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

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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. Cower

To cringe in fear

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

Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative

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


2. Tsunami

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

Grossly offensive to decency or morality.

To stress or emphasize; intensify

Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold


3. Maneuver

To stress or emphasize; intensify

Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold

Sharing the same opinions or views; being in complete harmony or accord.

A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.


4. Hieroglyphic

Relating to a system of writing, such as that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meaning or sounds or a combination of meaning and sound.

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

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 poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms.


5. Fallacy

A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms.

One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

Incorrectness of reasoning or belief

Not subject to an obligation imposed on others; exempt.


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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.