Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Consolidation
noun
/ kun-sol-ih-DAY-shuhn /
Medium
Meaning
The process of combining several things into a single, stronger, more effective whole
Origin / Etymology
Latin consolidare — to make solid (con- = together + solidus = solid)
Synonyms
Merger
Amalgamation
Streamlining
Integration
Antonyms
Fragmentation
Dispersal
Dissolution
Example Sentence
"PSB consolidation between 2019 and 2020 reduced the number of public sector banks from 27 to 12, improving operational efficiency and capital adequacy."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Three prominent UPSC uses: 1) Banking — PSB consolidation (2019-20); 2) Fiscal consolidation — reducing fiscal deficit toward FRBM targets; 3) Democratic consolidation — strengthening of democratic institutions post-independence. Used in GS-2 (governance, polity), GS-3 (banking, economy). Stronger than 'merging' in formal answers.