Vocabulary Words that Fourth Graders Need to Know

What Are the Standard Skills for Fourth Grade Vocabulary?

By fourth grade, most students use various strategies to determine the meaning of words that are unfamiliar or have multiple meanings. This includes using common roots and affixes, textual clues and references. Fourth grade vocabulary standards also include an understanding of figurative language, such as metaphors, similes, adages, proverbs and idioms. The following vocabulary exercises can help your child practice some of these skills and learn words that he or she needs to know.

Fourth Grade Vocabulary Quizzes

Match the Word to Its Definition

Choose the word that best matches the definitions below. Write the part of speech after each sentence.

quest

valiant

coax

muzzle

dandy

awkward

blunder

peculiar

sturdy

endure

respect

throb

1. ---- Unusual; odd; strange.
2. ---- A man overly concerned about his appearance and clothes.
3. ---- To beat or pulsate with increased speed or strength.
4. ---- Boldly heroic, courageous and brave.
5. ---- A guard that fits over an animal's snout to prevent eating or biting.
6. ---- A clumsy, stupid error.
7. ---- Well-built and strong.
8. ---- The act of searching or seeking.
9. ---- To try to gently persuade or influence.
10. ---- To tolerate with patience.
11. ---- Clumsy and inept.
12. ---- To regard or esteem highly.

Choose the Best Word for Each Sentence

Find the word that best completes each of the sentences below, and write the corresponding letter in the blank. After each definition, write the part of speech.

A. commute

B. depicted

C. essential

D. ascend

E. intent

F. flexible

G. generosity

H. subtle

I. ventured

J. hesitated

K. tendril

L. limpid

1. He decided to ---- Mount Rainier in celebration of his 40th birthday.
2. The Caribbean is well-known for its ---- water and white sand beaches.
3. You can't take that job because the ---- would be a nightmare.
4. Your ---- allowed me to reach my fundraising goal.
5. I ---- to sign up for the fun run because of my injured knee.
6. It is ---- to apply sunscreen, even on cloudy days.
7. Our tour allows us to be somewhat ---- so we can see things on our own.
8. She ---- our lakeside cabin in her watercolor painting.
9. A ---- of smoke rose up from our campfire.
10. The coffee flavor is very ---- in this chocolate.
11. It was his ---- to get there early enough to be the first in line.
12. We ---- out into the woods, uncertain of how far the trail would take us.