One Word Substitution 2026 – 300+ Important Words for SSC CGL, CHSL & Competitive Exams
One Word Substitution (OWS) is one of the most scoring topics in the English section of SSC exams. In this topic, you are given a phrase or description and asked to find a single word that replaces it. For example, "A person who speaks two languages" = Bilingual.
SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, CPO, and other competitive exams ask 2-3 one word substitution questions every year. Since these questions test pure vocabulary knowledge, students who prepare this topic well can score these marks within seconds — no grammar or comprehension skills needed.
🎯 Scoring Tip: One Word Substitution has the best effort-to-marks ratio in SSC exams. Learn 200 common substitutions and you'll almost certainly get all 2-3 questions right. That's guaranteed 4-6 marks with minimal effort!
One Word Substitution – People & Professions
| # | Description | One Word |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A person who speaks two languages | Bilingual |
| 2 | A person who speaks many languages | Polyglot |
| 3 | A person who loves books | Bibliophile |
| 4 | A person who hates mankind | Misanthrope |
| 5 | A person who loves mankind | Philanthropist |
| 6 | A person who walks in sleep | Somnambulist |
| 7 | A person who talks in sleep | Somniloquist |
| 8 | A person who cannot sleep | Insomniac |
| 9 | A person who eats too much | Glutton |
| 10 | A person who lives alone | Recluse |
| 11 | A person appointed by two parties to settle a dispute | Arbitrator |
| 12 | A person who collects coins | Numismatist |
| 13 | A person who collects stamps | Philatelist |
| 14 | A person who doubts the existence of God | Agnostic |
| 15 | A person who does not believe in God | Atheist |
| 16 | A person who believes in God | Theist |
| 17 | A person who is all-powerful | Omnipotent |
| 18 | A person who is present everywhere | Omnipresent |
| 19 | A person who knows everything | Omniscient |
| 20 | A person who thinks only about himself | Egoist |
| 21 | A person who is new to a profession | Novice |
| 22 | A person who can use both hands equally well | Ambidextrous |
| 23 | A person who writes for newspapers/magazines | Journalist |
| 24 | A person who draws maps | Cartographer |
| 25 | A person who studies stars and planets | Astronomer |
One Word Substitution – Study & Science
| # | Description | One Word |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Study of living things | Biology |
| 27 | Study of the origin of words | Etymology |
| 28 | Study of insects | Entomology |
| 29 | Study of birds | Ornithology |
| 30 | Study of skin diseases | Dermatology |
| 31 | Study of the human mind | Psychology |
| 32 | Study of ancient civilizations | Archaeology |
| 33 | Study of handwriting | Graphology |
| 34 | Study of rocks and minerals | Geology |
| 35 | Study of weather and climate | Meteorology |
| 36 | Study of the heart | Cardiology |
| 37 | Study of eyes | Ophthalmology |
| 38 | Study of bones | Osteology |
| 39 | Study of population | Demography |
| 40 | Study of coins and medals | Numismatics |
One Word Substitution – Actions, Events & Things
| # | Description | One Word |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Killing of a king | Regicide |
| 42 | Killing of one's own father | Patricide |
| 43 | Killing of one's own mother | Matricide |
| 44 | Killing of an infant | Infanticide |
| 45 | Killing of oneself | Suicide |
| 46 | Killing of a large group of people | Genocide |
| 47 | A government by the people | Democracy |
| 48 | A government by one person with absolute power | Autocracy |
| 49 | A government by the rich | Plutocracy |
| 50 | A government by religious leaders | Theocracy |
| 51 | A speech delivered without preparation | Extempore |
| 52 | A speech delivered at a funeral | Eulogy |
| 53 | Something that cannot be seen | Invisible |
| 54 | Something that cannot be heard | Inaudible |
| 55 | Something that cannot be understood | Incomprehensible |
| 56 | Something that cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| 57 | Something that cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| 58 | Something that cannot be imitated | Inimitable |
| 59 | A disease that spreads by contact | Contagious |
| 60 | A disease that is widespread in an area | Epidemic |
How to Remember One Word Substitutions
1. Learn Root Words (Greek & Latin)
Most one word substitutions come from Greek and Latin roots. Once you know the roots, you can guess meanings:
- -cide = killing (Homicide, Genocide, Suicide)
- -logy = study of (Biology, Psychology, Zoology)
- -phile = lover of (Bibliophile, Anglophile)
- -phobia = fear of (Claustrophobia, Acrophobia)
- Omni- = all (Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient)
- Somn- = sleep (Somnambulist, Somniloquist, Insomniac)
2. Group by Categories
Learn all "killing" words together, all "study of" words together, all "types of government" together. Your brain remembers categories better than random isolated facts.
3. Create Visual Stories
For Somnambulist (walks in sleep): Picture someone named "Somna" walking around with closed eyes at a bus stop. The funnier the image, the better you remember.
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