8th grade vocabulary words
An 8th grade vocabulary list is the academic words of argument and analysis: assert, concede, implicit, refute, nuance. This page prints 100 of them in alphabetical order, each with a short meaning, and none repeat the 7th grade list.
Free printable PDF, 8th grade.
One page, black and white, prints the same every time.
What is on the sheet
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| abundant | more than enough; plentiful |
| acknowledge | admit or recognize |
| advocate | speak up in support of |
| allocate | give out for a purpose |
| ambiguous | open to more than one meaning |
| ambivalent | having mixed feelings |
| anticipate | expect and prepare for |
| arbitrary | chosen for no real reason |
| articulate | express clearly |
| assert | state firmly |
| assess | judge the quality or value of |
| authentic | real, not a copy |
| coherent | clear and logically connected |
| coincide | happen at the same time |
| collaborate | work together |
| compatible | able to work or exist together |
| compel | force someone to do something |
| compile | collect into one place |
| comprehensive | covering everything |
| concede | admit the other side's point |
| concise | short and clear |
| constrain | limit or hold back |
| contradict | say the opposite of |
| controversy | a public disagreement |
| convey | communicate or carry |
| corroborate | confirm with more evidence |
| credible | believable |
| criteria | standards used to judge |
| critique | a careful review or judgment |
| deduce | reason your way to an answer |
| derive | get from a source |
| deviate | move away from the usual path |
| dilemma | a hard choice between options |
| diminish | make or become smaller |
| discern | notice or tell apart with care |
| discrepancy | a mismatch between two things |
| disparity | an unequal gap between groups |
| dominant | most powerful or noticeable |
| elaborate | add more detail |
| elicit | draw out a response |
| eliminate | remove completely |
| empirical | based on what is observed |
| encompass | include; surround |
| enhance | improve |
| explicit | stated clearly and directly |
| facilitate | make easier |
| fluctuate | rise and fall unevenly |
| fundamental | basic and essential |
| hierarchy | a ranking from top to bottom |
| hypothetical | imagined as a possibility |
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| implement | put into action |
| implicit | suggested but not stated |
| imply | suggest without saying it |
| incentive | a reason to act; a reward |
| incorporate | include as part of a whole |
| inevitable | certain to happen |
| inherent | built in; part of its nature |
| integrate | combine into one |
| integrity | honesty and strong principles |
| intervene | step in to change events |
| intrinsic | belonging to the thing itself |
| isolate | set apart from others |
| mediate | help two sides agree |
| misconception | a wrong idea |
| mitigate | make less severe |
| nuance | a small, subtle difference |
| paradox | a truth that sounds impossible |
| perceive | notice or understand |
| phenomenon | an event that can be observed |
| plausible | reasonable; likely to be true |
| pragmatic | practical; about what works |
| precede | come before |
| premise | an idea an argument rests on |
| prevalent | widespread |
| profound | very deep or great |
| prominent | important or easy to notice |
| proponent | a supporter of an idea |
| provoke | cause a strong reaction |
| rationale | the reasons behind a decision |
| refute | prove wrong |
| reinforce | make stronger |
| reluctant | unwilling |
| resilient | quick to recover from trouble |
| scrutinize | examine very closely |
| simulate | imitate how something works |
| skeptical | doubting; slow to believe |
| speculate | guess without firm evidence |
| subsequent | coming after |
| subtle | hard to notice; not obvious |
| sufficient | enough |
| supplement | add something extra to |
| sustain | keep going over time |
| synthesize | combine ideas into a new one |
| tentative | not certain or final |
| transform | change completely |
| undermine | weaken, often bit by bit |
| unprecedented | never done or seen before |
| verify | check that something is true |
| viable | able to work or succeed |
| vivid | bright, clear and detailed |
Where the words come from
These are the academic words of 8th grade texts across subjects, the ones in textbook chapters, articles and test questions rather than in conversation. They are a step up from the 7th grade list. Where 7th grade has claim and evidence, 8th grade has assert, corroborate and refute. Where 7th grade has infer, 8th grade has implicit, explicit and deduce.
Many come in pairs worth learning together: explicit and implicit, precede and subsequent, concede and refute. Each meaning fits on one line, so the list stays one page.
Using the list
Have the student read down the list and mark every word they could not use in a sentence, then take five a week. For each one, find it in a textbook, an article or a novel, copy the sentence, and write one of their own. Argument words (assert, concede, refute, premise) are best practiced in their own writing, in a paragraph that argues for something.
The context clues and Greek and Latin roots worksheets practice the two ways to work out a word that is not on any list.
Common questions
- Should my 8th grader learn the 7th grade list first?
- Only the words they do not know. A quick read down the 7th grade list finds the gaps, and those are worth a week or two before starting this one.
- What are academic vocabulary words?
- Words that are common in school texts and rare in conversation, and that cross subjects. Teachers sometimes call them tier 2 words, as opposed to everyday words and subject words like photosynthesis.