News from September 5–September 11, 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 an ancient pottery code, a mansion shortage, and pie throwing for a cause all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
antipathy
noun: a feeling of intense dislike
From the headlines: Voter antipathy toward AI data centers is a common campaign theme this election season. New polls showed that 77% of Americans worry about data centers causing electricity price increases, while two-thirds of Democrats and half of Republicans oppose having one in their own community. Both parties are tapping this hostility in ads focusing on energy costs and tax incentives.
antiquated
adjective: old or obsolete
From the headlines: Attendance data at Burning Man shows it has become much less popular with young people, and the average age of attendees is increasing. Over the last decade, the percentage of festivalgoers in their 20s fell from 30% to 10%. This year, the majority of people were in their 40s and 50s, and total numbers were down, leading many to note the increasing perception of the countercultural festival as antiquated.
botanical
adjective: of or relating to plants
From the headlines: Researchers studying botanical designs on fragments of ancient Mesopotamian pottery found evidence that the patterns may have served a mathematical purpose. After examining thousands of shards from pots, bowls, and plates, archaeologists concluded that repeated plant motifs represented a complex system of counting grain, land, and livestock. They believe the botanical symbols reflect an early understanding of arithmetic and symmetry.
commensurate
adjective: corresponding in size, degree, or extent
From the headlines: The UN General Assembly voted to endorse a world map that portrays Africa at a size commensurate with its actual landmass. The change moves away from the Mercator projection, which distorts relative size by disproportionately enlarging regions farther from the equator. The equal-area projection more accurately reflects that, for example, Africa is about 14 times larger than Greenland, a difference obscured on many familiar world maps.
dispensation
noun: an exemption from a rule or obligation
From the headlines: The U.S. Forest Service will permit wilderness outfitters in Idaho an allowance to use chainsaws in areas where they’re normally prohibited. The 1964 Wilderness Act banned the use of motorized equipment in official wilderness areas, requiring hand tools for maintaining trails. The special dispensation allows permitted outfitters and guides to clear trails of debris from past wildfires with chainsaws, even in areas where the tools have been forbidden for decades.
mansion
noun: a very large, impressive, or stately residence
From the headlines: San Francisco real estate agents say the rapid expansion of the AI industry is helping fuel a “mansion shortage.” As the sector creates new wealth, more buyers are competing for a limited number of large single-family houses. This summer, dozens of homes reportedly sold for at least $1 million above their asking prices, and even all-cash offers on properties listed for as much as $25 million have been outbid.
menace
verb: express a threat either by words or action
From the headlines: Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte was arrested on charges of menacing the country’s president. Duterte’s arrest stems from a 2024 statement she made at a news conference in which she said if she were killed, she had arranged for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and another lawmaker to also be assassinated. If Duterte is convicted, she won’t be allowed to hold public office.
patisserie
noun: a shop where pastry, especially French pastry, is made and sold
From the headlines: Noël Godin, a Belgian entertainer and anarchist who led the International Patisserie Brigade, throwing cream pies in the faces of celebrities and politicians, died at the age of 80. Godin used pastry-hurling as a form of protest, describing himself as an “anarcho-confectioner.” Over the years, Godin targeted Bill Gates and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, among dozens of others. He told reporters that his pies were always fresh and high-quality, purchased at local bakeries.
taekwondo
noun: (also tae kwon do) an aggressive Korean martial art similar to karate
From the headlines: A virtual form of taekwondo made its Asian Games debut in Japan this year, but it drew criticism from some observers. Fighters perform the Korean martial art’s familiar kicks and punches without physically striking one another, while their movements control avatars that fight on a screen. Critics have dismissed the event as “just a video game,” despite its use of traditional taekwondo techniques.
unethical
adjective: lacking moral principles
From the headlines: The 2026 Ig Nobel Prize in economics honored research suggesting that wealthier people may be more prone to a form of unethical behavior. In one experiment, participants were left alone with a jar of candy they had been told was reserved for children, and those with the highest incomes took about twice as much as those with the lowest. The Ig Nobel Prizes recognize research that “first makes people laugh and then makes them think.”
