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6th Grade  Vocabulary Words

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This big list of 6th grade vocabulary words is ideal for teachers, parents and students. Use this list as a pre-test. How many words do your sixth graders know at the beginning of the year? Which ones need the most work? Are there are groups of words that fit into certain content areas that need particular attention?  Introduce some of the words weekly, throughout the school year, to keep boosting students' learning!

You can also use this list as a supplement to reading vocabulary lists, and spelling word lists. Consider this another tool to stimulate your own learning and/or your own teaching this year. 

I've compiled this word from many popular texts and online resources. Let's keep working together to challenge students to achieve more, and with more confidence!

6th Grade Vocabulary Words

Printable list of 200 6th Grade Vocabulary Words

abominably

accumulation

acoustics

additive

advantageous

advisory

aerial

affirmative

alibi

amphibious

amulet

antidote

antiseptic

applicant

appreciable

argumentative

arithmetician

asphalt

assure

asthma

audition

authority

balsam

banter

barnacle

barricade

batten

bayou

belligerent

bliss

bonsai

boycott

captivity

cartilage

charitable

civilize

columnist

commotion

competent

considerable

consumable

cowardice

cyclical

dimension

dinghy

dispel

dissent

drastic

elaborate

empathy

encourage

evaluate

exaggeration

exhaust

expression

extend

extraordinary

facilitate

feisty

ferocious

feudalism

flourish

forfeit

fraud

gamut

gargantuan

garnishment

gauge

genealogy

genre

gristmill

habitual

hammock

handily

harness

hasty

haven

hazardous

heist

hemisphere

heptagon

herbivorous

hereditary

historic

hypothesis

insists

irrigate

jargon

jasmine

jaundice

kibbutz

kinship

knickknack

krypton

labyrinth

lacquer

lament

laudable

legume

lesion

lethargic

levee

liquidate

lofty

loiter

ludicrous

macaroon

magistrate

malevolent

malice

mandatory

manicotti

meddlesome

mediator

medicinal

memorabilia

menace

mnemonic

modify

molar

monotonous

mutineer

mystique

narrate

necessitate

neckerchief

negligence

negotiable

niche

nitpick

nocturnal

nodule

nostalgia

nymph

obedient

obligatory

obliterate

obstruction

ominous

oncologist

opaque

optimum

origin

peculiar

persuade

prediction

priority

quote

realistic

recount

repetition

retrieve

strategy

substitute

suspense

tabernacle

tableau

tactful

talon

tambourine

tantrum

tapestry

tarantula

tarnish

tassel

technician

tentative

thesis

thoroughfare

thrive

traction

transferred

ultimatum

unanimous

unappetizing

unconditional

underhandedly

variable

viewpoint

violate

wallaby

wallow

warehouse

warrant

weasel

wharf

wheeze

whereabouts

whimsical

whinny

wholly

widget

wreath

yearning

yeoman

youngster

zealot

zirconium

zither

zwieback

Don't forget to get your printable list of these 6th grade vocabulary words. Here is a look at both of the printable pages:

6th grade vocabulary words - page 1
6th grade vocabulary words - page 2


Teacher's Tips: 

As a former sixth grade teacher, I know my job would have been much easier, if most of my incoming students had known these words...or even HALF of them!

I realize that 200 6th grade vocabulary words is a lot to put on students all at once. So here are a few tips:

  • When possible, introduce new words naturally in discussions and in reading materials
  • Introduce no more than 10 new vocab words at a time to sixth graders
  • See my guide below to more ways to use these words

Remember, these 6th grade vocabulary words are ones that students should be comfortable using orally.  As students become more comfortable in this, expect them to use the words in their written work as well. Use the words frequently in home or classroom discussions. Write the words on the fridge or on the board to encourage their usage. 


A Guide to Using These Vocab Words:

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Choose from these extension activities to give your students extra practice with the 6th grade vocabulary words. Add more activities of your own. Check my answers under the blue button at the bottom of the page. 

1) Find four words on the list that name things that are edible

2. Find at least eight words that name a type of person

3. What words name animals

4. Find your top three adjectives on the list of 200 words. Try to use all three in a sensible sentence.

5. Write a sentence or two about some of these topics:

  • In which hemisphere would you most like to vacation? Why?
  • Be sure you understand the meaning of empathy. Write about a situation in which you could have shown more empathy. 
  • Pretend you're  lost in a gargantuan labyrinth. Write about what you will do to find your way out!
  • What's the most ludicrous holiday decoration you've ever seen? Why was it so ridiculous?
  • Where might you see a beautiful, ancient tapestry?
  • What are some reasons why some young children thrive in kindergarten?

6. Work with a student partner or a family member to write a 2-page story using one of these titles:

  • The Nocturnal Nymph
  • How Mnemonic Devices Can Modify Your Life
  • A Considerable Commotion
  • Or any story in your favorite genre that uses at least five vocab words from the list


More Sixth Grade Resources

6th grade spelling  words - PIN

6th grade spelling words A gigantic list of 300 words typically included in sixth grade spelling programs. Use these for making your own spelling word games, worksheets or extra oral practice. 

6th Grade Spelling Bee Words - Students, get ready for your next classroom competition with this carefully-selected list of 100 words.

Sixth Grade Spelling Sentences- Entertaining dictation sentences to provide your students with important practice in listening and spelling.

Sixth Grade Spelling Words & Activities Cover 250

Sixth Grade Spelling Words and Activities will provide excelling spelling practice with 240 grade-level words across 12 topical units. Lots of different activities are provided to make learning enjoyable. Learn more and download free sample pages here.

Spelling Quizzes from the Evening News

Spelling Quizzes from the Evening News - 4 fun spelling exercises. Can your students find and correct all the mistakes in these news reports? 

Sixth Grade Vocabulary Worksheets  This vocab practice page makes the observation, "It seems that everyone LEAVES just when it's time to rake the LEAVES." Your students will complete eighteen similar sentences by choosing the correct multiple-meaning word. Some are very challenging!

Search and Find Word Puzzles - Vicious Vowels

Vicious Vowels Search and Find Word Puzzle  Look for 45 words with tricky vowel spellings in this fun word search puzzle! Built-in practice activities will enhance learning. Extension activities also included on the web page. Words appear on our list of sixth grade spelling words, but 4th grade through adult ages will enjoy this challenge!

Find lots more Brain Teasers, Crosswords, Worksheets, and Word Scrambles on our website!


All Vocabulary Lists

First grade vocabulary words from www.spelling-words-well.com

Kindergarten Vocabulary Words - 175 engaging, empowering vocabulary words, in alphabetical order, that every kindergartner should be learning. Use our convenient printable page. A second list features 100 of the words in helpful categories such as shapes, feelings, community helpers and more. 

First Grade Vocabulary Words - 175 great vocab words on a variety of topics for 1st grade students to learn to use in conversation, along with suggested activities. 100 words appear in meaningful categories including sports, animals, compound words and more. 

Second Grade Vocabulary Words : 200 words for 2nd grade students to learn and enjoy! 100 of the words are arranged in helpful categories and are arranged on an engaging printable for your students. Challenge your second graders with more words to use in their speaking and written vocabularies.

3rd grade vocabulary list

3rd Grade Vocabulary Words - 200 words to boost your child's spoken and written language skills, arranged alphabetically!  Print the complete list from the web page for best results. 100 of the words also appear in an engaging printable, arranged by helpful topics. 

4th Grade Vocabulary Words - 200 4th grade vocab words to keep your students on track all year long! Half of the words are also arranged in meaningful categories to help students with word meaning. 

5th Grad Vocabulary Words

5th Grade Vocabulary Words - Boost your fifth graders' spoken and written vocabularies with this BIG list of 200 words, arranged in alphabetical order. I've also selected 100 of these words to put into 10 engaging topics. Try the extension activities for best results!

6th Grade Vocabulary Words - Improve your students' understanding of LOTS of areas of learning by covering these 200 important words! I've included many ways to put these words into use, and I have links to other related pages, too!

7th Grade Vocabulary Words - Here are 240 challenging words to stretch your upper grade students this year! Follow all the tips and extra activities listed to get the most out of this mega list of vocabulary words!

NEW! 8th Grade Vocabulary Words - Stretch your own vocabulary as well as your students' with this challenging list of 250 words! Lots of extension activities are also included. 

Here are my answers. You may have others as well.
1. legume, macaroon, manicotti, zwieback
2. columnist, magistrate, mediator, mutineer, oncologist, technician, yeoman, youngster, zealot
3.barnacle, tarantula, wallaby, weasel

These are lists of spelling words that you may wish to explore with your student. 

Author Ann Richmond Fisher

Ann Richmond Fisher is a longtime published educational writer, a former classroom teacher and a former homeschool teacher. Ann's spelling bee resources, graded spelling word lists, spelling games, worksheets, and other language arts resources have become respected around the globe since she launched Spelling-Words-Well in 2010.

Ann is also the creator of www.word-game-world.com.


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