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We get it, there’s something about the 8th grade. It’s typically the final year of middle school when students begin confronting the very existence of their adolescence. They’re how to express themselves, which words best capture their complex emotions, experimenting with their thoughts and beliefs. Academically, it’s the time to challenge their reading comprehension skills and introduce books that help students develop and articulate their own perspective. And advancing their vocabulary enables them not only to carefully examine various subjects but also their own layered, personal lives. Who knew that so much hinged on 8th grade vocabulary words? If you’ve come this far in search of the best 8th grade vocabulary words to know, then you’re in luck. Here are 200 8th grade vocabulary words with meanings that will stick around for a long time.

200 Must-Learn 8th Grade Vocabulary Words with Meanings

Jump to:

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G-I
• J-L
• M-O

8th Grade Vocabulary — A

abhor
to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate

abet

to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing

abrasive
any material or substance used for grinding, polishing

accord
to be in agreement or harmony

adept
very skilled; proficient; expert

advocate
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly

agile
quick and well-coordinated in movement

allot
to divide or distribute by share or portion; distribute or parcel out

alternative
one of the things, propositions, or courses of action that can be chosen

aloof
at a distance, especially in feeling or interest; apart

ambiguous
open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations

amiss
out of the right or proper course, order, or condition

analogy
a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based

anarchy
lack of obedience to an authority; a state of society without government or law

anonymous
without any name acknowledged, as that of an author, contributor

anthology
a book or other collection of selected writings by various authors, usually in the same literary form

antics
absurd or grotesque acts or postures

apathy
absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement

apprehend
to understand; to take into custody; arrest by legal warrant or authority

ardent
passionate: having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling

articulate
using language fluently and easily; to utter clearly in distinct syllables

assail
to attack vigorously or violently

assimilate
to take in and incorporate as one’s own; to bring into conformity

assumption
something taken for granted; the act of supposing

atrocity
the quality or state of being shockingly cruel or brutal

attribute
a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic of someone or something

audacious
showing a willingness to take bold risks

augment
to make something greater by adding to it

authority
power to influence or command thought, behavior, or opinion

avail
to gain in advantage; to be of use or advantage

avid
very eager and enthusiastic; characterized by enthusiasm

awry
off the expected course

8th Grade Vocabulary — B

balmy
mild, temperate; having the soothing qualities of a balm

ban
to prohibit the use of

banter
to speak to or address in a witty and teasing manner

barter
to trade or exchange by

beacon
a source of light or inspiration; a lighthouse or other signal for guidance

belligerent
inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness

benign
of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life

bisect
to divide into two usually equal parts

bizarre
odd; strikingly out of the ordinary

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unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before

bonanza
a large amount of something desirable; a situation or event that creates a sudden increase in wealth or good fortune

bountiful
abundant; large in quantity

boycott
to withdraw from commercial or social relations with a group as a punishment or protest

Vocabulary — C

cache
a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden place

capable
having the ability to do a specific thing

caption
a title or brief explanation

cause
a person or thing that gives rise to an action or condition

characterize
describe the distinctive nature or features of

chasten
have a restraining effect on

chastise
rebuke or reprimand severely

chronological
starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occurred

citadel
a fortress, typically on high ground, protecting a city

cite
to quote as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement

clad
clothed

clarification
the act of making a statement or experience less confusing

clarify
to make clear; to melt butter in order to separate the milk solids and water

coherent
consistent and logical

commemorate
recall and show respect for someone or something

commence
to begin or start

compassion
sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

compels
to force or oblige someone to do something

component
a part or element of a large entity

concept
an abstract idea

concise
comprehensive but brief

conclude
to bring something to an end

confiscate
to seize someone’s property with authority

conjecture
an opinion formed on incomplete information

connoisseur
an expert judge in specific tastes

conscientious
wishing to do one’s work thoroughly well

consecutive
to follow continuously

conservative
averse to change or innovation; holding traditional values

consistent
unchanging over time

construct
to build or erect; an idea containing various elements

contrast
being strikingly different from something else

conventional
based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed

convey
to transport or carry to a place

corroborate
to confirm or give support to

crucial
decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something

crusade
a determined campaign for political, social, or religious change

culminate
reach a climax or point of highest development

8th Grade Vocabulary — D

deceptive
misleading; giving a false impression

decipher
to successfully understand something; to convert into normal language

decree
an official order issued by a legal authority

deface
spoil the surface or appearance of something

defect
a shortcoming, imperfection, or lack

depict
to show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form

deplore
to feel or express strong disapproval of

deploy
to bring into effective action; to move troops into position for military action

derive
to obtain something from a source

desist
to cease; abstain

desolate
deserted of people and in a state of bleak emptiness

despicable
worthy of contempt or hatred

despondent
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage

deter
to prevent the occurrence of; to discourage someone from doing something by instilling fear

detract
to diminish the worth or value of; cause someone to be distracted from

dialect
a particular form of language specific to a region or social group

dire
extremely urgent or serious

discern
to perceive or recognize

disdain
considered unworthy of someone’s consideration; contempt

disgruntled
unsatisfied; angry

dispatch
to send off somewhere for a purpose; to deal with efficiently

disposition
the inherent qualities of a person’s mind and character

doctrine
a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a religious institution, political party or group; a stated principle of government policy

dub
to give an unofficial name or nickname to something

durable
able to withstand damage or pressure

8th Grade Vocabulary — E

eccentric
unconventional; slightly strange

elapse
time passing or going by

elite
a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society

embargo
an official ban on trade or a country

embark
to go on board an aircraft, ship or vehicle; to begin

embezzle
to misappropriate or steal

encompass
to hold within; to have and surround

encore
a repeated or additional performance of an item at the end of a concert, as called for by an audience

encroach
to intrude on a person’s territory or something considered to be a right; to go beyond acceptable limits

endeavor
to achieve something or to attempt to achieve a goal

enhance
to increase, improve the quality of, intensify

enigma
something or a person that is difficult to understand, mysterious

epoch
the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of someone or something

era
a long period of history with a particular feature or characteristic

etymology
the origin of a word and the meaning’s historical development

eventful
marked by exciting events

evidence
the body of information available that proves if a proposition is true

evoke
to bring or recall to the mind

evolve
to develop gradually into a more complex state

exceptional
not typical; unusual

excerpt
a short excerpt from writing, film, music

excruciating
intensely embarrassing, painful

exemplify
to be an example of

exotic
characteristic of a foreign country

Vocabulary — F

facilitate
to make easier

fallacy
a mistaken belief based on a poor argument

fastidious
concerned about detail and cleanliness

feasible
probable; likely; possible to do conveniently

fend
to look after oneself independently

ferret
a domesticated polecat kept as a pet; to look in a place in search of something

flair
a special aptitude for doing something well; originality

flustered
confused; agitated

focus
the center of activity; to pay special attention to

forfeit
to be deprived of; to lose something as a penalty for bad behavior

formidable
inspiring respect through being powerful

formula
a list of ingredients for something; a mathematical relationship presented in symbols

fortify
provide a place with protection against attacks; to secure

foster
to promote the development of something; to bring up a child that isn’t one’s own by birth

8th Grade Vocabulary — G-I

gaunt
lean and haggard because of hunger or suffering

generation
the people born and living at the same time; the production of something

gingerly
showing great care; in a careful or cautious manner

glut
an abundant supply of something; to fill to excess

grapple
to wrestle with something; to fight and struggle without weapons

grope
to feel about, searching uncertainly with hands

gruesome
incredibly unpleasant; grisly; causing repulsion

gullible
easily persuaded to believe something

haggard
looking unwell from suffering and fatigue

haven
a place of safety; refuge; harbor

heartrending
causing distress, immense sadness

heritage
an inheritance; property that is inherited; a special possession

hindrance
something that serves as an obstacle, provides resistance to something or someone

hover
to remain steadily in the air

humane
showing benevolence; having compassion

imminent
ready to happen soon

impel
to force to do something; to drive forward

imperative
crucial; an urgent matter

inaugurate
to introduce a policy or system; to swear someone formally into public office

incense
a substance that is burned for the perfumed scent it produces

indifferent
unconcerned; neither good nor bad

infinite
endless in size, measurement; impossible to calculate

inspire
to encourage and motivate someone to feel something; inhale

instill
to establish a desirable idea in someone’s mind

institute
an organization or society with a shared social, educational, or scientific factor; to set in motion

integrate
to combine one thing with something else to make a whole

interrogate
to ask questions aggressively, particularly of a suspect

intervene
to come between something to prevent a particular result

intricate
very detailed

inventive
the ability to think originally, creatively

inventory
a complete, thorough list of items; to make a list of

irascible
to be easily angered

Vocabulary — J-L

jurisdiction
the formal power to make legal judgments

languish
to grow weak or lose vitality; to suffer from being forced to remain in a negative situation

legendary
based on legends; incredibly well-known

leisurely
unhurried, relaxed, done at leisure

lethargic
apathetic; affected by lethargy

liberal
open to new ideas; supporting policies that are socially progressive and support overall social welfare

loll
to droop down; hang loosely in a relaxed way

lucrative
profitable; moneymaking

luminous
bright or shining; full of light

8th Grade Vocabulary — M-O

malady
an ailment or disease

memoir
a biography or historical account written about someone

mercenary
soldier hired to serve in a foreign army; prioritizing making money at the expense of ethics

merge
to combine into a single entity

mien
a particular appearance indicating character or mood

millennium
a period of a thousand years calculated from the date of the birth of Christ

minimize
to reduce something to the smallest amount or degree

modify
to make changes to for improvement

muse
a person who serves as a source of inspiration for an artist; each of the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne in Greek and Roman mythology

muster
to collect or assemble; formal gathering of troops

mutiny
an open rebellion against authorities; to refuse the orders of authority

onslaught
a destructive attack; a large quantity of something or people that is hard to deal with

ornate
decorated with complex designs or patterns; using unusual words

ovation
an enthusiastic show of applause by an audience

Final Thoughts

The 8th grade vocabulary words with meanings listed above are here to instill more confidence and acuity in your students’ writing, reading, and speaking skills. Try to have your students use these 8th grade vocabulary words in sentences of their own. Knowing and understanding these words will prove to be useful when the SAT and ACT come around in high school.