Vocabulary Grade 8 — Set 2: Meanings flashcards
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The second 100 of the 300 Grade 8 words, by frequency: pronunciation, a plain definition and three example sentences, the most common use first.
Learn deck · part of Vocabulary Level 3 · Grade 8 · written against: Our own grade placement (VOCABULARY-PLAN.md): word frequency (wordfreq, CC BY-SA 4.0) and editorial review; no publisher's grade or word list is reproduced. Updated 2026-10-10.
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malicious (adj.) · muh-LISH-uhsdone on purpose, with the goal of hurting someone or making them unhappyCharacter & Behavior
Someone spread a malicious rumor about Kayla before the student council election.
The malicious software stole passwords from thousands of computers.
It was a clumsy joke, not a malicious attempt to embarrass anyone.
Watch out: the noun is malice, wanting harm to come to someone. -
empathy (n.) · EM-puh-theebeing able to feel along with someone because you pick up on what they feelFeelings & Attitudes
Volunteering at the shelter gave Mia more empathy for people without homes.
The coach showed real empathy when Jamal missed the final shot.
Characters who lack empathy make great villains in stories.
Don't confuse with: sympathy, feeling sorry for someone; empathy is feeling with them. -
anticipate (v.) · an-TIS-uh-paytto get ready for something you expect; to look forward to somethingThinking & Knowing
We anticipate a big crowd at Friday's homecoming game.
A good goalie anticipates where the shot will go.
Fans eagerly anticipated the last book in the series. -
condemn (v.) · kuhn-DEMto speak out strongly against something, calling it wrong; to sentence someone to a punishment; to declare a building unsafeSpeaking & Arguing
Town leaders condemned the graffiti on the war memorial.
In the novel, the prisoner is condemned to twenty years of hard labor.
After the flood, the city condemned the old hotel.
Watch out: the n is silent in condemn but heard in condemnation. -
excel (v.) · ik-SELto shine at something, or outshine others at itActions & Effort
Priya excels at math and also plays three instruments.
Students who excel in science can join the robotics team.
Our defense excelled all season, allowing just four goals.
Watch out: double the l before -ed and -ing: excelled, excelling. -
irregular (adj.) · ih-REG-yuh-lurunevenly shaped or patterned; happening at times that change instead of staying steady; being an exception to the normal rulesChange & Growth
Puzzle pieces have irregular edges so they can lock together.
Ms. Patel works irregular hours at the hospital.
Go is an irregular verb because its past tense is went. -
potent (adj.) · POH-tuhntvery strong or powerful in effectSize & Amount
Garlic gives the soup a potent smell.
For our town, the rebuilt clock tower became a potent reminder of better days.
This medicine is potent, so take only one pill. -
apt (adj.) · APTa good fit for the situation; likely to act a certain way; good at learning things fastQuality & Judgment
"Busy Bees" is an apt name for our hardworking garden club.
My little brother is apt to forget his lunch on busy mornings.
Sara is an apt student who picks up new languages quickly. -
uprising (n.) · UHP-righ-zinga revolt in which ordinary people rise against their rulers or government, often violentlySociety & Power
The uprising began when farmers refused to pay a new tax on grain.
In 1857, an uprising against British rule spread across northern India.
The king's soldiers crushed the uprising within a week. -
spontaneous (adj.) · spahn-TAY-nee-uhsdone suddenly because you feel like it, without planning; coming about naturally, with nothing outside setting it offNature & Time
When the winning goal went in, fans let out a spontaneous cheer.
Aunt Jo is spontaneous and loves last-minute road trips.
Pasteur's experiments disproved the idea of spontaneous generation.
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About these cards
Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.
Checked against:
- Senses, parts of speech and sense order checked against Merriam-Webster.com, the American Heritage Dictionary and the frequency-ordered Oxford, Longman and Cambridge learner's dictionaries; all definitions, notes and example sentences are original.
- Grade placement is our own, from wordfreq frequency data (CC BY-SA 4.0) and editorial review; no publisher's grade or word list is reproduced.
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