Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Paradigm
noun
/ PAIR-uh-dym /
Medium
Meaning
A typical example, pattern, or model of something; a framework of concepts and practices that defines the approach to a subject at a given time
Origin / Etymology
Greek paradeigma — para (alongside) + deiknynal (to show)
Synonyms
Framework
Model
Template
Archetype
Antonyms
Anomaly
Exception
Example Sentence
"The shift from a state-led to market-driven development paradigm in the 1991 LPG reforms fundamentally altered India's economic architecture."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Extremely high-frequency in UPSC essays and editorials. Key usages: 'paradigm shift' (a fundamental change in approach), 'development paradigm' (GS3), 'governance paradigm' (GS2), 'new paradigm for policing' (GS3). An essay that identifies a 'paradigm shift' and explains what caused it and what it led to demonstrates sophisticated analytical thinking.