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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

ADVERSE

DEFINITION:
Having a negative or harmful effect on something.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
There was no evidence of “any adverse or harmful chemical or other exposures,” he wrote.
The Boston Herald, 06/15/2026

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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. Totalitarian

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

To picture falsely; misrepresent.

A form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life,

The art or study of correct spelling according to established usage.


2. Wrought

Put together; created.

A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality

Having a harmful effect; injurious.

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


3. Incontrovertible

Not interesting; dull:

Impossible to dispute; unquestionable

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.

Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.


4. Bowdlerize

Division into ordered groups or categories.

Something done or paid to compensate or make amends.

To modify, as by shortening or simplifying or by skewing the content in a certain manner.

The science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules.


5. Usurp

The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

The lowest point

To divide (a geographic area) into voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party in elections.

To seize another’s place, authority, or possession wrongfully.


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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.