Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PLOY

DEFINITION:
A cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
“First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that the majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” said the 44th president, conceding that it does serve as an effective distraction and ploy for attention.
►The Boston Herald, 02/16/2026

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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. Taxonomy

► To remove erroneous, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material from (a book, for example) before publication.

► Architectural.

► Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful.

► Division into ordered groups or categories.

2. Notarize

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

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

► A system of names used in an art or science:

► Everyday; commonplace.

3. Mitosis

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

► A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.

► The process in cell division by which the nucleus divides.

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

4. Nadir

► The lowest point

► 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.

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

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

5. Yeoman

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

► A product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away; debris.

► A diligent, dependable worker.

► Logical incongruity

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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.