Name _______________________
Language Arts
Date ______________
Period _____________
VOCABULARY WORDS
Week NINE: Will the Real Victims Please Stand Up?—Part III
1. agony – (noun)
Definition – extreme and generally prolonged pain; intense physical or mental suffering.
Synonyms: anguish, torment
Antonyms: comfort, pleasure
Sample definition context clue sentence – The man was in agony, or intense pain, while
his two broken legs healed over 4 months of time.
Notes:
2. vulnerable – (adjective)
Definition – susceptible/inclined to being wounded or hurt
Synonyms: susceptible
Antonyms: guarded, safe, protected
Sample example context clue sentence – Many times the smallest and the youngest are
the most vulnerable; for example, a small rabbit or baby bird would be vulnerable to a hungry
wolf.
Notes:
3. indignant – (adjective)
Synonyms: affronted, annoyed
Antonyms: content
Definition – expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive,
insulting, bias
Sample definition context clue sentence – The family felt indignant, which means very
offended, over the court’s decision to put their father in jail without the proper evidence to
support their claims of guilt.
Notes:
4. avenge – (verb)
Definition – inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice
Synonyms: retaliate, punish
Antonym: forgive
Sample definition context clue sentence – Once the little boy had grown to be a man, he
vowed to avenge, or find a way to inflict punishment, on those who caused his father's death.
Notes:
5. tolerant – (adjective)
Definition – patient of, open-minded to other people’s beliefs, actions/behaviors, and the like
Synonyms: open-minded, easygoing
Antonyms: close-minded, small-minded
Sample definition context clue sentence – In public school we must be tolerant, or openminded to other people, to get along and learn from one another.
Notes:
Name _______________________
Language Arts
Date ______________
Period _____________
6. defensively – (adverb)
Definition – excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of
criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings; protectively
Synonyms: protectively, watchfully
Antonyms: hurtfully
Example Context Clue Sample sentence – Sometimes there are times when we need to act
defensively such as when others are trying to hit us and we try to protect ourselves or when
others are bullying us with words.
Notes:
Name _______________________
Language Arts
Date ______________
Period _____________