Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

SUREFIRE

DEFINITION:
Certain or likely, especially to succeed.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Kirby taught himself how to count cards, a surefire way to get barred from gambling at a casino, “raking in money on trips to Atlantic City and Las Vegas,” the article stated.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 05/04/2026

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 Middle 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. Protagonist

A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

An embankment built to prevent flooding

The main character in a drama or other literary work.

A proportional part or share.


2. Undulate

To proclaim publicly

To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion.

Having a backbone or spinal column.

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.


3. Embargo

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

The distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year.

Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease.

A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation


4. Deduction

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.

Self-examination.

The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.


5. Solstice

Any of various nonplacental mammals, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels used for pleasure cruises or racing.

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.


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.