The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary 13th May 2025

Reading Comprehension passages are an integral part of the English section of government exams. However, for beginners, such passages can seem difficult. The Hindu Editorial is an excellent tool to improve the reading and understanding of passages. The language is very similar to the passages that generally appear in the English section of government exams, and each paragraph is filled with exam-relevant vocabulary and real-world topics. First, go through the vocabulary section and read the meanings of the words, their Hindi translations, synonyms, and antonyms. Once you know the meanings of the words, read the passage carefully, and you will feel that it is much easier to understand the main idea and tone of the passage. This method not only improves the understanding of reading comprehension passages but also builds a strong vocabulary base for cloze tests and sentence fillers in the exam. Doing this every day will boost your confidence in the English section and help improve your scores in sections such as Reading Comprehension, Cloze Tests, and Sentence Fillers.

Toxic trolling: On India-Pakistan conflict, troll army
Online threats of violence cannot be allowed in the name of free speech

A full-scale war between India and Pakistan may have been averted, but the troll army has come out in force to disturb the peace. After India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced on May 10 that an understanding had been reached between the two sides to halt all military actions, his personal account on X (formerly Twitter), was flooded with abusive comments which did not spare his daughter. Mr. Misri locked the account, and several diplomats and politicians have condemned the toxic culture in no uncertain terms, pointing out that several red lines had been crossed. Mr. Misri was only doing his job and conveying a decision taken by the political leadership. The Foreign Secretary had been addressing the media since Operation Sindoor began on May 7, in response to the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people died. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), which had rightly slammed Pakistan for unleashing “a full-blown disinformation offensive” on social media about the ground reality regarding Operation Sindoor, remained quiet about the vicious trolling of Mr. Misri and the doxing of his daughter. Unfortunately, with the phenomenal rise of social media in India but little Internet literacy, there is a pattern of platforms being regularly used for hate speech, abusive comments, and deliberate distortion of facts.

The public sphere may have become more participatory, but that does not necessarily ensure civil behaviour. Surveys have shown that women, minorities and marginalised communities are particularly targeted by trolls. The extreme reactions often include rape and death threats. With surveillance now the byword for all tech companies, surely it should not take long to locate and end the online run of trolls. A stringent anti-troll law must be put in place to stop the acute mental and physical harassment trolls can cause. The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, set to be rolled out this year, prescribe penalties for misuse of personal information. Now, there are only a limited number of provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act to address cyberbullying. The courts have been more proactive by directing quick removal of offending content and also mandating the disclosure of basic subscriber information linked to such accounts. In the Shaviya Sharma case (2024), the Delhi High Court had noted that “there can be no doubt that acts of doxing if permitted to go on unchecked could result in violation of right to privacy”. In a democracy, all voices should be heard but disinformation and misinformation must be stopped with the help of guidelines and the law.

1. Averted
Meaning: Prevented or avoided
Hindi: टाल दिया गया
Synonyms: Prevented, avoided, warded off
Antonyms: Caused, triggered, provoked

2. Halt
Meaning: To stop or bring to a stop
Hindi: रोकना / ठहराव
Synonyms: Stop, cease, terminate
Antonyms: Continue, proceed, advance

3. Condemned
Meaning: Expressed strong disapproval of
Hindi: निंदा की
Synonyms: Criticised, denounced, censured
Antonyms: Praised, supported, approved

4. Slammed
Meaning: Criticised harshly
Hindi: कड़ी आलोचना की
Synonyms: Attacked, blasted, rebuked
Antonyms: Applauded, appreciated, endorsed

5. Vicious
Meaning: Deliberately cruel or violent
Hindi: क्रूर / दुष्ट
Synonyms: Brutal, savage, malicious
Antonyms: Kind, gentle, harmless

6. Deliberate
Meaning: Done consciously and intentionally
Hindi: जानबूझकर
Synonyms: Intentional, planned, calculated
Antonyms: Accidental, unintentional, random

7. Stringent
Meaning: Strict and precise
Hindi: सख्त
Synonyms: Strict, firm, rigorous
Antonyms: Lenient, flexible, lax

8. Acute
Meaning: Severe or intense
Hindi: तीव्र
Synonyms: Severe, sharp, intense
Antonyms: Mild, dull, minor

9. Proactive
Meaning: Taking action in advance to deal with an expected difficulty
Hindi: पूर्व-सक्रिय / पहले से उपाय करने वाला
Synonyms: Preemptive, prepared, initiative-taking
Antonyms: Reactive, passive, unprepared

10. Mandating
Meaning: Making something compulsory by law or authority
Hindi: अनिवार्य बनाना
Synonyms: Ordering, requiring, directing
Antonyms: Recommending, suggesting, advising

11. Unchecked
Meaning: Not controlled or restrained
Hindi: अनियंत्रित
Synonyms: Uncontrolled, unrestrained, rampant
Antonyms: Controlled, limited, restrained

Phrasal verb
12. Rolled out: launched; made something available for the first time

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