UPSC Vocabulary List Set 2
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- Demote — lower in rank
- Demur — object
- Denigrate — belittle; defame
- Denote — indicate
- Denounce — publicly condemn
- Dent — make small reduction or mark
- Deplete — use up resources
- Deplore — express strong disapproval
- Deploy — strategically position
- Depose — remove from office
- Deprecate — disapprove
- Depredation — plundering
- Derelict — abandoned
- Deride — ridicule
- Derisive — mocking
- Derivative — copied or unoriginal
- Derogatory — insulting
- Descend — move downward
- Desecrate — violate something sacred
- Desiccate — dry out completely
- Desist — cease; stop
- Desolate — empty; lonely
- Despise — hate; look down on
- Despondent — hopeless; discouraged
- Despot — tyrant
- Destitute — extremely poor
- Desultory — lacking purpose; random
- Detached — emotionally distant
- Detainment — holding in custody
- Deter — discourage by fear
- Deteriorate — worsen
- Determinant — deciding factor
- Detest — hate intensely
- Detract — reduce value
- Detrimental — harmful
- Deviate — depart from a course or norm
- Devious — deceitful; dishonest
- Devise — plan or invent
- Devout — deeply religious
- Dexterous — skillful with hands or mind
- Diaphanous — light and delicate
- Dichotomous — divided into two contrasting parts
- Didactic — intended to teach
- Diffident — lacking confidence
- Digress — stray from the topic
- Diligent — hardworking
- Dilute — weaken by adding something
- Diminish — reduce or lessen
- Din — loud, unpleasant noise
- Diplomatic — tactful in dealing with others
- Dire — extremely serious
- Disabuse — correct a false belief
- Disarray — disorder; confusion
- Disavow — deny responsibility
- Disband — break up (organization)
- Discerning — perceptive; insightful
- Disclaim — deny ownership or responsibility
- Disclose — reveal information
- Disconcert — unsettle
- Discord — conflict or disagreement
- Discreet — careful; prudent
- Discrepancy — inconsistency
- Discretion — careful judgment
- Disdain — contempt
- Disembark — get off (vehicle/ship)
- Disenfranchise — deprive of voting rights
- Disgorge — pour out
- Dishearten — discourage
- Disheveled — untidy
- Disinclined — unwilling
- Disingenuous — insincere
- Disintegrate — break into pieces
- Disinterested — unbiased; impartial
- Disjointed — lacking logical connection
- Dislodge — force out of position
- Dismantle — take apart
- Dismay — shock; alarm
- Disparage — belittle
- Disparate — fundamentally different
- Dispassionate — calm; not emotional
- Dispel — drive away
- Disperse — scatter
- Displace — force to leave home or position
- Disposition — temperament; tendency
- Disproportionate — not in correct balance
- Dispute — argue; debate
- Disquiet — worry or unease
- Disseminate — spread widely (ideas, info)
- Dissension — disagreement within a group
- Dissent — disagree; oppose
- Dissident — one who opposes majority view
- Dissipate — disperse; squander
- Dissolution — disintegration
- Dissonance — lack of harmony
- Dissuade — persuade not to do something
- Distend — expand or swell
- Distill — extract essential meaning
- Distort — twist or misrepresent
- Distraught — deeply upset
- Divergent — moving apart
- Diverse — varied
- Divisive — causing division
- Divulge — reveal something secret
- Docile — easily managed
- Dogged — persistent
- Dogmatic — stubbornly opinionated
- Dolorous — causing sorrow
- Dormant — inactive
- Dour — stern; gloomy
- Downplay — make seem less important
- Draconian — extremely harsh
- Droll — humorous in an odd way
- Dubious — doubtful
- Dulcet — soothing; melodious
- Duplicitous — deceitful
- Duress — coercion; compulsion
- Earnest — serious and sincere
- Ebullient — enthusiastic
- Eclectic — choosing from many sources
- Ecological — relating to environment
- Economize — reduce expenditure
- Edify — instruct morally or intellectually
- Efface — erase
- Effervescent — lively; enthusiastic
- Efficacious — effective
- Effigy — statue or representation
- Effrontery — shameless boldness
- Elated — extremely happy
- Electorate — body of voters
- Elucidate — clarify
- Elusive — hard to catch or understand
- Embargo — official ban on trade
- Embellish — decorate; exaggerate
- Embolden — encourage
- Embrace — accept willingly
- Emergent — just beginning to exist
- Eminent — distinguished; famous
- Emollient — soothing substance
- Empathy — understanding others’ feelings
- Empirical — based on observation
- Emulate — imitate to equal or surpass
- Enact — make into law
- Encircle — surround
- Enclave — distinct area within a larger one
- Encompass — include fully
- Encore — additional performance
- Encroach — intrude gradually
- Encumber — burden or hinder
- Endemic — native to a region
- Endorse — approve formally
- Endow — provide with income or property
- Enduring — lasting
- Enervate — weaken
- Enfranchise — grant voting rights
- Engender — cause to arise
- Engross — absorb attention
- Enhance — improve
- Enigmatic — mysterious
- Ennui — boredom
- Enormity — great evil or magnitude
- Enrage — infuriate
- Enrapture — delight intensely
- Enrich — improve quality or value
- Enshrine — preserve as sacred
- Entail — involve as necessary consequence
- Entente — diplomatic understanding
- Enthrall — captivate
- Entice — attract by offering reward
- Entreat — plead earnestly
- Entrench — establish firmly
- Enumerate — list one by one
- Enunciate — pronounce clearly
- Envision — imagine
- Ephemeral — short-lived
- Epicenter — central point of impact
- Epicure — one who enjoys fine food
- Epiphany — sudden realization
- Epitaph — inscription for the dead
- Epithet — descriptive phrase
- Epitome — perfect example
- Equanimity — calmness in difficulty
- Equitable — fair; impartial
- Equivalent — equal in value
- Erratic — unpredictable
- Erroneous — incorrect
- Erstwhile — former
- Erudite — scholarly
- Eschew — deliberately avoid
- Esoteric — understood by few
- Espouse — adopt or support
- Estranged — no longer close
- Ethereal — delicate; heavenly
- Ethical — morally right
- Eulogy — speech of praise
- Euphemism — mild term replacing harsh one
- Euphoria — intense happiness
- Evasive — avoiding direct answer
- Evenhanded — fair and impartial
- Evince — show clearly
- Evoke — bring to mind
- Exacerbate — worsen
- Exacting — demanding
- Exalt — praise highly
- Exasperate — annoy intensely
- Excavation — process of digging
- Excel — be exceptionally good
- Excerpt — selected passage
- Excessive — too much
- Excoriate — criticize severely
- Exculpate — clear from blame
- Execrable — very bad
- Exemplary — outstanding; ideal
- Exemplify — illustrate by example
- Exhaustive — comprehensive
- Exhilarate — excite; invigorate
- Exigent — urgent
- Exile — banishment
- Exonerate — free from blame
- Exotic — unusual or foreign
- Expansionist — policy of territorial growth
- Expedient — convenient; practical
- Expedite — speed up
- Expeditiously — efficiently
- Expend — spend or use up
- Expertise — specialized knowledge
- Expire — come to an end
- Explicit — clearly stated
- Exploit — use unfairly; take advantage
- Expository — explanatory
- Expound — explain in detail
- Expunge — erase completely
- Extant — still existing
- Extemporaneous — unprepared; spontaneous
- Extenuate — lessen severity
- Extirpate — completely destroy
- Extol — praise enthusiastically
- Extort — obtain by force or threat
- Extraneous — irrelevant; unnecessary
- Extricate — free from difficulty
- Exuberant — full of energy
- Exult — rejoice greatly
- Faction — organized dissenting group
- Factionalism — conflict within a party or group
- Fallacy — mistaken belief
- Fallible — capable of making mistakes
- Fallow — unused; inactive
- Falter — lose strength; hesitate
- Familiarize — make knowledgeable
- Fanatic — excessively devoted person
- Farsighted — showing long-term vision
- Fascism — authoritarian, dictatorial rule
- Fastidious — very attentive to detail
- Fathom — understand deeply
- Fatuous — silly; foolish
- Fawn — flatter excessively
- Feasible — workable; possible
- Feckless — irresponsible; weak
- Feeble — lacking strength
- Feign — pretend
- Feint — deceptive movement
- Felicitous — well-chosen; suitable
- Felony — serious crime
- Ferment — stir up; agitate
- Ferocious — fierce; violent
- Fervent — passionate
- Fester — worsen; become infected
- Fetter — restrain; restrict
- Feud — prolonged dispute
- Fiasco — complete failure
- Fidelity — loyalty
- Figurative — metaphorical
- Filibuster — prolonged parliamentary obstruction
- Finale — last part; conclusion
- Finicky — overly fussy
- Flabbergasted — extremely surprised
- Flagrant — glaringly offensive
- Flamboyant — showy; extravagant
- Flaunt — display boldly
- Flawless — perfect
- Flayed — criticized harshly
- Fleeting — lasting for a short time
- Flippant — disrespectfully casual
- Flounder — struggle clumsily
- Flout — openly disregard
- Fluctuate — rise and fall irregularly
- Foible — minor weakness
- Foment — incite (rebellion or unrest)
- Foolhardy — recklessly bold
- Forage — search for food
- Forbear — refrain from doing
- Forcible — done with force
- Foreboding — sense of impending doom
- Foreclose — take possession for unpaid debt
- Forego — do without
- Foresee — predict
- Foretell — predict
- Forge — create through effort; falsify
- Forlorn — lonely; hopeless
- Formidable — inspiring fear or respect
- Forthright — direct and honest
- Fortify — strengthen
- Fortitude — courage in adversity
- Fortuitous — accidental but fortunate
- Foster — encourage development
- Fractious — irritable; difficult to control
- Fragile — easily broken
- Fragrant — pleasant-smelling
- Fraught — filled with (difficulty, danger)
- Frenetic — wildly energetic
- Fretted — worried constantly
- Friction — disagreement between people
- Frivolous — lacking seriousness
- Frugal — economical; avoiding waste
- Fulcrum — central support or pivot
- Fulminate — protest loudly
- Furtive — secretive
- Futile — pointless; ineffective
- Gainsay — deny or contradict
- Galvanize — shock into action
- Garrulous — overly talkative
- Gaudy — overly showy
- Genteel — polite and refined
- Genteelism — avoidance of harsh expressions
- Germane — relevant and appropriate
- Gesticulate — use gestures while speaking
- Glacial — extremely cold; very slow
- Glib — smooth but insincere
- Glimmer — faint sign or trace
- Gloat — take pride in another’s failure
- Glower — stare angrily
- Glut — oversupply
- Goad — provoke or annoy
- Grandiose — overly grand; pompous
- Gratuity — tip; voluntary payment
- Gratuitous — unnecessary; uncalled for
- Gregarious — sociable
- Grimace — facial expression of disgust
- Grisly — horrifying
- Grotesque — distorted; unnatural
- Grovel — act overly submissive
- Grueling — extremely tiring
- Gullible — easily deceived
Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5