CONTEMPLATE (OR PONDER OR COGITATE OR CEREBRATE) (Verb)

Meaning- action of thinking or looking at something attentively

Uses-

• Roy is contemplating retirement next year as he has not been keeping well for a long time.
• When Smith was contemplating a new business, he consulted competent finance, legal and tax advisors to ensure the viability of his venture.
• Have you ever contemplated something for a long time?
• By the time he finishes contemplating what to do with his life, it will be almost over.

 

COGNIZANT (Adj.)

Meaning- aware of something.

Mnemonic trick- Global company COGNIZANT always takes cognisance of what’ s happening in the world. Therefore, cognizant means aware of something.

Synonym- CONSCIOUS, AWARE, MINDFUL

Antonym- OBLIVIOUS, INCOGNIZANT, STUPOR, UNAWARE

Uses-

• Hank was cognizant of the difficulty in completing the assignment he gave to his workers.
• He is cognizant of his responsibilities as a Bureaucrat.

              

PULCHRITUDE (OR COMELINESS) (Noun)

Meaning- beauty, especially a woman’ s beauty

Explanation- comeliness (Adj.) means beautiful. Comely means beauty.

Synonym- BEAUTIFULNESS

Uses-

• Erin’ s pulchritude was legendary bringing admires from near and end.
• She is proud of her pulchritude.
• I do not envy the judges who have to select this year’ s Miss India from this collection of female pulchritude.

 

                         

COMMENSURATE

Meaning-  Equal in size or degree or extent.

Synonym- PROPORTIONATE

Uses-

• Pay should be commensurate with the time worked.
• Each investor will receive a proportionate share of the profits.

 

                

COMPLACENT AND COMPLAISANT

COMPLACENT (Adj.)

Meaning- Satisfied with how things are and not wanting to change them

Mnemonic trick- We, engineering students get complacent or self-satisfied after getting placement. Therefore, complacent means smugly self-satisfied.

Synonym- INSOUCIANT, SMUG, NONCHALANT

Uses-

• The government can’ t afford to be complacent over problems like illiteracy, unemployment.
• The expression on Michael’ s face was complacent reflecting his lack of concern for the situation.

COMPLAISANT(Adj.)

Meaning- willing to please others or easily convinced to do what other people want

Uses-

• As a civil servant, I was always complaisant to everyone.
• Amitabh Bachchan, as represented in the movies, is always complaisant to his fans.

Therefore, Complaisant means ready to please others and a complacent person is pleased with himself.

For example-

As a complaisant person, I motivated Michael to work hard and prepare for competitive exams after getting placement. But, Michael was looking smugly self-satisfied.