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John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address: List 2

In his inaugural address, President Kennedy famously declared, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."

This list covers words from "To those old allies..." to "...mankind's final war."

Here are links to our vocabulary lists for this speech: List 1 List 2 List 3
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. cultural
    relating to the shared knowledge and values of a society
    To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends.
  2. spiritual
    concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
    To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends.
  3. cooperative
    involving the joint activity of two or more
    United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures.
  4. asunder
    into parts or pieces
    Divided there is little we can do; for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
  5. tyranny
    government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator
    To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.
  6. alliance
    the state of being joined in an association or coalition
    To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge: to convert our good words into good deeds in a new alliance for progress; to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty.
  7. aggression
    violent action that is hostile and usually unprovoked
    Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas.
  8. subversion
    the act of overthrowing or destroying, as a government
    Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas.
  9. sovereign
    not controlled by outside forces
    To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
  10. outpace
    surpass, especially in speed
    To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
  11. forum
    a medium, especially a website, for discussion of ideas and issues
    To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
  12. invective
    abusive language used to express blame or censure
    To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
  13. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
    Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
  14. engulf
    flow over or cover completely
    Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
  15. overburdened
    heavily weighted down or loaded with work or cares
    But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course — both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.
Created on Wed May 06 13:52:12 EDT 2026 (updated Fri May 08 19:49:30 EDT 2026)

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