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125 Words Every 8th Grader Should Know: List 8

Learn these essential words that you'll encounter in literature, textbooks, class discussions, and more.
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
    You are so bored you sink into a state of apathy close to a coma. Life of Pi
  2. apt
    being of striking appropriateness and relevance
    Here's what I'll say to that without spoiling: That is a very apt and pertinent question. Salon (Oct 19, 2021)
  3. candid
    openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness
    I think my responsibility is to be as candid and as authentic as I possibly can be with my viewers. Washington Post (Oct 4, 2021)
  4. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    He was quick to chastise me whenever I got lazy. Long Walk to Freedom
  5. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    Now the three travelers were standing on a desolate plain, with no signs of any kind of life whatsoever. Norse Mythology
  6. endeavor
    a purposeful or industrious undertaking
    The object of the endeavor is, of course, to make the boat move through the water as quickly as possible. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
  7. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    “It’s been a while since I’ve been up top. I was sure I’d be forgotten by now. Fame is so fleeting, you know.” When the Sea Turned to Silver
  8. glean
    collect or gather bit by bit, especially information
    I very quickly fill Mr. Gideon in on the bits and pieces of information we gleaned from our brief reunion with Jackson. Dread Nation
  9. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    The two monkeys glowered, their eyes full of fury. When the Sea Turned to Silver
  10. incessant
    uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
    I’m continually being scolded for my incessant chatter when I’m upstairs. The Diary of a Young Girl
  11. listless
    lacking zest or vivacity
    It was hard for Charles to concentrate on work with Annie being listless and weak, so unlike her usual energetic, engaged, cheerful self. Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
  12. loll
    hang loosely or laxly
    Her head lolled, her eyes closed, and she went limp in Festus’s claw. Blood of Olympus
  13. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
    They remain obstinate and continue to defy the request from the Justice Department. Salon (May 8, 2016)
  14. painstaking
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    In my slow, painstaking, ragged handwriting, I copied into my tablet everything printed on that first page, down to the punctuation marks. The Autobiography of Malcolm X
  15. qualm
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    Putting aside her qualms about eavesdropping, she crept close enough to the door that she could hear every scrap of the conversation within, and listened. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling
  16. reverence
    a respectful mental attitude
    "Did you see how quickly she followed orders? How she didn't question me? They were supposed to teach you that. Du Barry was supposed to teach you to have reverence and respect for your queen." The Belles
  17. sheer
    complete and without restriction
    Instead, I shake my head at the thrill running through me at the sheer lunacy of what I’m about to do. The Cruel Prince
  18. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    The flame took hold of the backpack for a moment, then smoked and smoldered and died out. Breadcrumbs
  19. throng
    a large gathering of people
    He eyed the throngs of shoppers marching down the sidewalk, arms overflowing with packages. Shooting Kabul
  20. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    A wry smile spreads on his face: he is about to say something clever. How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
Created on Thu Dec 02 09:03:00 EST 2021 (updated Tue Dec 07 09:58:15 EST 2021)

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