Vocabulary

7th and 8th Grade

 Vocabulary List 1

1. Optimistic: hopeful and confident about the future

2. Motto: A short sentence or phrase that expresses a guiding belief
3. Ambition: A strong desire to achieve a specific goal
4. Peer: A person of the same age or ability level
5. Terminate: to bring to an end
6. Confront: to meet or face boldly
7. Barricade: to block off
Optimistic
Motto
Ambition
Peer
Terminate
Confront
Barricade
Vocabulary In-Context
1. We had to __________ our bike ride when the rain started.
2. I decided to _________ my brother about using my bike
without my permission.
3. The school’s _________ is “Chieftains aim for the GOLD!”
4. Despite his old age, Frank has a very strong _________ to
climb Mount Everest.
5. The police set up a ________ to prevent the citizens from
entering the crime scene.
6. Help your _________ open his locker.
7. I am ___________ that I will make the soccer team because I
have been playing for years.
 Vocabulary List 2

1. Sarcastic: being harsh or taunting with your remark

2. Reprimand: admonish
3. Yearn: to have a strong wish or longing for something
4. Vicinity: the area near or surrounding something
5. Aesthetic: pertaining to beauty or the appreciation of beauty
6. Taunt: to tease or make fun of
7. Boisterous: noisy, energetic, rowdy
Sarcastic
Reprimand
Yearn
Vicinity
Aesthetic
Taunt
Boisterous
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. Margo ___________ to see her old friends again after she
moved to a new school.
2. It’s not a good idea to __________ a wild animal.
3. There are three playgrounds in the ___________ of my home.
4. His __________ words hurt the feelings of those around him.
5. Helen’s living room is so crowded that no one can appreciate
the _________ beauty of her designer furniture.
6. The _________ crowd rose to its feet, stamping their feet
and loudly cheering for the Falcons after their game winning
touchdown.
7. The police had to __________ me when I was driving to fast
in the rain.
 Vocabulary List 3

1. Frantic: very excited with worry or fear

2. Astonish: surprise or impress someone greatly
3. Persistent: not giving up, lasting a long time
4. Compact: closely and neatly packed together; dense
5. Destitute: without food, shelter, or money
6. Exaggerate: to make something seem grander that it actually is
7. Murmur: a soft, indistinct sound made by a person or group of
people speaking quietly or at a distance
Frantic
Astonish
Persistent
Compact
Destitute
Exaggerate
Murmur
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. The _________ hikers finally overcame the last obstacle and
reached the top of the mountain.
2. Tall tales usually __________ certain details to make them
more humorous.
3. When Billy did not return home from school, his mother became
________ with worry.
4. The twins will often ________ to one another to keep their
thoughts private.
5. The __________ car was able easily parallel park into the
small parking space.
6. Hopefully the magic show will _______ our guests and leave
them amazed.
7. Even though I grew up __________, it didn’t stop me from
going to an Ivy League School.
 Vocabulary List 4

1. Devious: underhanded, dishonest way to reach a goal

2. Stout: (of an object) strong and thick
3. Immaculate: extremely clean and neat
4. Coy: Shy or bashful
5. Jovial: full of fun
6. Wail: a prolonged high-pitched cry of pain, grief, or anger
7. Brawl: loud fight
Devious
Stout
Immaculate
Coy
Jovial
Wail
Brawl
Vocabulary In-Context
1. The _____ child hid behind her mother when a stranger
came to the door.
2. Our coach is so ________ that even workouts can be fun.
3. Molly’s mother was pleased to see that her bedroom was
___________ after cleaning.
4. Everyone expected the antagonist to do something
_________ to the protagonist.
5. The Greasers and the Socs had a _______ in the empty lot.
6. The toddler started to _______ when he fell off of his
bike.
7. The mover’s ______ frame made him suitable for moving the
heavy furniture.
 Vocabulary List 5

1. Undaunted: not discouraged; not hesitating because of fear

2. Appoint: assign a job or role to someone
3. Exuberant: filled with energy and excitement
4. Miser: hoards their money and does not spend it
5. Scheme: a secret or underhanded plan, conspiracy
6. Doleful: expressing sorrow, sad
7. Vain: overly proud of one’s looks, abilities, or accomplishments
Undaunted
Appoint
Exuberant
Miser
Scheme
Doleful
Vain
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. The hiker remained _________ even though he had been lost for
two days before being rescued.
2. The ______ actor kept photos of himself all over the house.
3. Because Carol has such an ___________ personality, she is a
fantastic hostess.
4. The _________ music made everyone cry.
5. Although the _________ was a millionaire, he would not give a
cent to charity.
6. The teacher had to _______ a new line leader each week.
7. The man’s ________ to rob the old lady was ruined when a good
Samaritan caught him.
 Vocabulary List 6

1. Query: a question, to express doubt

2. Morose: grumpy, irritable, cranky, gloomy
3. Flaunt: to display in order to be noticed
4. Anguish: severe mental or physical pain or suffering
5. Scold: get on to angrily, reprimand
6. Dapper: attractive in dress
7. Emanate: originate or spread out from
Query
Morose
Flaunt
Anguish
Scold
Dapper
Emanate
 Vocabulary In-Context

1. The teacher wrote a ______ on the board for the class to

answer.
2. The model loved to _________ her expensive clothes.
3. Happiness seemed to _________ from Lisa on her wedding day.
4. The mother had to ________ her son when he broke his curfew.
5. After their team lost the game, their disappointed fans
looked _________.
6. Josh was looking quite ___________ for his first date.
7. The dog howled in ___________ after being hit by a car.
 Vocabulary List 7

1. Pessimistic: Expecting things to turn out badly

2. Valor: great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle
3. Deplete: to empty
4. Radiate: to give off rays of heat or light
5. Casual: not planned, informal, not fancy
6. Implore: to ask for something with a serious state of mind or a
heavy heart
7. Defiant: bold in standing up against someone or something
Pessimistic
Valor
Deplete
Radiate
Casual
Implore
Defiant
Vocabulary In-Context
1. The heat that __________ from the campfire almost melted the
soles of my sneakers.
2. It doesn’t matter how much we _________ - our mother never
lets us rent PG-13 movies.
3. Andrea is so __________ that she planned for rain during her
beach vacation.
4. Because she was often ___________ towards her teachers, she
spent most of her days in the principal’s office.
5. Although the rookie firefighter was nervous, he displayed
_______ when rescuing the young child from the fire.
6. When we continuously cut down trees, we are choosing to
_________ one of our greatest natural resources.
7. John wears a suit and tie Monday through Thursday, but he
wears jeans for ___________ Fridays.
 Vocabulary List 8

1. Loathe: to dislike greatly

2. Docile: Easy to handle or train
3. Hazardous: dangerous
4. Venture: a risky or daring journey or undertaking
5. Prosperous: wealthy
6. Hermit: a person who lives alone in a lonely or isolated place
7. Dispel: banish, eliminate
Loathe
Docile
Hazardous
Venture
Prosperous
Hermit
Dispel
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. The __________ business donated thousands of dollars to the
community.
2. I ________ running around the track after it rains because I
always get covered with mud.
3. The National Guard was sent into the town to _________ the
violent protests.
4. The dangerous chemicals are ____________ to the health of the
people.
5. The ________ lives alone in the woods.
6. Although the lion appears _________ during the circus acts,
he is really a fierce animal when not with his trainer.
7. I decided to __________ out on my own, so that I could see
what was over the cliff.
 Vocabulary List 9

1. Maneuver: to move skillfully or cleverly

2. Sober: serious, solemn
3. Uncouth: lacking good manners in appearance or behavior
4. Diligent: hardworking
5. Petulant: childishly sulky
6. Repose: rest
7. Kindle: light or set on fire, awaken an emotion
Maneuver
Sober
Uncouth
Diligent
Petulant
Repose
Kindle
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. The _______ mountain man stuck out like a sore thumb at the
grand ball.
2. After a long week at school, I enjoy the _______ I get each
weekend.
3. The race car driver had to _________ around multiple cars to
try to reach the first place position.
4. The teacher gave us several examples of the project to help
us _______ our creativity.
5. The _________ student studied and worked hard to get an A on
his test.
6. The boss appeared _________ as he addressed his staff of the
passing of a coworker.
7. The actress was described as being _________ because she was
constantly whining on set about the silliest things.
 Vocabulary List 10

1. Retaliate: to get revenge

2. Aspire: to want or try hard to achieve a goal
3. Compulsion: forcing or being forced to do something
4. Pungent: sharp or strong to the taste or smell
5. Knoll: A small rounded hill
6. Dexterity: skill in using the hands
7. Bloat: to swell or puff up
 Retaliate
Aspire
Compulsion
Pungent
Knoll
Dexterity
Bloat
Vocabulary In-Context

1. If I eat too much, my stomach will _________.

2. The _________ odor of fish could be smelled all over the
wharf.
3. You can get hurt if you try to _________ against a bully.
4. After playing the piano for years, John has wonderful
______________.
5. We can sit on the ________ and watch the sun set.
6. When I grow up, I _______ to become a doctor.
7. We should be able to get them to cooperate without using
_____________.
 Vocabulary List 11

1. Velocity: a quickness of motion, speed

2. Distraught: deeply upset or worried
3. Bygone: anything that is gone or past
4. Erroneous: containing an error
5. Ravenous: very hungry
6. Patriot: a person who loves and supports his or her country
7. Junction: a place where things meet or cross
Velocity
Distraught
Bygone
Erroneous
Ravenous
Patriot
Junction
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. Antique stores are full of things from _______ times.
2. A plane travels at a greater _________ than a car.
3. We live at the __________ of Main and Maple Streets.
4. The __________ kittens all fought for a place at the saucer
of milk.
5. Jamie was ________ when he saw that his home was destroyed by
the hurricane.
6. As the heroic soldier arrived home, people gathered together
to praise the _________ for his service.
7. If you have used __________ statistics in your report, you
will have to start again from the beginning.
 Vocabulary List 12

1. Endurance: the power to withstand stress or hardship

2. Complement: something that makes something else complete
3. Petty: of little importance, trivial
4. Humdrum: lacking excitement
5. Decree: an official order or judgement
6. Recoil: to draw back
7. Loiter: to spend time standing about, doing nothing in particular
Endurance
Complement
Petty
Humdrum
Decree
Recoil
Loiter
 Vocabulary In-Context
1. The marathon runner has the __________ to run for thirty
miles.
2. The shopping center is locked up at night so nobody can
___________ around the stores.
3. We saw the dog ________ as it came across a rattlesnake in the
path.
4. An exciting vacation would get me away from my _________ job.
5. If I have jelly on my sandwich, I have to have its
___________, peanut butter.
6. When the president signed the __________ on equal rights,
everyone in the audience cheered.
7. Even though their argument was _______, the girls were still
not talking to one another.