Bahamian American actor, director, and producer, Sydney Poitier broke the American motion-picture color barrier winning the first best actor Academy Award as an African American. He rejected parts based on racial stereotypes and redefined roles for African Americans with movies like A Patch of Blue, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field. During the civil rights movement, Poitier helped break down social barriers between Blacks and whites with landmark roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) and To Sir, with Love (1967). Poitier received prestigious awards throughout his career such as the Golden Globe, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a Grammy. Lauded widely as a luminary of film, this tribute list from quotes, interviews, and autobiographical notes capture Poitier's values, conscience, and integrity.

Loretta Lynn, widely viewed as the Queen of Country Music, was a singer/songwriter for six decades, beginning in the 1960s. With multiple gold albums and numerous No. 1 singles, Lynn set herself apart with a trailblazing spirit, signature musicality, and authentic country style. As of 2022, she was inducted into more music Halls of Fame than any female recording artist. Part Cherokee, raised in Butcher Hollow, KY, she wrote straightforward lyrics that captured her life and feelings. Her most famous single, "Coal Miner's Daughter," became a 1980 film of the same name. This vocabulary list includes words from her lyrics, famous quotes, as well as statements from her obituary and memorial.

Stories about cold-blooded dinosaurs, support dogs, and the NBA finals all contributed words to this list of vocabulary from the week's news.