Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

ACQUAINTANCE

DEFINITION:
A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
When photographer Peter Turnley was just 20 years old, an acquaintance from the California Office of Economic Opportunity reached out to him with a question.
The Los Angeles Times, 12/01/2025

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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. Aspire

To have a great ambition or ultimate goal

The food-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting of sieve tubes, fibers, parenchyma, and sclereids.

Any of various nonplacental mammals, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

A schedule of prices or fees.


2. Mutation

A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.

A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.

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


3. Guerrilla

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

To condescend to give or grant

A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.


4. Despondent

To stress or emphasize; intensify

Being without or almost without hope

One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.

One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother.


5. Bamboozle

One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother.

The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war.

A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit


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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.