Here's a list of 50 vocabulary words suitable for Grade 6 students, along with definitions and
example sentences. At this level, the vocabulary becomes more sophisticated, including words
that are critical for understanding academic texts across various subjects and expressing
more complex ideas.
Grade 6 Vocabulary List (50 Words)
1. Acknowledge
○ Meaning: To accept or admit the existence or truth of.
○ Example: "The teacher asked us to acknowledge the efforts of our classmates."
2. Adequate
○ Meaning: Enough or satisfactory for a particular purpose.
○ Example: "Do you have adequate time to finish your homework before dinner?"
3. Ambiguous
○ Meaning: Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning.
○ Example: "The ending of the story was ambiguous, so we weren't sure what
happened next."
4. Analyze
○ Meaning: To examine something methodically and in detail, typically for purposes
of explanation and interpretation.
○ Example: "We learned to analyze the data from our science experiment."
5. Apparent
○ Meaning: Clearly visible or understood; obvious.
○ Example: "It was apparent from her smile that she was happy."
6. Articulate
○ Meaning: (verb) To express an idea or feeling fluently and coherently; (adj) having
the ability to speak fluently and coherently.
○ Example: "He found it difficult to articulate his thoughts clearly."
7. Assert
○ Meaning: To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.
○ Example: "She had to assert her opinion during the class debate."
8. Compel
○ Meaning: To force or oblige (someone) to do something.
○ Example: "A strong sense of duty might compel him to help."
9. Comprehend
○ Meaning: To grasp mentally; understand.
○ Example: "It took a while for me to comprehend the complex instructions."
10.Conceal
○ Meaning: To prevent from being seen or known; hide.
○ Example: "She tried to conceal the surprise party from her brother."
11.Conclude
○ Meaning: To bring (something) to an end; to arrive at a judgment or opinion by
reasoning.
○ Example: "Based on the evidence, we can conclude that the story is true."
12.Consequence
○ Meaning: A result or effect of an action or condition.
○ Example: "Not studying for the test had a negative consequence on his grade."
13.Consistent
○ Meaning: Acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or
accurate.
○ Example: "To be a good musician, you need consistent practice."
14.Contradict
○ Meaning: To deny the truth of a statement, especially by asserting the opposite.
○ Example: "His actions often contradict his words."
15.Convey
○ Meaning: To make (an idea, impression, or feeling) known or understandable to
someone.
○ Example: "The painting tried to convey a feeling of peace."
16.Correlate
○ Meaning: To have a mutual relationship or connection, in which one thing affects
or depends on another.
○ Example: "Scientists often look for how different factors correlate with each
other."
17.Crucial
○ Meaning: Extremely important, essential.
○ Example: "It's crucial that you listen carefully to the safety instructions."
18.Declare
○ Meaning: To state something officially or announce.
○ Example: "The principal will declare the winner of the spelling bee."
19.Deficient
○ Meaning: Not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient.
○ Example: "His diet was deficient in vitamins, so he felt tired."
20.Demonstrate
○ Meaning: To clearly show the existence or truth of (something); to show (a
product, method, or skill) to a group.
○ Example: "The teacher will demonstrate how to solve the math problem step by
step."
21.Depict
○ Meaning: To represent something by drawing, painting, or other art form; to
portray.
○ Example: "The artist chose to depict the city at sunset."
22.Detrimental
○ Meaning: Tending to cause harm.
○ Example: "Smoking is detrimental to your health."
23.Elaborate
○ Meaning: (adj) Involving many carefully arranged parts or details; intricate; (verb)
to explain in greater detail.
○ Example: "The magician performed an elaborate trick." or "Could you elaborate
on your idea?"
24.Emphasize
○ Meaning: To give special importance or prominence to something in speaking or
writing.
○ Example: "The coach will emphasize the importance of teamwork."
25.Encounter
○ Meaning: (verb) To unexpectedly experience or be faced with (something difficult
or hostile); (noun) a meeting.
○ Example: "They might encounter some challenges on their journey."
26.Equivalent
○ Meaning: Equal in value, amount, function, meaning, etc.
○ Example: "One dollar is equivalent to one hundred cents."
27.Evident
○ Meaning: Plain or obvious; clearly seen or understood.
○ Example: "It was evident from her tears that she was sad."
28.Exaggerate
○ Meaning: To represent (something) as being larger, better, or worse than it really
is.
○ Example: "He tends to exaggerate his stories to make them more exciting."
29.Exclude
○ Meaning: To deny (someone) access to a place, group, or privilege.
○ Example: "The club had to exclude members who didn't follow the rules."
30.Exhibit
○ Meaning: (verb) To publicly display (a work of art or item of interest) in an art
gallery or museum or at a trade fair; (noun) an item or collection of items on
public display.
○ Example: "The museum will exhibit ancient artifacts."
31.Fluent
○ Meaning: Able to express oneself easily and articulately.
○ Example: "She is fluent in both Spanish and English."
32.Formulate
○ Meaning: To create or devise (a strategy or proposal).
○ Example: "We need to formulate a plan for the project."
33.Frequent
○ Meaning: Happening often or at short intervals.
○ Example: "The library receives frequent donations of books."
34.Gradual
○ Meaning: Taking place or progressing slowly or in stages.
○ Example: "There was a gradual change in the weather, from cold to warm."
35.Implicit
○ Meaning: Implied though not plainly expressed.
○ Example: "There was an implicit understanding between them that they would
help each other."
36.Incentive
○ Meaning: A thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something.
○ Example: "The promise of ice cream was an incentive for him to finish his chores."
37.Indicate
○ Meaning: To point out or show; to be a sign of.
○ Example: "The red light indicates that you should stop."
38.Infer
○ Meaning: To deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning
rather than from explicit statements.
○ Example: "Based on the character's actions, we can infer that she is brave."
39.Inhibit
○ Meaning: To hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process).
○ Example: "Fear can inhibit your ability to try new things."
40.Initiate
○ Meaning: To cause (something) to begin.
○ Example: "The school decided to initiate a new reading program."
41.Integrate
○ Meaning: To combine (one thing) with another so that they become a whole.
○ Example: "The new student quickly integrated into the class."
42.Interpret
○ Meaning: To explain the meaning of (information, words, or actions).
○ Example: "It's important to interpret the data correctly in science."
43.Irrelevant
○ Meaning: Not connected with or relevant to something.
○ Example: "That detail is irrelevant to the main story."
44.Justify
○ Meaning: To show or prove to be right or reasonable.
○ Example: "You need to justify your answer with evidence from the text."
45.Maximize
○ Meaning: To make as large or great as possible.
○ Example: "We need to maximize our efforts to finish the project on time."
46.Minimize
○ Meaning: To reduce (something, especially something undesirable) to the
smallest possible amount or degree.
○ Example: "Let's try to minimize our use of plastic bottles."
47.Necessity
○ Meaning: The fact of being required or indispensable.
○ Example: "Food and water are basic necessities for life."
48.Perceive
○ Meaning: To become aware or conscious of (something); to come to realize or
understand.
○ Example: "He could perceive a slight change in her mood."
49.Prominent
○ Meaning: Important; famous; easily seen.
○ Example: "The Eiffel Tower is a prominent landmark in Paris."
50.Reinforce
○ Meaning: To strengthen or support, especially with additional material or by
adding more force.
○ Example: "The teacher will reinforce the lesson with extra practice problems."
Effective Strategies for Teaching Grade 6 Vocabulary:
● Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words: This is a crucial stage to explicitly teach common
Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Understanding these "word parts"
empowers students to decode the meaning of many unfamiliar words.
● Context Clues: Continuously emphasize and practice using context clues within
sentences and paragraphs to infer word meanings. Teach different types of context
clues (e.g., definitions, examples, synonyms, antonyms).
● Word Relationships: Explore synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and analogies.
● Academic Vocabulary: Highlight words that are frequently used across different
academic subjects (science, social studies, math).
● Vocabulary Notebooks/Journals: Encourage students to maintain a personal
vocabulary log where they include the word, definition, a sentence in their own words,
synonyms/antonyms, and perhaps a small illustration or symbol.
● Sentence Writing: Require students to write original sentences using the new
vocabulary words correctly. Encourage varied sentence structures.
● Discussion and Application: Create opportunities for students to use new words in
discussions, presentations, and debates.
● Graphic Organizers: Utilize tools like Frayer Models, semantic maps, or concept maps
to help students explore the facets of a word's meaning.
● Reading Wide: Encourage extensive reading of various genres and difficulty levels. The
more they read, the more exposure they get to new words in authentic contexts.
● Word Games: Continue using engaging games, but elevate their complexity (e.g.,
creating crossword puzzles, "Vocabulary Charades" with more complex words, "Word
Association").
