🔢 30 Powerful CAT Vocabulary Words for Verbal Mastery – Set 3
Introduction:
CAT’s Verbal Ability section demands precision and deep vocabulary knowledge. This curated list of 30 impactful words will help you crack tricky RCs, Para Completion, and Sentence Elimination questions with confidence.
🔹 Word List with Usage
| Word | Meaning | Example (CAT-style Sentence) | Related Idea |
| Adorn | To decorate or beautify | “The hall was adorned with lights and flowers.” | Decorate, Beautify |
| Adroit | Skillful or clever | “She is adroit at managing client negotiations.” | Skillful, Dexterous |
| Adulate | To praise excessively | “He was adulated by the press for his performance.” | Flatter, Idolize |
| Adulation | Excessive admiration or praise | “Celebrities often receive undue adulation.” | Worship, Praise |
| Adulterate | To make impure by adding inferior substances | “The milk was found to be adulterated with water.” | Contaminate, Degrade |
| Adumbrate | To foreshadow vaguely | “His speech adumbrated the reforms to come.” | Hint, Prefigure |
| Advent | Arrival or beginning of something important | “The advent of AI has changed the tech landscape.” | Arrival, Onset |
| Adventitious | Accidental or unplanned | “His success was adventitious, not by design.” | Chance, Incidental |
| Adversarial | Involving conflict or opposition | “The two parties took an adversarial stance.” | Hostile, Opposed |
| Adverse | Unfavorable, harmful | “The new law had adverse effects on small businesses.” | Negative, Harmful |
| Adversity | Hardship or misfortune | “She showed great courage in the face of adversity.” | Struggle, Difficulty |
| Advocacy | Public support for a cause | “His advocacy for women’s rights won him many followers.” | Support, Promotion |
| Advocate | To publicly support | “The doctor advocates regular exercise.” | Recommend, Endorse |
| Aerie | A high nest or dwelling | “The eagle built its aerie atop the cliff.” | Nest, Perch |
| Aesthetic | Concerned with beauty or artistic value | “The room’s aesthetic appeal was undeniable.” | Artistic, Visual |
| Aestheticism | Devotion to beauty and art | “The poet’s life was guided by pure aestheticism.” | Artistic Idealism |
| Affable | Friendly and easy to talk to | “He was an affable host who made everyone feel welcome.” | Amiable, Approachable |
| Affectation | Fake or unnatural behavior | “Her British accent seemed like an affectation.” | Pretense, Artificiality |
| Affinity | A natural liking or connection | “She has an affinity for classical music.” | Attraction, Kinship |
| Affluent | Wealthy | “They live in an affluent neighborhood.” | Rich, Prosperous |
| Aggrandize | To make something appear greater | “He aggrandized his role in the project.” | Exaggerate, Inflate |
| Aggravate | To make worse | “Lack of sleep aggravated his headache.” | Worsen, Intensify |
| Aggregate | Total formed from different elements | “The aggregate score was higher than expected.” | Combined, Total |
| Aggrieve | To distress or wrong someone | “The employee felt aggrieved by the unfair review.” | Hurt, Offend |
| Aghast | Shocked or horrified | “She was aghast at the gruesome details of the crime.” | Appalled, Horrified |
| Agile | Quick and light in movement or thought | “The gymnast was remarkably agile.” | Nimble, Quick |
| Agitate | To stir or disturb | “The protestors agitated for justice.” | Disturb, Provoke |
| Agnostic | Unsure about the existence of God | “He identified as agnostic rather than atheist.” | Skeptical, Doubtful |
| Agog | Very eager or excited | “Children were agog with anticipation on Christmas morning.” | Enthusiastic, Excited |
| Agonize | To suffer or worry intensely | “He agonized over the decision for days.” | Worry, Suffer |
🌍 Contextual MCQs (CAT Style)
Q1. Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
“The critics were quick to _____ his performance, calling it the best of the year.”
A) afflict
B) adulterate
C) adulate
D) advocate
Answer: C) adulate
Q2. Which sentence uses affectation correctly?
a) His affectation of humility was unconvincing.
b) She was filled with affectation for her dog.
c) Affectation is the cause of climate change.
d) He caught the affectation after touching the surface.
Answer: a) His affectation of humility was unconvincing.
Q3. Fill in the blank:
“With the _____ of smartphones, communication has become instantaneous.”
A) advent
B) aggregate
C) adversity
D) affinity
Answer: A) advent
Q4. Identify the most suitable word:
“The artist was known for her intense focus on _______ rather than narrative.”
A) affinity
B) aestheticism
C) advocacy
D) agony
Answer: B) aestheticism
Q5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to aggrandize?
A) simplify
B) exaggerate
C) abandon
D) hesitate
Answer: B) exaggerate
📄 Download Resources
📘 Download Master Flashcards here
🔗 Related Content
- 30 High-Impact Vocabulary Words for CAT RC & Para Completion – Set 1
- 30 Advanced Vocabulary Words for CAT Verbal Ability – Set 2
🚀 Final Tip
Words like affectation or adumbrate are not only common in RCs but also test subtle understanding. So always read in context, not isolation. Apply them in practice sets!
All the best,
Team Howdybuzz
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