President Obama's second inaugural address

Mrs. Njoku (United States of America)
Words from the text of President Barack Obama's second inaugural address on Jan. 21, 2013. Transcript here.
13 words 1 learner

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. distinguished
    standing above others in character or attainment
    Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
  2. citizen
    a native or naturalized member of a state
    Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
  3. promise
    a verbal commitment agreeing to do something in the future
    We affirm the promise of our democracy.
  4. recall
    bring to mind
    We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names.
  5. equal
    having the same quantity, value, or measure as another
    “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
  6. happiness
    state of well-being characterized by contentment and joy
    “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
  7. secure
    free from danger or risk
    For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.
  8. learn
    find out or determine with certainty by making an inquiry
    Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free.
  9. vow
    promise
    We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
  10. discover
    determine the existence, presence, or fact of
    Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
  11. revamp
    patch up or renovate; repair or restore
    We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher.
  12. empower
    give or delegate authority to
    We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher.
  13. endure
    continue to live through hardship or adversity
    But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American.
Created on Fri Nov 13 11:33:17 EST 2015

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.