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. Supercilious

Feeling or showing haughty disdain.

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

Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness.

Having a bad disposition; surly.


2. Totalitarian

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

An extremely distant, and thus old, celestial object whose power output is several thousand times that of our entire galaxy.

Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.

Eating and drinking in moderation.


3. Irony

Eating and drinking in moderation.

To show servile deference.

The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.

To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.


4. Feckless

Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate.

Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.

Very talkative; garrulous.

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


5. Nanotechnology

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

Not interesting; dull:

A stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or style; a vocabulary:

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


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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.