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

Generate your own quiz
Select a grade level
 Elementary
 Middle School
 High School
Select a quiz type
 By words
 By Definitions
Select how many questions
5   10   15   20  

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. Formidable

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

► Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder

► 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 characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

2. Eclectic

► Relating to a system of writing, such as that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meaning or sounds or a combination of meaning and sound.

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

► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.

► Forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim.

3. Despondent

► The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.

► One that takes in everything available, as with the mind.

► Being without or almost without hope

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

4. Dialogue

► To stress or emphasize; intensify

► The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

► The act of resting or the state of being at rest.

► Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative

5. Gargoyle

► A grotesque ornamental figure or projection.

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

► A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms.

► A picture or decorative design made by setting small colored pieces, as of stone or tile, into a surface.

Get more Quizzes 

 Elementary School    Middle School   High School  

 By Word     By Definition    5  10  15  20 Questions

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.