Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

OVERZEALOUS

DEFINITION:
Showing too much energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union, attributed the encounter to an “overzealous poll worker who was complaining to the officer that the councilor shouldn’t have even been inside.”
The Boston Herald, 11/17/2025

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 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. Plasma

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

The clear, yellowish fluid portion of blood, lymph, or intramuscular fluid in which cells are suspended.

Vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor.

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.


2. Usurp

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

Warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious.

Of the same or similar nature or kind

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


3. Feckless

The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.

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

Any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units,


4. Filibuster

Any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units,

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

Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.

The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.


5. Fatuous

Vacuously, smugly, and unconsciously foolish.

Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.

To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill.

Architectural.


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.