Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

BACKLOT

DEFINITION:
An area behind or adjoining a movie studio containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who serves the 4th District, makes her way across an empty, unnamed backlot, presenting her case to be the city’s next mayor.
The Los Angeles Times, 05/18/2026

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

Vortex

Abrogate

Contradiction

Kowtow


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

Mitosis

Omnipotent

Notarize

Circumlocution


3. A part, portion, or share.

Infrastructure

Moiety

Laissez faire

Churlish


4. To proceed completely around:

Circumnavigate

Diffident

Abjure

Winnow


5. A circular strand of DNA in bacteria that contains the hereditary information necessary for cell life.

Winnow

Equinox

Chromosome

Irony


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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.