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

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

► The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal

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

► A cult or religious movement, a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

2. Quandary

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

► A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

► To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.

► The act of resting or the state of being at rest.

3. Labyrinth

► An intricate structure of interconnecting passages through which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.

► The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals.

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

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

4. Despondent

► Being without or almost without hope

► Appropriateness of behavior or conduct

► Not subject to an obligation imposed on others; exempt.

► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.

5. Introspection

► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.

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

► Self-examination.

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

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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.