Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PLOY

DEFINITION:
A cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
“First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that the majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” said the 44th president, conceding that it does serve as an effective distraction and ploy for attention.
The Boston Herald, 02/16/2026

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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. Vacillate

A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (0.62 mile).

One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

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

To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.


2. Typhoon

The method or result of concealing personnel or equipment from an enemy by making them appear to be part of the natural surroundings

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

Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

A weather phenomenon in the Eastern Pacific that is precisely equivalent to a hurricane.


3. Malignant

Harmful, malevolent, injurious. Harmfully cancerous.

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

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

The supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.


4. Strategy

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

The supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.

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.

The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war.


5. Rainforest

An embankment built to prevent flooding

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

A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

A dense evergreen forest occupying a tropical region with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches.


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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.