Top Synonyms and Antonyms from Previous Year NIFT GAT Paper

Ritoprasad Kundu

Updated On: December 22, 2025 09:30 AM

Synonyms and Antonyms are one of the most scoring sections in the GAT section of the NIFT exam. Check the important ones from the previous year NIFT GAT papers from this article. 


 
Top Synonyms and Antonyms from Previous Year NIFT GAT Paper

From the GAT section of the NIFT exam, Synonyms and Antonyms are the ones that will help you to build your overall score. This topic will not only test your knowledge but also your depth in vocabulary. Moreover, in this section you can mostly get predictable patterns like prefixes and suffixes, domain-specific adjectives etc. In this article you will get the list of high-frequency vocabulary that are often asked in the NIFT exam. Check the Synonyms and Antonyms from Past NIFT GAT Papers here.

Also Read: Skills You Must Have to Crack NIFT CAT 2026 Exam

NIFT GAT Synonyms and Antonyms

Check the below table in detail.

Word

Synonym

Antonym

Example Sentence

Abandon

Leave

Retain

She decided to abandon her old plans and start fresh.

Abate

Lessen, Subside, Diminish

Intensify

The storm finally abated by morning

Accurate

Precise

Inaccurate

The designer took accurate measurements before cutting the fabric.

Adequate

Sufficient

Inadequate

The lighting in the studio was adequate for sketching.

Ambiguous

Unclear, Vague, Equivocal

Clear / Explicit

The poem’s meaning is ambiguous.

Anecdote

Story, Tale, Narrative

Exposition / Treatise (Formal)

He told an anecdote about his childhood.

Adverse

Unfavorable

Favorable

The adverse weather delayed the fashion shoot.

Ambitious

Aspiring

Unmotivated

She is an ambitious student aiming for NIFT top rank.

Amiable

Friendly

Hostile

His amiable nature made him popular in class.

Analogous

Comparable, Similar, Parallel

Dissimilar

The brain is often compared to a computer — analogous systems

Ancient

Antique

Modern

The designer used ancient motifs in her collection.

Annual

Yearly

Occasional

The annual fashion show draws huge crowds.

Arduous

Strenuous, Taxing, Laborious

Easy

It was an arduous climb.

Apprehensive

Nervous

Confident

She felt apprehensive before her GAT exam.

Arrogant

Proud

Humble

His arrogant attitude alienated his teammates.

Authentic

Genuine

Fake

The artwork was verified as authentic.

Benevolent

Kind

Cruel

The benevolent teacher helped every student.

Brisk

Quick

Sluggish

The model took brisk steps down the runway.

Candid

Frank

Secretive

She gave a candid opinion about the designs.

Cease

Stop

Continue

The rain did not cease throughout the day.

Coherent

Logical

Illogical

Her presentation was coherent and well-organized.

Comprehensive

Complete

Incomplete

The report gave a comprehensive overview of trends.

Concur

Agree

Disagree

Both designers concurred on the color scheme.

Confident

Self-assured

Shy

He looked confident before his portfolio review.

Contemporary

Modern

Traditional

Her collection had a contemporary touch.

Deficient

Lacking

Sufficient

The design lacked creativity and was deficient in originality.

Diligent

Hardworking

Lazy

A diligent student always practices sketching.

Discreet

Cautious

Indiscreet

Be discreet about sharing your design ideas.

Eloquent

Expressive

Inarticulate

The designer gave an eloquent speech.

Enhance

Improve

Diminish

Proper lighting can enhance the garment’s look.

Erroneous

Wrong

Correct

His calculations were erroneous.

Evade

Avoid

Face

He tried to evade responsibility for the mistake.

Fabricate

Invent

Destroy

The story was fabricated to attract attention.

Fluctuate

Vary

Stabilize

Prices of textiles fluctuate frequently.

Fragile

Delicate

Strong

The glass accessories were too fragile to handle.

Genuine

Real

Fake

The gemstones used were genuine.

Gratify

Please

Disappoint

The results gratified all the hard-working students.

Hinder

Obstruct

Assist

Lack of materials hindered the progress of the project.

Imitate

Copy

Originate

Students should not imitate others’ designs.

Infer

Conclude

Misinterpret

From her sketches, we can infer her unique style.

Ingenious

Clever

Foolish

His ingenious idea won the design challenge.

Innocent

Pure

Guilty

The artist was innocent of plagiarism.

Irascible

Short-tempered

Calm

The irascible mentor lost patience quickly.

Jeopardize

Endanger

Protect

Missing deadlines could jeopardize your project.

Jovial

Cheerful

Gloomy

Her jovial mood brightened the classroom.

Lucid

Clear

Confusing

Her explanation was lucid and easy to follow.

Magnify

Enlarge

Reduce

The mirror magnified the details of the fabric.

Malicious

Spiteful

Kind

He made a malicious remark about her work.

Meticulous

Careful

Careless

The designer was meticulous with every stitch.

Naive

Innocent

Experienced

Her naive approach showed lack of industry experience.

Negligent

Careless

Attentive

The negligent student forgot to submit his sketchbook.

Optimistic

Hopeful

Pessimistic

He remained optimistic about clearing the exam.

Ornate

Decorative

Simple

The ornate embroidery added richness to the fabric.

Palpable

Tangible

Intangible

The excitement in the studio was palpable.

Peril

Danger

Safety

Crossing deadlines put the project in peril.

Placid

Calm

Agitated

The placid lake inspired her fabric design.

Prudent

Wise

Reckless

It was prudent to double-check the measurements.

Reluctant

Unwilling

Eager

She was reluctant to share her ideas.

Resilient

Tough

Fragile

The resilient student bounced back after failure.

Scarce

Rare

Abundant

Good quality fabric was scarce in the market.

Serene

Peaceful

Turbulent

The serene surroundings inspired her creativity.

Tedious

Boring

Interesting

Cutting patterns can be tedious but necessary.

Tranquil

Calm

Noisy

The tranquil studio helped her focus on sketching.

Versatile

Adaptable

Limited

She is a versatile designer with diverse skills.

Vulnerable

Weak

Strong

New designers are often vulnerable to criticism.

Why Synonyms and Antonyms NIFT GAT Important?

You can check the following points.

  • High Scoring Area- In order to improve your overall performance you can score in this section particularly the synonyms and antonyms.
  • Predictable Questions- Another aspect in this section is that the questions are mostly predictable as they are based primarily on prefixes and suffixes and domain-specific adjectives.
  • Measure of Language Precision- Often it is necessary for NIFT aspirants to use language very precisely. This section analyses whether you can identify the near synonyms while choosing the correct answer.

Common Types in NIFT Exam

Here are the common type of words in the exam.

Particulars

Details

Common everyday words with tricky alternatives

the test often offers near-synonyms where one choice is slightly more apt (e.g., subtle vs faint vs vague).

Academic/formal words

words that appear in design criticism and theory (e.g., aesthetic, canonical, idiosyncratic).

Prefix-negation antonyms

pairs created with un-/in-/im-/dis- (e.g., relevant / irrelevant), sometimes used as distractors.

False friends / near-opposites

pairs that look related but aren’t (e.g., sanction can mean approve or penalize).

Multi-meaning words

words whose synonym/antonym depends on context (e.g., temperate — moderate vs. mild).

Collocation-dependent words

some synonyms are correct only in particular collocational frames (e.g., rich soil vs wealthy person).

Also Read: 3 Month Study Plan for NIFT Entrance Exam 2026

NIFT GAT Synonyms and Antonyms Preparation Strategy

Follow this preparation strategy.

Week

What to Study?

Week 1 — Core bank & roots

  • Gather 300–400 high-frequency words seen in past papers (verbs, adjectives, nouns).
  • Group by root (e.g., port → transport, import) and by prefix (un-, in-, mal-).

Week 2 — Pairs & nuance

  • Create synonym and antonym pairs. For each word, note 2 synonyms (one exact, one near) and 1 antonym.
  • Write 2 example sentences per sense to capture nuance

Week 3 — Active recall & mixed practice

  • Use flashcards (spaced repetition). On one side: word + short sentence; other side: synonym(s)/antonym(s) + example.
  • Time yourself on sets of 10–15 items to simulate exam pressure.

Week 4 — Context drills & past-paper simulation

  • Do targeted synonym/antonym sections from past NIFT GAT papers (or simulated sets).
  • Review every incorrect item: why the distractor looked tempting, which collocation or nuance you missed.

For detailed information about NIFT exam feel free to call us on our toll free number 1800-572-9877. For specific NIFT admission related doubts and queries reach out to us through our QnA zone .

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FAQs

What is the best way to remember synonyms and antonyms?

Use mnemonics, root-word techniques, and context-based learning. For example, “bene” means good — so benevolent (kind), benefit (gain), benign (harmless).

Why are synonym and antonym questions important for NIFT GAT?

They assess your language proficiency, reading comprehension, and communication skills — all crucial for a design student. Strong vocabulary also helps in the Situation Test and Design Portfolio presentations later.

How many questions on synonyms and antonyms are there in NIFT GAT?

Typically, 4–6 questions are asked from synonyms and antonyms in the General Ability Test (GAT) English section. However, their difficulty level may vary each year.

What type of synonym and antonym questions are asked in NIFT GAT?

NIFT GAT usually asks direct vocabulary-based questions where you must choose the correct synonym or antonym of a given word from four options. These test your word knowledge, context understanding, and usage in sentences.

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