Fourth Grade WordMasters
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orphan
noun
• a child whose parents
have died
The sad orphan didn’t
have any parents to take
care of her.
barren
adjective
• not able to produce or
support growth
No crops grow in the
barren desert.
synonyms: infertile
Antonyms: fertile
churn
noun
• a container in which cream or
milk is beaten or shaken to
form butter
Fresh butter was made in a
churn.
verb
• to beat or shake in a churn to
make butter
• to move or stir powerfully
Storm clouds churned in the dark
sky.
synonyms: beat, agitate, toss
fertile
adjective
• producing or able to
produce farm crops or
other plant life
The soil in river valleys is
fertile.
synonyms: productive
antonyms: barren, infertile
snippet
noun
• a small piece or part;
bit; fragment
After my dog chewed my
homework, I could only
find snippets of it to give
to my teacher.
dawdle
verb
• to waste time; be slow
She dawdled while doing
her chores.
antonym: hurry
spire
noun
• a tall, narrow, upward
structure shaped like a
cone on the outside of a
building; steeple
The castle had a tall spire
on its roof.
fast
adjective
• moving or operating with speed
He’s a fast runner.
• done in a short time
• ahead of the correct time
That clock is five minutes fast.
adverb
• with speed; quickly
He came fast when his mother called him
for dinner.
synonym: rapidly
antonym: slowly
• tightly; firmly
She held fast to her child's hand.
• deeply; soundly
We fell fast asleep.
blunt
adjective
• having a dull edge or point;
not sharp
The knife was too blunt to cut
the bread.
synonyms: dull
antonyms: sharp
• direct in manner; abrupt
and frank
His blunt questions sometimes
make people angry.
synonyms: direct, outspoken
antonyms: subtle, tactful
vault
noun
• an arch made of stone,
brick, or concrete that
forms a roof or ceiling
The ancient Romans were the
first to use vaults in their
buildings.
• a sturdy room or
compartment used to store
and protect valuable things
The bank keeps a lot of money
in its vault.
vault
noun
• a jump, leap, or spring
verb
• to jump, leap, or spring
over, using the hands or
a pole as a support
Tom vaulted during a
gymnastics meet.
sneer
verb
• to smile or move one's
mouth to show scorn
noun
• a look on the face that
expresses scorn or lack
of respect
She walked up to me with
a sneer and pulled off my
hat.
brittle
adjective
• easily broken
The branches were dry
and brittle, so we broke
them up and easily started
our campfire.
noun
• a candy made in sheets
containing sugar and
nuts
pittance
noun
• a small portion,
amount, or payment
• an allowance so small
as to be insufficient or
barely sufficient for
expenses
He was only paid a
pittance for his work.
ignite
verb
• to cause to begin
burning; set on fire
He ignited the paper with
a match.
antonym: extinguish
• to subject to great heat;
cause to glow with heat
The hot coals ignited the
logs.
massive
adjective
• having a very large
amount of matter; big
and heavy; solid
They used a crane to
move the massive rock.
synonyms: huge, gigantic,
enormous
antonym: tiny
laggard
noun
• someone or something that lags
The weary musicians were forced to
continue the march, and any
laggards were punished.
adjective
• slow to move or develop; lagging
or inclined to lag; sluggish
The distracted children were lagging
behind on the way to recess.
synonyms: sluggish, dawdler
antonyms: prompt, quick
agitate
verb
• to upset or excite
The loud noises agitated the
man as he was trying to work.
• to cause to move in a quick,
tumbling motion or with
force; shake
A washing machine works by
agitating and spinning the
clothes.
synonyms: churn, shake, excite
Antonyms: calm, soothe, still
gaunt
adjective
• very thin and bony
He's been eating well but
he still looks gaunt.
synonyms: bony, lanky,
scrawny, thin
antonyms: chubby, plump
spendthrift
noun
• one who is extravagant or
wasteful with money
She never has enough money;
not because her allowance is
low, but because she is a
spendthrift.
synonym: squanderer
antonyms: miser, penny
pincher, frugal
Verb
• wasteful or extravagant
with money
rove
verb
• to wander widely,
without a fixed
destination; roam
The peddler roved about the
country selling his wares.
• to wander about, in, or
through
They roved the countryside
in search of wild berries.
synonyms: drift, traipse,
ramble, stroll
slender
adjective
• slim in appearance
Regular exercise helped the girl to
have a slim body.
• small in width
There is only enough room for a
slender book on the shelf.
synonyms: narrow, thin
antonyms: wide
• of a limited measure or
amount
We won by a slender margin.
synonyms: meager, scant
antonyms: considerable
pauper
noun
• a very poor person who
is supported by charity
The old woman became a
pauper and had to live on
hand-outs from others.
sever
verb
• to cut away (a section)
from a whole
The accident severed his
fingernail.
Synonym: tear, lop
• to destroy or put an end
to
The unhappy girls decided
to sever their friendship.
synonym: discontinue
portly
adjective
• rather plump; stout
He was a portly gentleman
who was rather fond of
desserts.
synonym: chubby
nomad
noun
• a member of a group or tribe
that has no fixed home and
moves from place to place
• a person or animal that moves
from place to place without a
fixed home
Nomads often live in tents
because they are easy to pack up
and move.
That kind of duck is rare in this
part of the country because it is a
nomad.
synonyms: wanderer, roamer