Word of the Day: Supercilious
Meaning
- Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌsuː.pəˈsɪl.i.əs/
- Pronunciation (Hindi): सू-पर-सिलि-अस
- Definition: Behaving or looking as though one thinks they are superior to others.
- Hindi Meaning: घमंडी, अभिमानी, दूसरों को नीचा समझने वाला।
Synonyms
Arrogant, Haughty, Conceited, Pompous, Snooty
Antonyms
Humble, Modest, Respectful, Meek, Down-to-earth
Usage Examples
- Her supercilious smile irritated everyone in the room.
- The manager’s supercilious attitude demoralized the team.
- He gave a supercilious glance and walked away.
- The celebrity made a supercilious remark about the common people.
- Despite his wealth, he never behaved in a supercilious manner.
Mini-Story
Ravi entered the interview room with a supercilious air, believing no one there could match his brilliance. But when the humble receptionist answered a technical question he couldn’t, his pride took a hit—and his expression changed forever.
Practice Exercises
A. Fill in the Blanks
- She spoke in a __________ tone that offended the guests.
- His __________ nature kept people at a distance.
- Nobody appreciated her __________ behavior at the event.
- They found his __________ comments disrespectful.
- A leader should never be __________.
B. Match the Synonyms
Match “Supercilious” with its synonym:
- Humble
- Pompous
- Meek
- Respectful
- Modest
C. Sentence Formation
Write 3 sentences using “Supercilious” about:
- A boss
- A classmate
- A celebrity
Answers
A. supercilious, supercilious, supercilious, supercilious, supercilious
B. 2. Pompous
C.
- The boss gave a supercilious look when his idea was questioned.
- My classmate acted supercilious after scoring the highest marks.
- The celebrity’s supercilious attitude turned fans away.
Mock Test
Which sentence uses “Supercilious” correctly?
A) He gave a supercilious nod, ignoring the waiter.
B) She supercilious the box and left.
C) They supercilious running in the field.
D) He cooked the dinner supercilious.
True/False: “Supercilious” means humble and down-to-earth.
Replace the underlined word: His arrogant behavior annoyed the team.
Answers
A
False
His supercilious behavior annoyed the team.
Advanced Practice Questions
Correct usage: “Her supercilious tone made others uncomfortable.” (Correct/Incorrect?)
Sentence correction: He was arrogant → Replace “arrogant” with _______.
Synonym check: Closest meaning →
A) Respectful
B) Meek
C) Haughty
D) Modest
Fill in: The new intern behaved __________ despite having little experience.
True/False: “Supercilious” suggests superiority and arrogance.
Contextual usage: The judge’s face was __________ as he dismissed the case.
A) supercilious
B) superciliously
C) superciliousness
D) supercilioned
Replace: The professor was arrogant and unapproachable → The professor was __________ and unapproachable.
Error spotting: She looked superciliously at them without speak.
Connect the word: Make a sentence using “Supercilious” and “respect.”
Short story: Write 3–4 lines showing a character who acts superior to others.
Answers
Correct
supercilious
C) Haughty
superciliously
True
A) supercilious
supercilious
Incorrect → Correct: She looked superciliously at them without speaking.
Despite his supercilious tone, she responded with calm respect.
She walked through the village with a supercilious gaze, ignoring the people who once helped her rise.
Word of the Day: Laconic
Meaning
- Pronunciation (IPA): /ləˈkɒn.ɪk/
- Pronunciation (Hindi): ल-का-निक
- Definition: Using very few words; brief and to the point, often in a way that seems mysterious or rude.
- Hindi Meaning: संक्षिप्त, कम शब्दों में बोलने वाला।
Synonyms
Concise, Brief, Terse, Curt, Succinct
Antonyms
Verbose, Talkative, Wordy, Loquacious, Expansive
Usage Examples
- His laconic reply showed disinterest.
- She admired his laconic style of writing.
- When asked about the incident, he gave a laconic “no comment.”
- The manager was known for his laconic leadership in meetings.
- Despite being laconic, her words had depth.
Mini-Story
Inspector Raghav was known for being laconic. In a room full of chatter, one sentence from him would silence the noise. “He lied,” he said calmly, and the whole courtroom froze—because when Raghav spoke, truth followed.
Practice Exercises
A. Fill in the Blanks
- The teacher’s __________ feedback was straight to the point.
- He remained __________ even during intense questioning.
- Their __________ replies made conversation difficult.
- The soldier’s __________ words revealed deep pain.
- She preferred __________ emails over long ones.
B. Match the Synonyms
Match “Laconic” with its synonym:
- Wordy
- Talkative
- Succinct
- Expansive
- Rambling
C. Sentence Formation
Write 3 sentences using “Laconic” about:
- A writer
- A detective
- A teacher
Answers
A. laconic, laconic, laconic, laconic, laconic
B. 3. Succinct
C.
- The writer’s laconic style conveyed emotion in just a few lines.
- The detective gave a laconic response that left everyone thinking.
- The teacher’s laconic praise carried more weight than long speeches.
Mock Test
Which sentence uses “Laconic” correctly?
A) She gave a laconic answer and walked away.
B) He laconic his books every day.
C) They laconic to school late.
D) I laconiced the chair beside him.
True/False: “Laconic” means using a lot of words to explain something.
Replace the underlined word: His brief response ended the discussion.
Answers
A
False
His laconic response ended the discussion.
Advanced Practice Questions
Correct usage: “The president gave a laconic reply during the press meet.” (Correct/Incorrect?)
Sentence correction: He was brief → Replace “brief” with _______.
Synonym check: Closest meaning →
A) Talkative
B) Verbose
C) Terse
D) Rambling
Fill in: Her __________ comments made her seem cold.
True/False: “Laconic” often implies mystery or seriousness.
Contextual usage: The actor remained __________ even during interviews.
A) laconic
B) laconically
C) laconics
D) laconed
Replace: The author was brief and direct → The author was __________ and direct.
Error spotting: They talked laconic about their journey.
Connect the word: Make a sentence using “Laconic” and “impact.”
Short story: Write 3–4 lines showing a character who speaks little but says a lot.
Answers
Correct
laconic
C) Terse
laconic
True
A) laconic
laconic
Incorrect → Correct: They talked laconically about their journey.
His laconic words had more impact than hours of debate.
In the courtroom, the victim’s father simply said, “He took everything.” That laconic statement echoed louder than any scream.
Supercilious vs Laconic – Word Choice Exercise
Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word: Supercilious or Laconic (use correct forms like adjective/adverb where needed).
1. His __________ reply made it hard to tell whether he was angry or just quiet.
2. The actor’s __________ attitude toward reporters made him unpopular in the press.
3. When asked about the failure, she responded __________, “It happens.”
4. The customer was offended by the clerk’s __________ look.
5. Unlike her verbose coworkers, she remained __________ and professional.
6. He gave a __________ smile and walked away, clearly thinking himself superior.
7. Her tone was so __________ that people assumed she thought they were beneath her.
8. The coach’s instructions were __________ but effective.
9. The chairman dismissed the proposal with a __________ wave of his hand.
10. While one boss was kind and encouraging, the other was cold and __________.
Answers
- Laconic
- Supercilious
- Laconically
- Supercilious
- Laconic
- Supercilious
- Supercilious
- Laconic
- Supercilious
- Supercilious
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