100 Important One-Word Substitutions for Competitive Exams

Published On: 21/02/2025

One-Word Substitutions are an important part of competitive exams like SSC, Banking, Railways, and other government exams. These One-Word Substitutions will improve your vocabulary and understanding of English words. Instead of using a long phrase, a single word is used to express the same meaning.

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Table of Contents

For example, instead of saying “a person who loves books”, you can simply use the word “Bibliophile”. Learning these words helps in improving communication skills, writing skills, and scoring well in exams.

In this blog article, we have listed 100 frequently asked One-Word Substitutions with their meanings. These words are commonly found in exam papers, English comprehension tests, and general knowledge sections. By memorizing them, you can increase your vocabulary, save time in exams, and improve your overall English fluency.

One-Word Substitutions for People

No.	Word	Meaning
1.	Agnostic	One who is unsure about God’s existence.
2.	Altruist	One who is selfless and helps others.
3.	Ambidextrous	A person who can use both hands equally well.
4.	Autocrat	A ruler with absolute power.
5.	Bibliophile	A person who loves books.
6.	Bigot	A person intolerant toward different opinions.
7.	Cannibal	One who eats human flesh.
8.	Cynic	One who doubts human sincerity.
9.	Egoist	A self-centered person.
10.	Emigrant	One who leaves one’s country to settle in another.
11.	Epicure	A lover of fine food.
12.	Fatalist	One who believes in destiny.
13.	Glutton	A person who eats excessively.
14.	Iconoclast	One who attacks traditional beliefs.
15.	Misanthrope	One who hates mankind.
16.	Misogamist	One who hates marriage.
17.	Misogynist	One who hates women.
18.	Omnivorous	One who eats all kinds of food.
19.	Optimist	One who always sees the bright side.
20.	Pessimist	One who always sees the negative side.

One-Word Substitutions for Actions

No.	Word	Meaning
21.	Abduct	To take someone away illegally.
22.	Amputate	To cut off a limb.
23.	Confiscate	To seize by authority.
24.	Extort	To obtain by force or threats.
25.	Exonerate	To free from blame.
26.	Fabricate	To invent a false story.
27.	Meditate	To think deeply.
28.	Plagiarize	To copy another’s work illegally.
29.	Procrastinate	To delay unnecessarily.
30.	Rehabilitate	To restore to normal life.

One-Word Substitutions for Government & Administration

No.	Word	Meaning
31.	Anarchy	Absence of government.
32.	Autocracy	Government by one person.
33.	Bureaucracy	Government by officials.
34.	Democracy	Government by the people.
35.	Monarchy	Government by a king/queen.
36.	Oligarchy	Government by a small group.
37.	Plutocracy	Government by the rich.
38.	Theocracy	Government by religious leaders.
39.	Totalitarian	A government that controls everything.
40.	Republic	A state where the people elect leaders.

One-Word Substitutions for Places

No.	Word	Meaning
41.	Asylum	A place for the mentally ill.
42.	Cemetery	A place for burying the dead.
43.	Convent	A residence for nuns.
44.	Dormitory	A shared sleeping room for students.
45.	Orphanage	A home for parentless children.
46.	Sanatorium	A place for medical treatment.
47.	Refuge	A shelter from danger.
48.	Vault	A place to store valuables.
49.	Menagerie	A place where animals are kept.
50.	Arsenal	A place where weapons are stored.

One-Word Substitutions for Science & Nature

No.	Word	Meaning
51.	Aquatic	Living in water.
52.	Astronomy	Study of celestial bodies.
53.	Botany	Study of plants.
54.	Cardiology	Study of the heart.
55.	Entomology	Study of insects.
56.	Geology	Study of the earth.
57.	Meteorology	Study of weather.
58.	Ornithology	Study of birds.
59.	Paleontology	Study of fossils.
60.	Zoology	Study of animals.

One-Word Substitutions for Speech & Writing

No.	Word	Meaning
71.	Allegory	A story with a hidden meaning.
72.	Autobiography	A person’s life story written by themselves.
73.	Biography	The story of someone’s life written by another.
74.	Epilogue	A concluding part of a book.
75.	Eulogy	Speech in praise of someone.
76.	Manuscript	A handwritten document.
77.	Monologue	A long speech by one person.
78.	Parody	A humorous imitation.
79.	Prologue	Introduction to a book.
80.	Sonnet	A 14-line poem.

One-Word Substitutions for Miscellaneous Concepts

No.	Word	Meaning
81.	Anonymous	Without a name.
82.	Aristocracy	A privileged ruling class.
83.	Belligerent	Hostile and aggressive.
84.	Bilateral	Having two sides.
85.	Compulsory	Required by law or rule.
86.	Debacle	A complete failure.
87.	Dilemma	A situation with difficult choices.
88.	Eccentric	Unconventional or strange.
89.	Indelible	Something that cannot be erased.
90.	Inevitable	Certain to happen.
91.	Juxtapose	To place side by side for comparison.
92.	Meticulous	Very careful and precise.
93.	Nomad	A person who moves from place to place.
94.	Nonchalant	Cool and unconcerned.
95.	Obsolete	No longer in use.
96.	Pacifist	A person who opposes war.
97.	Perennial	Lasting for a long time.
98.	Reluctant	Unwilling to do something.
99.	Unanimous	In complete agreement.
100.	Vulnerable	Open to harm or attack.

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Girdhari Lal Suthar

Girdhari Lal Suthar is a dedicated Senior Teacher in English and the founder of Gyankundli.com. With 1.9 years of blogging experience, he shares valuable content on English Grammar, Literature, Language, and Educational updates, helping aspirants, students and teachers stay informed and prepared.

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