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. Totalitarian

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

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

To picture falsely; misrepresent.

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


2. Inculcate

To picture falsely; misrepresent.

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

The iron-containing respiratory pigment in red blood cells of vertebrates.

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


3. Lucid

Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate.

The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

Clear to the understanding.

A temple tower of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories.


4. Diffident

Having a harmful effect; injurious.

Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness.

Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid.

A part, portion, or share.


5. Nanotechnology

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

Having one’s true identity concealed.

Vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor.

The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.


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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.