News from May 2–May 8, 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 queasy monkeys, sleepy humans, and very hungry caterpillars all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
alleviate
verb: provide physical relief, as from pain
From the headlines: A new study suggests that some monkeys eat soil to alleviate digestive issues caused by human junk food. Researchers observed macaques in Gibraltar eating dirt and clay more frequently than those in areas with less tourism. The behavior increased when visitors fed them salty, fatty snacks, which the monkeys readily accept. Scientists concluded that the macaques intentionally ingest soil to add beneficial minerals and microbes, helping alleviate the stomach discomfort brought on by their altered diet.
bilk
verb: cheat somebody out of what is due
From the headlines: A former Chick-fil-A employee is accused of bilking the restaurant out of thousands of dollars using fake refunds. Keyshun Jones was fired from a Chick-fil-A in Grapevine, Texas, but he returned a month later and began issuing phony refunds to his own credit cards at a cash register. By paying himself back for 800 catering trays of macaroni and cheese, Jones cheated the company out of about $80,000. He was arrested and charged with property theft, money laundering, and evading arrest.
circumvent
verb: avoid by anticipating or outwitting
From the headlines: Using satellite data, researchers have discovered that some oak trees can circumvent caterpillar infestations by subtly adjusting their natural cycles. German scientists observed that in the year following a severe infestation, the trees delay leaf growth by about three days to avoid a repeat attack. This brief shift in timing significantly lowers caterpillar survival rates in the spring and reduces damage to the trees by roughly fifty-five percent.
crowdfunding
noun: the act of collecting small donations to finance a project
From the headlines: After Spirit Airlines announced it was going out of business, a TikToker started a crowdfunding campaign to buy it. The discount airline, which began thirty-five years ago, had struggled financially for years and was unable to survive increasing fuel prices. Hunter Peterson launched a donation website where people can pledge to support his purchase of Spirit and his plan to have it be “owned by the people.” So far, over $200 million has been pledged toward a total goal of $1.75 billion.
derby
noun: an annual horse race, especially one for three-year-old horses
From the headlines: When Golden Tempo crossed the finish line at the Kentucky Derby this weekend, trainer Cherie DeVaux made history as the first woman to train the winning horse of the renowned race. DeVaux, who launched her own stable eight years ago, had never previously entered a horse in the derby, the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
flammable
adjective: easily ignited
From the headlines: Many fire experts are predicting an extreme wildfire season this year because the Forest Service didn’t clear out as much flammable vegetation in 2025 as in the previous year. In 2024, the agency eliminated about four million acres of dry, easily ignitable brush, mainly through deliberate, controlled burns. Last year only about two-and-a-half million acres of flammable underbrush were eradicated.
opulence
noun: observable wealth, riches, or affluence
From the headlines: This year’s Met Gala, the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, was especially extravagant. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was an honorary co-chair and spent about $10 million on the gala. The event’s opulence included Beyoncé in an Olivier Rousteing-designed gown covered in jewels and a diamond-encrusted headpiece; and Isha Ambani wearing a dress embroidered with 200 diamonds and emeralds.
plinth
noun: an architectural support or base, as for a column or statue
From the headlines: A new statue that mysteriously appeared in London was confirmed to be by the anonymous street artist Banksy. The work depicts a man poised to step off the edge of a plinth as the flag he’s holding blows across his face, blinding him. The proud stance of the figure just before he marches off the pedestal’s base, and the statue’s title, Blind Patriotism, led many to see it as a criticism of British nationalism.
somnolence
noun: a very sleepy state
From the headlines: A new report from the CDC shows that more than thirty percent of adults in the United States sleep fewer than the recommended seven hours each night. Health experts caution that a lack of rest can lead to daytime somnolence, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can also contribute to serious issues affecting cardiovascular health, immune system response, and mental health.
wetland
noun: an ecosystem, like a marsh or swamp, saturated with water
From the headlines: Washington state’s Stillaguamish Tribe is acquiring hundreds of acres of farmland and dismantling levees to let the area turn back into wetlands. By allowing tidal waters from Puget Sound to inundate the fields, the tribe aims to return the land to the marshy habitat it was a century ago. The effort is part of a broader plan to revive threatened Chinook salmon by creating vital wetland nurseries for young fish. The species holds deep cultural importance for the Stillaguamish people.
