Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

CANVASS

DEFINITION:
A systematic approach to interviewing residents, merchants, and others who are in the immediate vicinity of a crime and may have useful information.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
In a press release, police said Lewisville Fire Department officials pronounced the man deceased on the scene. Police started a homicide investigation immediately, and canvassed the area in search of witnesses.
►The Denton Record-Chronicle, 09/14/2026

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. Antebellum

► Very talkative; garrulous.

► Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War.

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

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

2. Detritus

► A product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away; debris.

► Something done or paid to compensate or make amends.

► To certify or attest to (the validity of a signature on a document, for example) as a notary public.

► An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.

3. Enervate

► An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.

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

► To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.

► To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.

4. Plasma

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

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

► Of or relating to a holding of something in trust for another.

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

5. Hypotenuse

► Playfully jocular; humorous

► The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

► Having one’s true identity concealed.

► Clear to the understanding.

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.