Vocabulary for Kids

Hey everyone! Today’s word is indentured.

Indentured means bound by a legal agreement to work for someone for a certain period of time, often in exchange for something such as money, travel, or training.

For example, in history, some people agreed to work for several years in exchange for transportation to a new country. During that time, they were indentured and had to complete the work they had agreed to.

It’s important to know that indentured does not mean exactly the same thing as enslaved. Indentured workers were generally bound by a contract for a specific period, although the conditions could still be very difficult and unfair.

Here are three examples:

• The worker was indentured to serve for several years under the agreement.
• Some people became indentured servants in order to pay for their journey to a new country.
• The history lesson explained how indentured workers lived and worked under contracts.

So remember: indentured = legally required to work for someone for a specific period under an agreement.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is infamous.

Infamous means well-known for something bad or unpleasant.

Imagine a pirate from a story who became famous because he stole treasure and caused trouble. Everyone knows his name, but not for a good reason. That pirate is infamous.

The important thing to remember is that infamous is different from famous.
Famous means well-known, while infamous means well-known for something bad.

Here are three examples:

• The villain became infamous for causing trouble throughout the town.
• The storm was infamous for causing major damage.
• The thief became infamous because of his many crimes.

So remember: infamous = famous for something bad.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is distinct.

Distinct means clearly different from something else, so you can easily tell them apart.

Imagine you have two dogs. One has black fur and the other has white fur with brown spots. Their appearances are distinct because they are clearly different from each other.

Distinct can also mean something is clear and easy to notice. For example, you might hear a distinct sound that stands out from other noises.

Here are three examples:

• The twins have distinct personalities.
• There was a distinct difference between the two paintings.
• I heard a distinct ringing sound from the other room.

So remember: distinct = clearly different or easy to recognize.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is inadequate.

Inadequate means not good enough or not enough to meet a need or requirement.

Imagine you’re going on a long hike, but you bring only a tiny bottle of water. That amount of water is inadequate because it isn’t enough for the whole trip.

Here are three examples:

• The small number of chairs was inadequate for the entire class.
• His preparation was inadequate for such a difficult test.
• The flashlight’s weak battery was inadequate for the long camping trip.

So remember: inadequate = not enough or not good enough for what is needed.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is disclose.

Disclose means to reveal or share information that was previously hidden, private, or not known.

Imagine your teacher discovers that the class will have a surprise field trip. When the teacher finally tells everyone about it, the teacher discloses the information.

Disclose is often used when someone shares information that might be private, important, or secret.

Here are three examples:

• She decided to disclose the truth about what happened.
• The company must disclose important information to its customers.
• He disclosed his plans to his parents.

So remember: disclose = reveal or make information known.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is forthcoming.

Forthcoming means going to happen soon or be available soon. It can also describe someone who is open and willing to share information.

Imagine your school is getting ready for its annual talent show. The posters are up, students are practicing, and everyone is excited. The talent show is forthcoming because it will happen soon!

Here are three examples:

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The forthcoming school concert will take place next Friday.

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The author announced that her forthcoming book will be released next month.

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He was forthcoming about what happened and honestly answered all the questions.

So remember: forthcoming = happening soon, coming up, or being open and honest with information.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is factor.

Factor means something that helps cause a result or influences what happens.

Imagine you’re deciding whether to play outside. You look at the weather, how much homework you have, and how much time is left before dinner. These are all factors that help you decide what to do.

A factor can also mean a number that divides evenly into another number.

Here are three examples:

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The weather was an important factor in deciding whether to have a picnic.

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Practice is a major factor in improving your basketball skills.

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The numbers 2 and 5 are factors of 10.

So remember: factor = something that influences a result, or a number that divides evenly into another number.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is arrogant.

Arrogant means thinking you are better, smarter, or more important than other people.

Imagine a student wins a spelling contest and starts telling everyone, “I’m the smartest person here! Nobody else is as good as me!” That student is being arrogant because they act as if they are better than everyone else.

Being proud of an achievement is okay, but being arrogant means acting like other people are less important than you.

Here are three examples:

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The arrogant player bragged that nobody could beat him.

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She sounded arrogant when she refused to listen to anyone else’s ideas.

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Even after winning the award, he stayed humble instead of becoming arrogant.

So remember: arrogant = acting as if you are better than other people.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is passive.

Passive means not actively doing something, taking action, or getting involved. A passive person often waits for things to happen instead of taking the lead.

Imagine your class is cleaning up after an art project. Some students pick up the paper and put away the supplies, but one student just stands there and waits for someone else to do the work. That student is being passive because they aren’t taking action.

Being passive isn’t always bad. Sometimes it means staying calm and not getting involved in an argument.

Here are three examples:

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He took a passive role in the group project and let others make the decisions.

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Instead of speaking up, she remained passive when her friends chose the game.

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The dog was passive and calmly watched the other dogs play.

So remember: passive = not taking much action or not actively getting involved.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is survey.

Survey means to ask people questions to find out their opinions, preferences, or information about something.

Imagine your teacher wants to know which activity the class enjoys most: drawing, reading, or playing sports. The teacher asks everyone to choose their favorite. This is a survey because the teacher is collecting answers to learn what the class thinks.

Survey can also mean to look carefully over an area or examine something.

Here are three examples:

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Our teacher conducted a survey to find out our favorite school subjects.

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The store used a survey to learn what customers wanted to buy.

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We surveyed the playground to find a good place for our garden.

So remember: survey = ask questions to collect information, or look carefully over something.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is neutral.

Neutral means not choosing a side, not strongly supporting one option, or not having a strong opinion or feeling.

Imagine two of your friends are arguing about which game is better. You like both games equally, so you don’t take either friend’s side. You stay neutral.

Neutral can also describe something that is not strongly positive or negative, such as a neutral expression or a neutral color.

Here are three examples:

• The referee remained neutral during the game and treated both teams fairly.
• I’m neutral about which movie we watch because I like both choices.
• She gave a neutral answer instead of choosing a side.

So remember: neutral = not taking a side or having no strong preference.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is crucial.

Crucial means extremely important or necessary for something to succeed.

Imagine your team is building a bridge for a science project. Making sure the bridge is strong is crucial because if it isn’t strong, the bridge might fall apart. It’s something you really need to get right.

Here are three examples:

• Getting enough sleep is crucial for staying healthy and focused.
• It is crucial to follow the safety instructions during the experiment.
• Practice was crucial to the team’s success.

So remember: crucial = extremely important or necessary.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is labor.

Labor means work, especially physical work that takes effort. It can also refer to the people who do this work.

Imagine a group of workers building a house. They carry materials, dig, lift, and put things together. All of that hard work is called labor.

Labor can also mean the process of giving birth to a baby, but today we’ll focus on its meaning as work.

Here are three examples:

• Building the playground required a lot of hard labor.
• The workers used their labor to repair the road.
• Farmers often do difficult physical labor to grow crops.

So remember: labor = work that requires effort, especially physical effort.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is economical.

Economical means using money, time, fuel, or other resources carefully so that you don’t waste them.

Imagine you need to get somewhere and you choose a bus instead of an expensive taxi. If the bus gets you there for much less money, that choice is economical because it saves money.

It can also describe something that uses less of a resource. For example, an economical car might use less gasoline.

Here are three examples:

• Taking the bus is an economical way to travel.
• This washing machine is economical because it uses less water.
• Cooking at home can be more economical than eating at restaurants.

So remember: economical = saving money or resources by avoiding waste.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is apparent.

Apparent means easy to see, notice, or understand. It can also mean something that seems to be true based on what you can see, even if you don’t know for certain.

Imagine you walk into a room and see your friend smiling, laughing, and jumping around. It’s apparent that they’re happy—you can tell from their actions.

Here are three examples:

• It was apparent that she was excited about the trip.
• The reason for his absence became apparent after we heard the news.
• It was apparent from the dark clouds that rain was coming.

So remember: apparent = clear or easy to notice; seeming to be true.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is orbit.

Orbit means the curved path that an object follows as it moves around a planet, star, or another object in space.

Imagine the Moon going around Earth. The Moon doesn’t just fly away into space—it follows a curved path around Earth. That path is called its orbit.

Orbit can also be used as a verb, meaning to move around something in space.

Here are three examples:

• The Moon orbits Earth.
• Earth travels in an orbit around the Sun.
• The satellite was placed into orbit around Earth.

So remember: orbit = the path something follows as it moves around another object in space.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is wander.

Wander means to walk or move around without a clear destination or plan.

Imagine you’re at a big park and decide to walk around just to explore. You turn down different paths, look at the trees, and see where they lead. You’re wandering because you don’t have a specific place you’re trying to reach.

Wander can also mean that your thoughts or attention move away from what you’re supposed to be focusing on.

Here are three examples:

• We wandered around the park and discovered a beautiful pond.
• The lost puppy wandered through the neighborhood.
• My mind began to wander during the long lecture.

So remember: wander = move around without a clear direction or let your attention drift.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is quarrel.

Quarrel means an argument or disagreement, especially between people who know each other.

Imagine two friends both want to use the same game console. They start arguing about whose turn it is. That disagreement is a quarrel.

A quarrel can also be used as a verb, meaning to argue with someone.

Here are three examples:

• The two friends had a quarrel about whose turn it was.
• The siblings often quarrel over small things.
• They had a quarrel but apologized to each other afterward.

So remember: quarrel = an argument or disagreement.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is abhorrent.

Abhorrent means extremely hateful, disgusting, or completely unacceptable.

Imagine someone deliberately hurting an innocent person or animal. You might feel that behavior is abhorrent because it is deeply wrong and makes you feel strong disgust or anger.

It’s a very strong word, much stronger than simply saying something is “bad” or “unpleasant.”

Here are three examples:

• The cruel treatment of animals was abhorrent to the community.
• Everyone agreed that bullying was abhorrent behavior.
• The character in the story found the unfair treatment of others abhorrent.

So remember: abhorrent = extremely unacceptable or disgusting.

Hey everyone! Today’s word is reference.

Reference means something you mention, use, or look at to help explain, support, or find information about something.

Imagine you’re doing a school report about space. You use a science book to find facts about planets. That book is a reference because you use it to get information.

Reference can also mean mentioning or pointing to something. For example, if you say, “Remember the story we read yesterday,” you are making a reference to that story.

Here are three examples:

• I used a dictionary as a reference for my homework.
• The teacher made a reference to a famous scientist during the lesson.
• Please include your references at the end of your report.

So remember: reference = something you use, mention, or point to for information or support.