Confusing Words
1. Veracious, Voracious, Vociferous, Vicarious
Veracious: This word denotes an individual who is habitually truthful and honest, embodying a deep commitment to accuracy and integrity. Usage: A veracious journalist ensures every detail in their report reflects the truth, building trust among their readers.
Voracious: Highlighting an insatiable appetite, whether it’s for food, knowledge, or experiences, voracious reflects a craving that’s hard to satisfy. Usage: His voracious hunger for books led him to finish an entire library in a year.
Vociferous: When someone is loudly and passionately expressing their opinions, they are vociferous in their manner. Usage: The vociferous protesters outside City Hall made their demands impossible to ignore.
Vicarious: Living through the experiences of others, often in a way that evokes shared emotions, is what it means to feel something vicariously. Usage: She felt a vicarious thrill watching her friend skydive from thousands of feet above.
2. Circumspect, Circumvent, Circumscribe
Circumspect: To be circumspect is to act with caution, carefully considering potential risks or consequences before making a decision. Usage: Investors were circumspect about putting money into the volatile stock market.
Circumvent: This term describes the act of avoiding an obstacle or problem through clever maneuvering or strategy. Usage: He managed to circumvent the company’s strict policies by finding a loophole in the regulations.
Circumscribe: To circumscribe is to limit, restrict, or define the boundaries of something. Usage: The new rules were designed to circumscribe the powers of the executive branch.
3. Denounce, Renounce
Denounce: Publicly declaring something as wrong, evil, or unacceptable is the essence of denouncing. Usage: The politician denounced the corruption within his own party, earning both praise and criticism.
Renounce: To voluntarily give up a claim, belief, or right is to renounce. Usage: He renounced his royal title to live an ordinary life with the woman he loved.
4. Factious, Fractious, Faction, Facetious
Factious: A factious individual or group causes divisions and discord, often fostering internal conflicts. Usage: The factious members of the committee delayed progress with endless debates.
Fractious: Someone who is fractious tends to be irritable, quarrelsome, and hard to control. Usage: The fractious toddler threw a tantrum when his demands were not met.
Faction: A faction refers to a smaller, dissenting group within a larger organization, often working against the majority. Usage: A faction within the ruling party demanded immediate reforms.
Facetious: Being facetious means joking about serious matters in a way that might be inappropriate. Usage: His facetious comment during the solemn meeting was met with disapproval.
5. Prodigal, Prodigious
Prodigal: The term prodigal signifies wasteful extravagance, often in spending resources. Usage: The prodigal son returned home after squandering his inheritance on reckless pursuits.
Prodigious: Denoting something extraordinary in size, amount, or achievement, prodigious is used to describe awe-inspiring phenomena. Usage: The scientist’s prodigious discovery reshaped the field of medicine.
6. Egregious, Gregarious
Egregious: An egregious act is shockingly bad or glaringly inappropriate, often standing out for its negativity. Usage: The student’s egregious plagiarism led to his expulsion from the university.
Gregarious: In contrast, gregarious refers to someone who is exceptionally sociable and enjoys being in the company of others. Usage: His gregarious personality made him the life of every party.
7. Tortuous, Torturous
Tortuous: Full of twists, turns, and complexity, tortuous describes a path, process, or situation that is hard to navigate. Usage: The hikers struggled through the tortuous trail that wound through the dense forest.
Torturous: This word refers to something causing extreme pain or suffering, either physical or emotional. Usage: The wait for the medical test results was a torturous ordeal for the family.
8. Insolent, Indolent
Insolent: Someone who is insolent shows a lack of respect through their rude or disrespectful behavior. Usage: The insolent employee was reprimanded for speaking harshly to his manager.
Indolent: Laziness and an aversion to effort characterize someone who is indolent. Usage: His indolent nature prevented him from pursuing his ambitious goals
IBA often plays with confusing words in their options to test your sharpness. Understanding these subtle differences will give you a clear edge in the exam. Stay tuned as we unravel more sets to boost your confidence! 
