Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Catalyst
noun
/ KAT-uh-list /
Easy
Meaning
A person or thing that precipitates an event or accelerates a process or change without being permanently affected itself.
Origin / Etymology
Greek katalysis (dissolution), from kata (down) + lyein (to loosen)
Synonyms
Stimulus
Impetus
Trigger
Antonyms
Inhibitor
Impediment
Example Sentence
"The Jan Dhan Yojana served as a catalyst for financial inclusion, bringing over 500 million previously unbanked Indians into the formal financial system."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Widely applicable in UPSC answers — GS3 on technology as catalyst for development, GS2 on policies as catalyst for social change, GS1 on events that acted as catalysts in the freedom movement. A versatile word for Mains answers and Essays.
Relevant Subjects