July Fourth Vocabulary

Whether pertaining to war, sacrifice, fireworks, or the emotions associated with all three, this Vocabulary List commemorates the birthday of the USA in grand style.
36 words 42 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. revolution
    the overthrow of a government by those who are governed
    It’s no secret that inside New York City schools mini food revolutions are under way. New York Times (Jun 28, 2012)
  2. sacrifice
    a loss entailed by giving up something
    Mr Zuma spent 10 years in prison with Nelson Mandela on Robben Island and sacrificed his own education fighting to end apartheid.
  3. visionary
    a person with unusual powers of foresight
    Professor Patrick Brown could easily be taken for a deranged visionary.
  4. ancestor
    someone from whom you are descended
    I grew up in the southern United States, where classmates often showcased copies of intricate family trees, each ancestor's name written in neat calligraphy.
  5. colony
    a geographical area controlled by a distant country
    There was forced labour in Portuguese colonies into the sixties. Salon (Jun 25, 2012)
  6. constitution
    law determining the fundamental principles of a government
    Chief Justice Roberts pointed out that the Constitution does not specifically prohibit taxing inactivity.
  7. declaration
    a formal public statement
    Days of tension led up to the declaration of the result after Egypt's ruling military council gave itself sweeping powers.
  8. founder
    a person who establishes some institution
    Eboo Patel, founder of non-profit Interfaith Youth Core, talks about being on the road.
  9. frontier
    a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
    Africa, the next frontier for branded consumer goods, poses similar challenges, with both firms starting mostly in similarly weak positions.
  10. inalienable
    incapable of being repudiated or transferred to another
    His strong words about democracy — including references to the “inalienable rights” of all people — were inspiring but balanced with realpolitik. New York Times (May 19, 2011)
  11. pioneer
    one the first colonists or settlers in a new territory
    He is also regarded as one of the pioneers of computer technology.
  12. preamble
    a preliminary introduction, as to a statute or constitution
    “We had better get down to business without any preamble,” spoke the head official briskly. Chapman, Allen
  13. preserve
    keep in safety and protect from harm, loss, or destruction
    The story of acid rain from the 1970s is preserved in newspaper headlines, textbooks, and, it turns out, the soils of the northeastern United States.
  14. proclamation
    a formal public statement
    Underneath the mutual toasting and proclamations of friendship, politics remains taboo.
  15. republic
    a form of government whose head of state is not a monarch
    He has toned down his rhetoric in this campaign, calling for a "loving republic" and reaching out to business groups.
  16. secede
    withdraw from an organization or polity
    Sudan and South Sudan, which seceded in July, are at odds over issues including oil revenues.
  17. territory
    a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
    The two factions had an uneasy power sharing arrangement after seizing control of the territory.
  18. ardent
    characterized by strong enthusiasm
    Players can always try classic games on personal computers, but the most ardent fans say the original experience is worth preserving. New York Times (Jun 3, 2012)
  19. ebullient
    joyously unrestrained
    But his school companions, and even his elders, often found these ebullient spirits of his by no means so delightful. Peck, Harry Thurston
  20. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
    Mr. Hammon’s proposal to change Alabama’s law upset fervent supporters. New York Times (Apr 6, 2012)
  21. zealous
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
    Peter is particularly zealous, confusing belief with knowledge. New York Times (Apr 26, 2012)
  22. celebrate
    behave as expected during holidays or rites
    So why do we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day? Washington Post (Jul 2, 2012)
  23. commemorate
    mark by some ceremony or observation
    He also accepted a samurai sword from Mizuno, his equipment sponsor, commemorating the perfect game. New York Times (Jun 19, 2012)
  24. fete
    an elaborate party, often outdoors
    At a recent fete here, Jubeir was thronged by politicians, diplomats and journalists, all asking how he was bearing up. New York Times (Oct 22, 2011)
  25. heritage
    practices that are handed down from the past by tradition
    They say they were inspired by Greek mythology and British heritage. Seattle Times (Jun 1, 2012)
  26. legend
    a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
    During three years of research, however, the curators found that not all wartime legends about antiques turned out to be true. New York Times (Jun 28, 2012)
  27. parade
    a ceremonial procession including people marching
    The parade included massed pipes and drums and vintage military vehicles.
  28. patriotism
    love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it
    He said the mid-July exhibition game in Washington would be particularly infused with patriotism. New York Times (Jun 21, 2012)
  29. perennial
    recurring again and again
    After-school programs are often among the first budget items restored in the perennial budget dance between City Hall and the City Council. New York Times (May 4, 2012)
  30. revelry
    unrestrained merrymaking
    The sailor quarter was a continuous scene of revelry for several days. Semmes, Raphael
  31. tribute
    something given or done as an expression of esteem
    Mr Putin had begun his visit by inaugurating a Soviet Red Army memorial in Netanya to pay tribute to fallen soldiers of World War II.
  32. crescendo
    gradually increasing in volume
    All of the talk surrounding bullying has reached a crescendo. Washington Post (Aug 26, 2011)
  33. detonation
    the act of setting off an explosive
    His hearing was practically done for, owing to the terrific detonation of the guns. Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
  34. fabulous
    extremely pleasing
    “We think you are doing a fabulous job,” he said. BusinessWeek (May 15, 2012)
  35. grandeur
    the quality of being magnificent or splendid
    There’s a pleasing grandeur in watching the boat’s imposing smokestacks fold down when a low bridge is ahead. New York Times (Jun 1, 2012)
  36. anniversary
    the date on which an event occurred in some previous year
    The couple will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, which was on Tuesday.
Created on Mon Jul 02 15:37:23 EDT 2012 (updated Tue Jul 03 09:42:57 EDT 2012)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.