Our list of 8th grade spelling words contains a lot of challenging, interesting words! What can be better than knowing how to use and spell words like phenomenon, meticulous, and voracious?
Students at this level should already have a mastery of many of the words they use. However, many may still have "glitches" - a misunderstood or forgotten spelling rule, a few words they consistently misspell, and some important words they've not yet encountered.
Eighth graders are developing wide-ranging vocabularies. Let's be sure they can spell the words they use!
Printable version of 8th grade spelling words
accommodate | abstain | accumulate |
accustomed | acoustics | acquaintance |
acquisition | acquittal | adolescence |
adolescent | advantageous | aerial |
amateur | amnesty | anecdote |
annoyance | anonymous | antecedent |
antidote | antiseptic | anxious |
apology | apostrophe | appendixes |
applicant | approximate | archaic |
architect | arrangement | asphalt |
asterisk | asthma | awkward |
bachelor | bankruptcy | barometer |
belligerent | berserk | besieged |
biannual | bimonthly | biographical |
brilliance | budge | burglary |
cameos | capably | caricature |
catastrophe | chameleon | chandelier |
characteristic | chauffeur | chrysanthemum |
circumference | collaborate | collateral |
colleague | colonel | confiscate |
confiscation | conscious | consequence |
considerable | contagious | controversy |
continuous | correlation | council |
counsel | criticism | criticize |
critique | crypt | cylinder |
deficiency | desirable | desolate |
deterrent | diagnosis | dialogue |
dilemma | disbursement | discernible |
discrepancy | dominance | embargo |
endeavor | envious | epidemic |
equilibrium | erroneous | escalator |
excessive | existence | extremity |
extricate | façade | fashionable |
fiasco | fibrous | fiery |
flamboyant | forgery | frivolous |
frostbitten | glamorous | gorgeous |
grotesque | gymnasium | haphazard |
hazardous | headquarters | honorary |
horrific | hospitality | incidentally |
inconvenience | indulgence | inept |
inevitable | innumerable | insistent |
insufficient | integrity | intermittent |
internally | interrogate | jewelry |
legitimate | leisure | lieutenant |
longevity | lucrative | lunar |
luncheon | luxurious | malady |
malicious | malignant | melodious |
mercenary | mesmerize | meteor |
meticulous | metropolitan | minimize |
miscellaneous | mischievous | misdemeanor |
necessity | negligence | neutral |
newsstand | nostalgia | noticeable |
obesity | obscure | obsolete |
obstinate | occurred | ominous |
optimism | optimistic | outrageous |
pageant | parachute | paralysis |
parliament | penitentiary | perceive |
permeate | perseverance | personality |
personification | persuade | phenomenon |
plaintiff | pneumonia | politician |
potential | precipice | precocious |
predecessor | preferably | prestigious |
procrastinate | propeller | prosperous |
protein | pseudonym | psychiatrist |
questionnaire | radioactive | rampage |
recurrent | rehearsal | relevant |
religious | roommate | sacrifice |
sacrificial | sanctuary | scandalized |
schedule | scheme | schism |
scholar | semester | serviceable |
shrine | shuddering | sieve |
snobbery | solitary | sophomore |
studious | subtlety | suburban |
surmise | susceptible | suspicious |
taboo | technically | technology |
tyranny | unacceptable | unconscious |
undernourished | unduly | unenforceable |
unique | universal | unpredictable |
unsanitary | utopia | vaccinate |
vacillate | venom | vertigo |
vessel | vigilant | villain |
vitamin | vivacious | vocalize |
voracious | voucher | vulnerable |
withhold |
Use this general list of 8th grade spelling words to supplement your own spelling program. These words are great to use for worksheets, games and puzzles.
8th Grade Worksheet featuring an ARMADILLO! Students must form a word for each clue using only the letters in ARMADILLO, then place the words correctly into the diagram. Great vocab and spelling practice!
Here's an informative list of tips for developing 8th grade vocabulary and spelling skills. Ideas are listed for both home and classroom use.
At-TEN-tion! Complete the spellings of words with the letters TEN on this fun English worksheet. Great vocabulary and spelling practice!
Fun Brain Teasers for Students These fun brain teasers will check your students' spelling and vocabulary skills. They’ll also tickle their funny bones!
Travel Teaser - One of our most difficult logic brain teasers. Can you figure out who went where and when?
Students may also find it helpful to study these words for spelling bee competitions.
8th graders may also find these word lists to be helpful:
102 frequently
misspelled words Have you mastered all of these? Do you spell them correctly every time?
50 Sets of often confused
homonyms We give you definitions and sample sentences to help you learn to correctly use these sometimes tricky words.
9th grade spelling words Try this next set of challenging words. How many do you already know?
101 Word Play Puzzlers Discover the FUN of letters & words as you solve each unique puzzle. Great vocabulary & spelling practice!
300 Spelling Bee Words by Grade Level, with definitions, sentences and languages
Spelling Bee Toolboxes for Grades 3/5 and 6/8 All the resources you need for a successful bee!
Mammoth Spelling Bee Word Lists with sentences, definitions, and languages
Monumental Spelling Bee Word Lists with definitions, sentences and languages
Young Spellers Spelling Bee Word List for Grades 1 & 2
100 Difficult Spelling Bee Words, Definitions & Sentences Our toughest lists, for upper grades and adults!
600 Spelling Bee Words & Sentences for Gr 3/5 & 6/8 Extra words & sentences at two levels