Synonyms to Know

Read Words in Context

Vocabulary Words
antique fracture modest
blunder guess old
caution holler physician
clasp humble shatter
clench hunch shout
creative inventive warn
doctor mistake
Word Learning Tip!
A synonym is a word that
means the same or nearly the
same as another word.
Synonyms can replace one
another in sentences because
they are the same part of
speech. For example, in the
sentences " It was an old
chair" and " It was an antique
chair," old and antique are
both adjectives with similar
meanings.
Vocabulary
Building Strategy
Use Context Clues You can
learn what a synonym means
by using clues in the words
and sentences around it.
Most often, one word has a
meaning like another word
that is in the same sentence
or the next sentence. These
words are synonyms.
Context Clues
The Accident
Josh's grandma cautioned him about
going down the back stairs. She warned
him not to use them until they were fixed.
The stairs were old, but lots of things in
Grandma's house were old. She called these things antique,
meaning that, in addition to being old, they may have been
valuable. The spinning ~ h e e l and the rocking chair, for
example, were both made by hand a lqng time ago.
Josh meant to ..stay away from the back stairs. But one
morning, he heard a lo\1d noise in the backyard. josh got very : :_
excited. That's when he made his blunder. He made the
mistake of running down the back stairs because they were the
closest to the yard. About halfway down, a stair split in two.
Josh fell and began hollering. When he shouted, Grandma
came running. At first , she began to yell at Josh because he
hadn't minded her. Then she saw that he was really hurt. He
was clenching his right ankle with his hand and moaning in
l L
pain. Grandma clasped Josh's hand with hers and said, 'Tm
calling the doctor tight now. "
Doctor Chen was Grandma's physician. "You seem to have
fractured or perhaps broken your ankle, young man," he said.
"We'll have to get an X ray to see if you shattered your bone
into little pieces. ''
josh had a hunch that he would be walking on crutches.
His guess was correct. Yet, he found creative and inventive
ways to get help when he needed it He put together an electric
buzzer so that he C'ould call Grandma when he needed her.
.J
Grandma thought the invention was gre.1;1. t, but Josh _was
modest about it. He didn't brag because the accident had made
him feel pretty humble. He was not proud that he had
disobeyed his grandmother and used the broken stairs.
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources
Synonyms to Know
Connect Words and Meanings
antique clench guess inventive physician
blunder creative holler mistake shatter
caution doctor humble modest shout
clasp fracture hunch old warn
Directions Read each numbered clue below. Then complete t he crossword puzzle.
You may use t he glossary to help you.
ACROSS
2 . lo hold somebody or something with the hands or arms; a synonym for dc11ch
6 . a break, split , or crack in an object or a material ; a synonym for slwacr
8. 10 speak in a loud or angry voice; a synonym ror lwlkr
10. lo call oul or use a kmd voice; a synonym for shout
12. a formal word for someone rrained to rreat sick
people; a synonym for doctor
15. noL new or not young; a synonym for a111iquc
16. 1101 having or expressing a high opinion of
your own achievements or abilities; a synonym
for lwmblc
17. to tel l someone something about a danger or bad
thing that might happen; a synonym ror mu/ion
18. not new and probably valuable; a synonym
for old
11
12
111
16
DOWN
8
1 7
1 . an error or misunderstanding; a syn onym for l>/u.ndcr
13
2. Lo hold or grip tightly or to close your Leeth or fist tightly;
a synonym for cfosp
3. lO fonn an opinion wit hout knowing for sure; a synonym
for Jnmd1
4. to advise someone that somet hing is risky or dangerous; a
synonym lor warn
5. unassuming in att itude and behavior; a syn onym for modest

2
9
10
15
1. displaying creativi ty or imagination in i.ts design: a ynonyrn
for creative
9 . a foolish error; a synonym for miswhc
11. lo break or cause some1 hing to break suddenly into many
small, brittle pieces; a synonym [or fraci 11 rc -
13. using or showing use of the imagination to form new ideas
or things; a synonym for inventive
14. a more casual way of refe rring to someone who treats sick
pcnplc; a syno nym for physici"n
Synonyms to Know
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources
.' .
Synonyms to Know
Connect More Words and Meanings
antique clench guess inventive physician
blunder creative holler mistake shatter
caution doctor humble modest shout
clasp fracture hunch old wam
Directions Read each group of words below. Write the two words in each group that are synonyms.
Synonyms
1. creative, dull , inventive, blunder
2. antique, gossip, caution, warn
3. new, clasp, antique, old
4. modest, shatter, fracture, repair
5. clasp, drop, clench, shout
6. modest, blunder, boastful , humble
7. warn, physician, doctor, nurse
8. blunder, correct, mistake, caution
9. holler, shout, whisper, inventive
10. hunch, guess, mistake, fact
(* ) Write About an Invention Think about a modern invention, such as the cell phone. the VCR, or the DVD.
~ . _ . f l Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting it with a device it replaced. Use the words old, antique,
inventive, warn, hunch, creative, guess, humble, and modest in your paragraphs, and two new synonyms as well.
Context Clues
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources
.. .. :.
Synonyms to Know
Use Words in Context
antique clench guess inventive physician
blunder creative holler mistake shatter
caution doctor humble modest shout
clasp fracture hunch old warn
Directions Answer the question by writing a sentence on the blank line. Use the boldface word in
your sentence.
1. Why would an object be called antique?
2. What hunch of yours turned out to be true?
3. What is the most creative thing that you have done?
4. Do you think it's better to be humble or proud?
5. What can you learn from a blunder that you make?
6. What would you warn a younger kid about?
7. How could you fracture a bone?
8. When is it always a good idea to shout?
.

(* )\ Plag Sgnonym Matehup On a sheet of paper, draw a vertical line down the center of the page. Put all
the words on the vocabulary list in synonym pair s, one synonym on each side of the line. Time how
long it takes you to match each word with its synonym.
Synonyms to Know
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources
Review and Extend
antique clench guess
blunder creative holler
caution doctor humble
clasp fracture hunch
inventive
mistake
modest
old
Synonyms to Know
physician
shatter
shout
warn


More! Some synonyms have small differences in meaning. These small differences are cal!ed shades
of meaning. One synonym may have a more positive meaning than another (mttiquelold) or
one may be more formal than another (instructor/teacher) .
Synonyms can also show degrees of intensity or strength. A f1igid day is colder than a cool day:
Although.frigid, cold, and cool are all synonyms, there are shades of difference in their meanings .
Directions Answer the following questions about of in the synonyms. Write your
answer in a complete sentence in the blank. : - :_
1. Which do you think is more embarrassing-a blunder or a mistake?
2. Which word- physician or doctor- would you be more likely to use in a lener to a friend?
Why?-----------------------------
3. Would you rather someone clasp your hand or clench it?
'Why? ____________________________ _
4. 'Which of the synonyms-shout or holler-would you be less likely to use in a formal school
essay? Why?------------------------------
5. 'Which word-warn or caution-would you put on a bottle of poison?
Why? ___________________________
{Ji':) Write a Letter Write an informal letter to a friend in which you describe an that you or
you know had. Use one synonym from at least two of t]le sets of synonyms 1n the vocabulary word ltst.
Underline the synonyms you used. Be prepared to explain why you chose one synonym over the other.
Synonyms to Know
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources
GLOSSARY
A
antique (an-teek) adjective: not new and
probably valuable; old
B
blunder (bluhn-dur) noun: a foolish error;
mistake
c
caution (kaw-shun) verb: to advise someone
that something is risky or dangerous; to
warn
clasp (klasp) verb: to hold somebody or
something with the hands or arms; to
clench
clench (klench) verb: I. to hold or grip tightly;
to clasp; 2. to close your teeth or fist tightly
creative (kree-ay-tiv) adjective: using or showing
use of the imagination to create new ideas
or things; inventive
D
doctor (dok-tur) noun: a more casual wav of
referring to someone who treats sick
people; a physician
F
fracture (frak-chur) noun: 1. a break, split,
or crack in an object or a material; verb:
2. to break or shatter
G
guess (gess) noun: 1. a hunch; verb: 2. to form
an opinion without knowing for sure
H
holler (hol-lur) verb: to call out or shout
something; ro shout
humble (huhm-buhl) adjective: unassuming in
attitude and behavior; modest
hunch (hnhnch) noun: an idea that is not
backed by proof but comes from inUiition;
..
a guess
I
inventive (in-ven-tiv) adjective: displaying
' creativity or imagination in its design; .
creative
M
mistake (muh-stake) noun: an error or
blunder
modest (mod-ist) adjective: not having or
expressing a high opinion of your own
achievements or abilities; humble
0
old (ohld) adjective: not new or not
antique
p
physician (fuh-zish-uhn) noun: a formal word
for someone trained to treat sick people;
a doctor
s
shatter (shat-ur) verb: to break or cause
something to break suddenly into many
small, brittle pieces; to fracture
shout verb: to speak in a loud or angry
to holler
warn (worn) verb: to tell someone something
about a danger or a bad thing that might
happen; to caution
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Student's Edition, Grade 4 Scholastic Teaching Resources