Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PETITIONER

DEFINITION:
A person who pleads with a governmental institution for a legal remedy or a redress of grievances, through the use of a petition.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
While presenting the citizens’ petition for debate at the April 11 Spring Town Meeting, petitioners argued that ICE operations in Plymouth have “created fear” and “disrupted lives” among the immigrant community, leading to what they call a distrust of local police.
The Boston Herald, 04/20/2026

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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. Nocturnal

A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.

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


2. Metaphor

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.

Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.


3. Jaunty

To cringe in fear

Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

An embankment built to prevent flooding

A picture or decorative design made by setting small colored pieces, as of stone or tile, into a surface.


4. Hologram

A picture or decorative design made by setting small colored pieces, as of stone or tile, into a surface.

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

The food-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting of sieve tubes, fibers, parenchyma, and sclereids.

The pattern produced on a photosensitive medium that has been exposed by holography and then photographically developed.


5. Symbiosis

A schedule of prices or fees.

A disorderly commotion or disturbance.

A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy

A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.


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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.