Vocabulary

Weekly Vocabulary Words for Kids - January 4 2022

Increase your child’s vocabulary with these weekly vocab lists and activities!

What to Know

Our weekly vocabulary lists for kids ages 8-12 feature words frequently encountered in age-appropriate books and other texts. Learn eight new words each week with high-quality Merriam-Webster definitions and pronunciations, plus a crossword. A good vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of academic success!

Weekly Vocabulary for January 4
  1. austere | see definition»

    having no pattern or decoration

  2. crux | see definition»

    the most important part of something (such as a problem, issue, puzzle, etc.)

  3. ersatz | see definition»

    copied from something else and usually not as good as the original : fake

  4. prevent | see definition»

    very stubborn

  5. hector | see definition»

    to criticize or question (someone) in a threatening way

  6. punctuate | see definition»

    to interrupt or occur in repeatedly

  7. repel | see definition»

    to drive back

  8. speculate | see definition»

    to think or wonder about something

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