Among the Hidden: Chapters 16–21

by Margaret Peterson Haddix
In this dystopian novel, famine and overpopulation has led to a strict Population Law that limits families to two children. Luke, an illegal third child, must spend his life in hiding — but when he meets Jen, another third child, he becomes involved in a dangerous plan to challenge the Population Law.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15, Chapters 16–21, Chapters 22–30
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. nonchalantly
    in a composed and unconcerned manner
    Jen nodded nonchalantly.
  2. clout
    special advantage or influence
    “Even his clout isn’t that great. The Government’s been trying to force everyone, even the Barons, to become vegetarians.”
  3. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    It was thick and carried its title in ominous black letters: THE POPULATION DISASTER.
  4. annihilation
    total destruction
    Since some elements of the overpopulation crisis were foreseen in the 1800s, an uninformed observer could only wonder why humankind came so near to total annihilation.
  5. hydroponics
    a technique of growing plants in liquid without soil
    He’d just finished reading a chapter in the population book about hydroponics.
  6. revelation
    an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
    Once he got past the dense language, the books Jen had loaned him were full of revelations.
  7. malnourished
    not being provided with adequate food or nutrients
    Poor countries had it particularly bad, and people there often starved or were malnourished.
  8. genocide
    systematic killing of a racial or cultural group
    “Hundreds of children are hidden, mistreated, starved, neglected, abused — even murdered — for no reason. Forcing children into the shadows can be counted as genocide.”
  9. propaganda
    information that is spread to promote some cause
    The Government allowed those books to be published — they probably even paid for them. So of course they’re going to say what the Government wants people to believe. They’re just propaganda, lies.
  10. astronomical
    inconceivably large
    The odds against someone watching from one of the other Baron houses seemed too astronomical to worry about.
  11. grimace
    a contorted facial expression
    “Argh!” she screamed, with a grimace of frustration.
  12. germination
    the process whereby seeds or spores sprout and begin to grow
    “It has come to our attention that you have been purchasing excess amounts of plastic pipe, such as is used in the germination, cultivation, and development of vegetative matter in an interior structure,” the letter began.
  13. daunting
    discouraging through fear
    Somehow, after reading all the big books that Jen had loaned him, he didn’t find the fancy words so daunting.
  14. adjudication
    the final judgment in a legal proceeding
    “They’re scared you’re going to grow something illegal. And this part” — he pointed at the letter, although everyone else was at the table, several feet away, and he was in his usual spot on the stairs — “this part, where they say, ‘render all such materials for our adjudication,’ that means you have to turn over all the stuff you bought and they'll decide if they’re going to fine you or not.”
  15. enthralled
    filled with wonder and delight
    Jen kept Luke enthralled with stories of places she’d been, people she’d met, things she’d seen.
Created on Fri Oct 05 18:04:14 EDT 2018 (updated Mon Jul 28 12:57:43 EDT 2025)

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