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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. Undulate

One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother.

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

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

A proportional part or share.


2. Boycott

To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion

One that takes in everything available, as with the mind.

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

A rebirth or revival.


3. Boisterous

An ammunition belt, worn over the shoulder, having loops or pockets for cartridges.

Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

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


4. Enthusiastic

Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.

An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.


5. Kilometer

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

A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.

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

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


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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.