffering Hardship | Misfortune, Distress
📋 Chaos – Complete disorder or confusion Disorder | Turmoil, Anarchy
📋 Spike – A sudden and sharp rise Rise | Surge, Escalation
📋 Particulate matter – Microscopic air pollutants harmful to health Pollutants | Fine particulates, Aerosols
📋 Unmitigated – Not reduced, controlled, or softened Unchecked | Unabated, Unrestrained
📋 Characteristic – Typical or defining feature Typical | Hallmark, Distinctive
📋 Vast swathes – Very large continuous areas Large areas | Expanses, Stretches
📋 Accumulation – Gradual build-up over time Build-up | Accretion, Aggregation
📋 Nose-diving – Falling very rapidly Falling | Plummeting, Free-falling
📋 Hovers – Remains at a particular level Stays | Lingers, Oscillates
📋 Besieged – Overwhelmed by persistent problems Troubled | Beleaguered, Afflicted
📋 Permissible limits – Levels officially allowed by law or regulation Allowed levels | Regulatory thresholds, Sanctioned bounds
📋 Catastrophes – Events causing great damage or suffering Disasters | Calamities, Cataclysms
📋 Visibility – The ability to see clearly Clarity | Visual range, Line of sight
📋 Inferno – A large, uncontrollable fire Blaze | Conflagration, Firestorm
📋 Disarray – A state of disorder or confusion Chaos | Disorganisation, Turmoil
📋 Plummeting – Declining steeply and rapidly Dropping | Tumbling, Collapsing
📋 Restrictions – Official limits or controls imposed Limits | Curbs, Constraints
📋 Demolition – The act of destroying structures Destruction | Razing, Dismantling
📋 Vacuous – Empty, ineffective, or lacking substance Hollow | Insubstantial, Fatuous
📋 Comply – To act in accordance with rules or orders Obey | Adhere, Conform
📋 Residual – Remaining after the main part is removed Remaining | Leftover, Remnant
📋 Unabated – Continuing without any reduction Unchecked | Uncurbed, Unrelenting
📋 Depresses – Pushes down or lowers Reduces | Suppresses, Dampens
📋 Spate – A large number occurring in quick succession Series | Flurry, Deluge
📋 Regurgitate – Repeat ideas without original thought Repeat | Rehash, Reiterate
📋 Exhortations – Urgent appeals or calls to action Appeals | Entreaties, Admonitions
📋 Unheeded – Ignored or not acted upon Ignored | Disregarded, Overlooked
📋 Empowered – Given official authority or power Authorised | Mandated, Invested
📋 Independence – Freedom from external control Autonomy | Self-governance, Institutional freedom
📋 Year-round – Continuing throughout the entire year Continuous | Sustained, Perennial
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