Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PROACTIVE

DEFINITION:
Taking action to control a situation rather than responding to it after it has happened.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
LoPilato said the policy aims to be proactive, rather than allowing more violence to take place before regulating the problem.
►The Los Angeles Times, 07/20/2026

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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. Filibuster

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

► Of the same or similar nature or kind

► Logical incongruity

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

2. Nadir

► Cheerfully confident; optimistic.

► Characterized by forcefulness of expression or intensity of emotion or conviction; fervid.

► Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy.

► The lowest point

3. Plasma

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

► To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.

► Falling off or shed at a specific season or stage of growth:

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

4. Bellicose

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

► Quickness, accuracy, and keenness of judgment or insight.

► Warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious.

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

5. Fatuous

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

► Vacuously, smugly, and unconsciously foolish.

► Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.

► Of, relating to, or produced by motion.

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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.