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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PETITIONER

DEFINITION:
A person who pleads with a governmental institution for a legal remedy or a redress of grievances, through the use of a petition.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
While presenting the citizens’ petition for debate at the April 11 Spring Town Meeting, petitioners argued that ICE operations in Plymouth have “created fear” and “disrupted lives” among the immigrant community, leading to what they call a distrust of local police.
The Boston Herald, 04/20/2026

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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. Tectonic

To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.

To picture falsely; misrepresent.

Physics that deals with the relationships and conversions between heat and other forms of energy.

Architectural.


2. Vortex

Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.

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

A place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it.

Either of two points on the celestial sphere at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator.


3. Photosynthesis

Something done or paid to compensate or make amends.

Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War.

The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source.

Playfully jocular; humorous


4. Acumen

To increase the positive charge or valence of (an element) by removing electrons.

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

Quickness, accuracy, and keenness of judgment or insight.

To renounce under oath; forswear.


5. Subjugate

To bring under control; conquer.

Not limited to or associated with a particular religious denomination.

A part, portion, or share.

The act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing.


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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.