Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

WILDFIRE

DEFINITION:
An unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
It was not yet clear how the wildfires started, but a long drought, low humidity and strong winds were fueling them.
The Key West Citizen, 04/27/2026

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Words in the News Quiz
5 High School Words

Click on the correct answer in the quiz below.
Then see if you can find the word in your newspaper -- the print edition, the website or the digital edition and copy the sentence for context. NOTE: High School words are much harder to find!


1. Filibuster

A reproductive cell having the haploid number of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg capable of fusing with a gamete of the opposite sex to produce the fertilized egg.

A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.

The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

A factor that determines a range of variations; a boundary


2. Supercilious

Attended by favorable circumstances; propitious.

Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.

Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate.

Feeling or showing haughty disdain.


3. Diffident

Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid.

To certify or attest to (the validity of a signature on a document, for example) as a notary public.

The act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing.

The basic unit of currency among participating European Union countries.


4. Polymer

Any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units,

A temple tower of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories.

To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.

Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree.


5. Bellicose

Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree.

Logical incongruity

Warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious.

A diligent, dependable worker.


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Common Core State Standard
LS.CCS.4/5/6 Grades 3-12: Students are asked to determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words through multiple choice vocabulary quizzes. Quizzes are designed to help students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in words, acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words, and gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Students are then asked to find the words within the newspaper and copy the sentence for context to its overall meaning or function in a sentence.