Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

MITIGATION

DEFINITION:
The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
But after years of record investment by the state in such wildfire risk mitigation, two key money sources are drying up, potentially reducing the state’s annual budget for vegetation removal by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Los Angeles Times, 06/01/2026

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Words in the News Quiz
5 Middle 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. Bizarre

Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels used for pleasure cruises or racing.

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

Strikingly unconventional and far-fetched in style or appearance; odd

To cringe in fear


2. Tariff

A fungus, usually of the class Ascomycetes, that grows symbiotically with algae,

A schedule of prices or fees.

The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal

A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness


3. Silhouette

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.

Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous.

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles


4. Tsunami

A proportional part or share.

A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.


5. Delegate

To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

The arrangement of events in time

Incorrectness of reasoning or belief

A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.


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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.