News from August 22–August 28, 2026
Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this feature highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about a backup capital, an extraordinary star, and a speedy robot all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
celestial
adjective: pertaining to the sky or the universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere
From the headlines: Astronomers searching for distant galaxies spotted what they believe is a brand-new celestial object: a black hole star. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers detected a bright red spot that appears to be a star as large as our solar system. And their measurements suggest it releases 100 billion times more energy than any known star, at levels similar to those produced by a black hole.
disgruntled
adjective: displeased and discontented
From the headlines: More than 20,000 disgruntled residents of Gary, Indiana, faced two weeks without power after a powerful storm. Schools closed, traffic lights went dark, water boil advisories were issued, and many families lost hundreds of dollars worth of perishable food. Residents were unhappy and frustrated with the slow response of the local power company, NIPSCO, which stated that repairs were unusually complex.
flout
verb: treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt
From the headlines: A Swiss tourist is serving a year in prison after he flouted a sacred Hindu ritual in Bali. Luzian Andrin Zgraggen violated Indonesian law when he mocked the Day of Silence, or Nyepi, in an Instagram story. During the holiday, residents and tourists are expected to stay indoors and refrain from excess light and noise. Zgraggen broke those rules by leaving his hotel and complaining online that he couldn’t order food at a restaurant.
genealogy
noun: a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, or group
From the headlines: Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen were adopted by Dutch families in the 1980s and became friends as young teenagers. Both were born in India, but neither knew much about their adoptions or their biological families. Years later, Geltink joined a genealogy website to learn more about her roots and made an incredible discovery: Tijssen was her sister. Tijssen had joined the same site to explore her own ancestry and was overjoyed to learn that her childhood friend was actually family.
humanoid
adjective: resembling human beings
From the headlines: At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, a robot did something no human has managed to do: beat Usain Bolt’s 100-meter world record. The human-shaped machine, made of metal, plastic, and electronics, finished the race 19 seconds faster than Bolt’s 2009 record. But its victory lap was less than graceful — the robot could only stop by running full speed into a wall, after which humans carried it off the track on a stretcher.
memorabilia
plural noun: mementos; souvenirs
From the headlines: A soccer ball used in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals sold at auction for $3.35 million. The item, described by Heritage Auctions in Dallas as “the most famous ball in history,” was predicted to sell for as much as $10 million. The legendary piece of soccer memorabilia was used by Argentina’s Diego Maradona to score both goals in the 2-1 match against England.
nefarious
adjective: extremely wicked or villainous
From the headlines: After a recent TikTok post showed three people emerging from a New York City manhole, the New York Police Department launched an investigation. A spokesperson said that “nothing nefarious was found” during an initial search of the sewer system. Previous videos have featured multiple figures simultaneously climbing out of manholes located around the city, raising concerns of terrorism.
reprisal
noun: an act or instance of retaliation
From the headlines: The United States began enforcing 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, leading Canada to announce retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports. Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government would pursue reprisal rather than conceding to U.S. demands, adding “Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses.”
unsolicited
adjective: given or supplied without being requested or asked for
From the headlines: Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently had an exasperated response to the unsolicited beauty advice she’s received online. The latest came from a plastic surgeon who messaged her offering to “fix that little spot on your nose,” but she’s also gotten unwanted recommendations to get Botox. Frederiksen, one of Europe’s most experienced leaders, said she’s received countless comments and suggestions about her appearance over the years and encouraged people to use their time to discuss more meaningful topics.
vie
verb: strive in competition or rivalry with another
From the headlines: Japan’s legislature has passed a bill creating a secondary capital, inspiring more than a dozen prefectures to vie for the position. The backup capital would serve as an alternative location for government operations if an emergency disrupted Tokyo. Among the contenders are Hokkaido, Sapporo, and Osaka, whose campaign even features a talking cat mascot.
