Academic vocabulary words for 5th graders

These academic vocabulary words for fifth graders are broadly used in many subjects and even in everyday conversation, but they can be hard to define; their definitions are often abstract and can change based on context. But they add precision to writing and speaking. They often help shape plot, mood, or point of view. For instance, skip or trudge would convey different impressions and feelings than walk. Having a strong academic vocabulary is critical to your fifth grader’s reading comprehension.

Print this list, courtesy of Hyde Park Central School District, and post it somewhere that you and your child will see it daily. Try to use these words in conversation with your fifth grader. Hearing new words used in context is one of the best ways for kids to learn and remember new words.

5th grade vocabulary words

abolish
accomplish
accurate
announce
anxious
approach
approval
approximate
argument
avoid
briskly
cease
claim
conclude
conflict
consistent
context
convince
culture

decade
dissatisfied
dominate
drowsy
edible
effortless
equivalent
escalate
establish
evaluate
evidence
exhaust
expansion
expectation
explain
express
extend
familiar
frequent

gigantic
glare
gist
harsh
heroic
hesitate
hilarious
historic
horizontal
hostile
huddle
identify
illegible
immigrate
influence
investigate
navigate
opposed
ordinary

passage
persuade
primary
recently
reference
review
revolt
scarce
significant
source
summarize
superior
tension
tolerate
tremble
unexpected
unfamiliar
vertical