2026 Results

Round 2 - Vocabulary Round

167
28
Spellers eliminated in this round finished in 168th place (tied).
No. Speller's Name Speller's Sponsor Question Answer Given
1 Hassan Zanoon Alabama Kiwanis Foundation A person described as prolix is:
given to long-winded speeches
2 Aidan Cole Anchorage Daily News Insurgents are people who:
rise in revolt against authority
3 Andie Seavey Fairbanks North Star Borough School District What is a regiment?
a body of soldiers
4 Smriti Parajuli Arizona Educational Foundation What does peruse mean?
to charge a fee for something based upon its use
Correct answer: to read something over in a manner that is leisurely or attentive
5 Esha Marupudi Arizona Educational Foundation If something is contested, it is:
made the subject of dispute
7 Karthik Dalai Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas What does it mean to abdicate?
formally relinquish sovereign power
9 Caerwyn Turnquest The Ministry of Education Technical and Vocational Training What does a usurper do?
infringes upon the property of another
11 Ishani Dasgupta San Ramon Valley Rotary Club What is acumen?
keenness in discernment
12 Rithvi Balajee San Ramon Valley Rotary Club Something described as cochlear relates to:
a part of the inner ear
13 Aiden Meng San Ramon Valley Rotary Club Salience is the quality of being:
of noteworthy significance
17 Warren Li The Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools What does infirm mean?
feeble
18 Sydney Tran The Orange County Register/O.C. Department of Education Something describe as jejune is:
irritating
Correct answer: immature
19 Olive O’Brien Los Angeles County Office of Education To erode is to:
wear away by the action of water, wind, or ice
20 Oliver Halkett Los Angeles County Office of Education What is the main ingredient in ganache?
chocolate
21 Elyssa Chen Los Angeles County Office of Education What does stupefy mean?
to astound or stun
22 Akshara Thummala Merced County Office of Education What is another word for collude?
isolate
Correct answer: conspire
23 Victoria Li Riverside County Office of Education Opacity means:
lack of transparency or translucency
24 Ryan Sekera Terrell Christopher Gladney Memorial Academy If you eradicate something, you:
fully destroy it
26 Priya Sekera Terrell Christopher Gladney Memorial Academy A sepal is part of:
a church
Correct answer: a flower
27 Seren Kim Monterey County Office of Education What does it mean to beseech?
tarnish
Correct answer: implore
29 Shrey Parikh San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools To augment is to:
make something larger or greater
30 Abheri Sureddi San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools If someone is ravenous, they are:
urgently eager for food
31 Benjamin Reinhard ABC 10News Something described as serrated is:
notched or toothed on the edge
32 Charlie Huang Sage What is a clowder?
a pack of cats
33 Nicole Lopez Tulare County Office of Education A nonconformist is a person who:
deviates from a socially approved way of thinking or acting
34 Iris Sharmaguo Armbrae Academy Something described as eclectic is:
composed of elements drawn from various sources
35 Arshan Shahriar ECU - A Division of WFCU Credit Union What does flambé mean?
covered with liquor and lit on fire briefly
36 Isaac Brogan WFCU Credit Union An elixir is:
a cure-all
37 Derek Li Boulder Valley School District A tariff is a type of:
government tax
38 Nikhil Ganta The Denver Post Buffoonery refers to:
foolish shenanigans
40 Siara Husain First State Educate What is a predicament?
a difficult, perplexing, or trying situation
41 Nora Baker The Washington Informer What does monopolize mean?
to have exclusive privilege or possession of
42 Zwe Spacetime The Washington Informer A lumen is:
a unit of radiant flux
43 Josephine Omandam European PTSA What's another word for concision?
brevity
44 Nihal Gelli Lee County Spelling Bee Another word for harrowing is:
agonizing
45 Tucker Ayers WJXT What is another word for assiduous?
persistent
47 Lancaster Gramer Miami Herald What does overweening mean?
excessive
49 Nixon Diveley Collier County Public Schools If a piece of clothing is described as bespoke, it is:
custom-made
50 Hardit Tayal Orange County Public Schools What is a citation?
the act of quoting exactly the words of another
51 Louis Avetis Orange County Public Schools Something described as antagonistic is:
hostile or in opposition
52 Anay Mahesh Orange County Public Schools What is a travesty?
a sham or mockery
53 Moksh Maru SNSB Region Two Bee Something described as laudatory is:
praising
54 Ty Carver Addition Financial Credit Union If someone is livid, they are:
very angry
55 Park Allen University of South Florida - College of Education What is found in a cabaret?
food, singing, and dancing
56 Sarv Dharavane Georgia Association of Educators Veracity is:
truthfulness
57 Sreeya Lakkimsetti Georgia Association of Educators Gawkers are people who:
stare stupidly
58 Eugene Osei Young Educators Foundation What is a cygnet?
a notice or warning
Correct answer: a juvenile swan
59 Francis Luya Rotary Club of Guam If something is sodden, it is:
accomplished without loss of time
Correct answer: heavy with moisture or water
60 Ethan Irimata Hawaii State Spelling Bee Something described as passé is:
no longer fashionable
61 Sonu Murali Mohan SNSB Region One Bee An adage is:
a composition or movement in music that is played with a slow tempo
Correct answer: a saying usually representing common observation, often in the form of a metaphor
62 Harper Adams Idaho Character Foundation Stridency is:
the distance measured by a long step
Correct answer: the state of loudly demanding notice
64 Seraj Zerhouni Chicago Public Schools What does it mean to drivel?
to babble thoughtlessly
65 Kirsten Cerdenia South Cook Intermediate Service Center Something described as iridescent:
shows colors in shifting patterns
67 Brighid Reid DeKalb Regional Office of Education 16 To abscond is to:
speak falsely
Correct answer: depart secretly
68 Grant Karberg Carroll/JoDaviess/Stephenson Regional Office of Education A corollary is:
a person who helps, assists, or supports another person
Correct answer: a proposition that naturally follows one just proved
69 Yahya Mohammed Kane County Regional Office of Education A wharf is:
a structure at the water's shore for ships to load and unload cargo
70 Ananya Joshi Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education Another word for sumptuous is:
greasy
Correct answer: lavish
73 Isa Zaid Peoria Public Library A reprieve is:
a temporary escape or a postponement (such as from trouble or death)
75 Aditi Mopur Lake County Regional Office of Education What is a glossary?
a collection of terms related to a special area of knowledge
76 Shruthi Ayyagari DuPage Regional Office of Education What is a steppe?
a large, flat stretch of land
79 Kiaan Bhatt IU School of Education Indianapolis Something described as judicious is:
characterized by careful evaluation
81 Hannah Best St. John's Lutheran Church & School What is a fluctuation?
a wavering or variability
82 Leo Furlong Ball State University - WIPB-TV Someone described as surly is:
rude
87 Porter Shreve Louisville Free Public Library A malady is:
a disease of the body
88 Naqeeb Hossain LSU - University Laboratory School What does it mean to bloviate?
to speak verbosely
89 Nayan Janumpally Kiwanis Club of Lafayette & Acadiana Something described as retrograde is:
moving backwards
90 Paranika Ethakota SagamoreHill Broadcasting of Lake Charles The epidermis is part of:
the skin
91 Langston Jones New Orleans Chapter of The Links Someone gallant is:
brave, dashing, and generous
92 Sanil Thorat SNSB Region Three Bee To excoriate means to:
reprimand scathingly
94 Quint Karlsson Anne Arundel County Public Schools A troubadour is known for:
hunting or fishing
Correct answer: music or verse
95 Lauren Merillana The Meakem Group Something done floridly is done:
in an excessively ornate manner
96 Thanvi Gatamaneni Howard County Library What is posterity?
all succeeding generations
97 Vivaan Chintawar Frederick County Public Libraries A convocation is a type of:
assembly
99 Megan Barrientos University of Maryland Eastern Shore What does it mean to upbraid?
reprimand severely
100 Bindi Ray SNSB Region Four Bee A pepita is:
an edible seed
101 Sanjay Malhotra Boston Centers for Youth & Families What is another word for bouffant?
voluminous
102 Adarsh Venkannagari The REAL Program What does dissonance refer to?
harsh or clashing sounds
103 Aiden Galligan The Martha's Vineyard Times Information that is classified is:
forbidden to be disclosed
105 Divya Choudhary WXYZ Channel 7 What does nosh mean?
to snack
106 Sanskriti Parihar Kent Intermediate School District Another word for gratifying is:
pleasing
107 Heron Bothwell Kalamazoo Experiential Learning Center A person described as recalcitrant is:
unable to make a decision
Correct answer: stubbornly disobedient
110 Sidhanth Vetrivel The Herald-Palladium What is another word for bona fide?
genuine
111 Minna Danziger Traverse City Record-Eagle If something is touted, it is:
proclaimed boldly
112 Claudio Ardanese Oakland Schools Education Foundation Alimentation is the process of:
giving nourishment
113 PJ Vanderheiden The Minnesota Service Cooperatives An aficionado is a type of:
ardent supporter or fan
115 Anna Sickler The Minnesota Service Cooperatives What is another word for hutch?
cage
116 Vera Prouty The Minnesota Service Cooperatives What are retorts?
quick, sharp, witty, cutting, or severe replies
118 Wade Salvey The Minnesota Service Cooperatives An excursion is:
a short, fun trip
119 Riddhi Patel The Minnesota Service Cooperatives Ritziness is the quality of being:
luxurious or elegant
120 Harrison Nguyen The Minnesota Service Cooperatives To calcify is to:
make inflexible or unchangeable
122 Meredith Trussell C Spire Foundation Something described as maritime relates to:
navigation or commerce on the sea
124 Ananya Aggarwal Columbia Missourian What is a pilferer?
a thief
125 Beckett Griffin Mid-Continent Public Library Augury is a type of:
criticism
Correct answer: divination
126 Alex Mayes Raymore-Peculiar School District What does it mean to unfurl?
free from a rolled-up condition
128 Emmalyn Franks A.C.E.S. Something described as spectral is:
ghostly
130 Khusi Dahal Saint Louis University Someone described as morose is:
marked by gloom
131 Nicholas Tian Montana Television Network A fallacy is:
a seemingly plausible argument based on invalid logic
132 Sarah Fernandes Omaha Sports Commission Something proprietary is:
made and marketed by someone with the exclusive right to manufacture and sell
133 Priya Konduru The Public Education Foundation Zoolatry is:
the worship of animals
134 Sophia Garcia The Public Education Foundation What does ostensibly mean?
courteously or pleasantly
Correct answer: to all outward appearances
135 Kaz Kuldiloke New Hampshire Union Leader A pestilence is:
a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that has a rapid and severe course
136 Keona-Dannette Osae-Twum Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs Brontophobia is:
a strong, irrational fear of thunder
137 Ishaan Gupta Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development Something that is pervasive:
spreads throughout
138 Akshara Jagannathan Sidelines and Stages Something lacustrine:
grows in a lake
139 Isaac Geremew WHYY Gaiters are:
leg coverings
140 Yajur Subramaniam Care NJ A casualty is a person or thing that is:
damaged or destroyed
141 Hannah Li Albuquerque Journal What is an octogenarian?
a person between 80 and 90 years old
142 Krrisha Agrawal Albany & Troy Lions Club A howler is:
a ridiculous blunder especially in use of words
145 Luke Hand Orange-Ulster BOCES A cudgel is:
a short heavy stick
146 YY Liang SNSB Region Four Bee Something described as tempestuous:
is like a turbulent storm
148 Jay Nayak NYC Department of Education A pueblo is a type of:
settlement
149 Liam Kwon NYC Department of Education Something described as votive is:
done to fulfill a vow
150 Owen Scott Champlain Valley Educational Services What is a coalition?
a temporary alliance to achieve a common purpose
151 Saruar Aitbayeva The Post-Standard | syracuse.com What does placate mean?
to appease
153 Newton Temojo Spellingbee in Nigeria Something described as noxious is:
harmful or destructive to humans
154 Amazing-Grace Salami Spellingbee in Nigeria To corroborate something is to:
polish it until smooth
Correct answer: provide evidence of its truth
155 Kushi Gottimukkala Carolina Panthers If something is described as myopic, it is:
lacking in foresight
156 Phaneendra Bulusu Carolina Panthers Something described as alluvial is:
made up of sand and gravel deposited by running water
157 Harini Jayakumar Carolina Panthers Something that is described as caustic is:
characterized by incisive wit
158 Sach Akella Carolina Panthers Halal is used to describe:
food prepared according to Islamic law
159 Sophie Sung Duke Community Affairs A debacle is:
a disastrous collapse
160 Angelika Johnson Cumberland County Schools Another word for futility is:
uselessness
162 Jacob Winfield Johnston County Public Schools If you get the gist of something, it means you get:
the main point
163 Chilaka Ugobi ND Association of County Superintendents Epoxy is:
a glue
165 Joseph Keffer Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism What is a crux?
a pivotal point that requires a resolution
167 Meenakshi Vodela WCPO 9 If someone is feeling trepidation, they are:
apprehensive
168 Aayu Chamoli Columbus Blue Jackets What is leaven?
a substance used to produce fermentation in dough
169 Tia Geisler ESC of the Western Reserve What is a quince?
an acidic yellow fruit
170 Sidharth Nair Wright State University Someone described as duplicitous:
demonstrates propriety, especially in conduct and manners
Correct answer: deceives by displaying feelings that don't match actions
174 Aadhya Adhikari The Marietta Times Something described as commodious is:
large or roomy
175 Addie Jackson The Times Leader Carnage refers to:
bloodshed or slaughter
176 Francis Kissinger The Herald-Star A hangar would most likely be used for:
housing and repairing aircraft
179 Jayden Le Oklahoma City Community College A person who is hapless lacks:
good fortune
180 William Fuller 2 News Oklahoma What is a cantor?
a synagogue official who sings or chants
182 Yohaan Damani Chester County Intermediate Unit Another word for cogitation is:
meditation
183 Vedika Burman Pennon Education What is a monastery?
a house of religious retirement or of seclusion
184 Siddhesh Ganesh Pennsylvania State Education Association and Council for the Advancement of Public Schools Pabulum is:
a raised platform or pedestal
Correct answer: a rudimentary piece of writing
185 Joey Anandh Delaware County Intermediate Unit The term morphological relates to:
form or structure
186 Jayden Jiang WHYY A missive is:
a formal written letter
187 Maxwell M. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette A hyperbole is:
an extravagant exaggeration
188 Nora Lloyd Schuylkill Technology Center What does reign refer to?
royal authority
189 Sid Srinivasan Diamond City Sports What does mendicity refer to?
begging
191 Elliana Pagliarini The Valley Breeze What is pomposity?
a self-important demeanor, speech, or action
192 Nicolás Jakymiw The Post and Courier What are sheaves?
bundles of grain or straw
193 Salonee Birabar Carolina Panthers If something is described as sweltering, it is:
oppressively hot
194 Connor Norton Pee Dee Education Center Amnesty is:
the offer by a government of a general pardon for a crime
195 Khloe Jumawan Pee Dee Education Center What is a parsec?
a unit of measure for interstellar space
196 Manha Shaik Carolina Panthers Mediocrity refers to:
average capacity or worth
198 Oscar Quezada South Dakota News Watch Something that is protean:
carries a positive electrical charge
Correct answer: readily assumes different shapes or forms
199 Josh Verma University of Memphis Something described as demulcent is:
soothing
200 Jupiter Morrow Tennessee Titans Something described as chintzy is:
showy and cheap
201 Marian Jenkins Tennessee Titans Someone described as apprehensive is:
concerned about a future event
202 Sariah Titus Kiwanis Club of Abilene What does it mean to wheedle?
to shape a piece of wood by paring it with a knife
Correct answer: to gain by using flattery
203 Arnie Parat Education Credit Union If someone is described as derisive, they are:
scornful or sarcastic
204 Thivaan Butani SNSB Region Three Bee What is a heist?
the act of breaking into and robbing an establishment
205 Corbin Trevino KRIS Communications Someone described as rabid:
has some feeling or interest in an extreme degree
206 Benjamin Pearson Dallas Sports Commission Fission is most like:
splitting
207 Avishka Dudala Dallas Sports Commission Something described as fraudulent is:
marked by trickery or falsehood
208 Krish Manjunath Dallas Sports Commission What is a delta?
an alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river
209 Shaheli De Silva EPISD Education Foundation What is a knoll?
a pointed instrument for piercing small holes
Correct answer: a rounded mound of land
210 Luke Sturlin Fort Worth Regional Bee Qualms are:
sudden misgivings
211 Ridhaan Bhattarai Fort Worth Regional Bee Something described as distinctive is:
identifiably unique
212 Haven Orsua Houston City College To proliferate means to:
multiply
213 Logan Bailey Houston City College What is a dashiki?
a loose-fitting tunic of African origin
214 Zachary Teoh Houston City College A person described as sallow is:
sickly looking
216 Sreeyansh Pasham SNSB Region Three Bee What does it mean to flout?
to mock or insult
217 Zian Doctolero Ramar Communications Someone described as jaundiced is exhibiting:
envy, distaste, or hostility
218 Anirudh Roy Rio Grande Valley Newspapers - AIM Media Texas What is a sconce?
an ornamental electric light fixture for a wall
220 Naithik Yankarla Ector County Independent School District Something described as circuitous is:
dynamic or electrifying
Correct answer: winding or meandering
222 Siyona Kandala BASIS Ed Texas and BASIS Texas Charter Schools, Inc. What is another word for castigate?
criticize
223 Timon Zhang Region 3 Education Service Center What are alms?
things given freely to the poor
224 Caroline Hu Rapoport Holdings, LLC Buoyancy is the tendency to:
float in a liquid
225 Warren Bacongallo The Resource Lab What does the color azure resemble?
a clear sky
226 Jahmir Greaux The Virgin Islands Daily News Something described as dilapidated:
is in a state of disrepair
227 Wesley Kenlon The Park Record Quid pro quo is:
the existing state of affairs
Correct answer: something given or received for something else
228 Ashley Bryner Southeast Education Service Center If something is described as astral, it is:
related to the stars
229 Roshan Kaushik FOX 13 Utah What is another word for genteel?
polite
230 Ray Mishra The City Journals Fidelity is the quality of being:
faithful or loyal
231 Isa Lyall Garces Vermont Principals Association If something is described as whimsical, it:
soars with or as if with wings
Correct answer: results from sudden, capricious ideas
232 Layla Barrett Big Brothers Big Sisters of Danville Area Someone described as daft is:
skillful or dexterous
Correct answer: silly or foolish
233 Israel Mensah Central Rappahannock Regional Library What is adulation?
excessive praise
234 Kitcha Shankar Rockingham District Ruritans Something described as dicey is:
risky or unpredictable
235 Dhiya Sudhakar Loudoun County Public Schools If something is described as strenuous, it is:
arduous
236 Viky Tanamala Loudoun County Public Schools Another word for manacle is:
handcuff
237 Siya Sampath InsideNoVa/Prince William Something described as oblong:
has a shape that is elongated beyond a square or circle
238 Laasya Mohan Fairfax County Council PTA What is bereavement?
suffering the death of a loved one
239 Aadhya Vijayakumar Fairfax County Council PTA What does cupidity mean?
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
Correct answer: strong desire for wealth
240 Suhani Joshi WHRO Public Media A blurb is:
a short piece of praise for a book
241 Ashvin Pinnamaraju Radford University Something described as migratory relates to:
periodic movement from one region to another
242 Taran Shivkumar Richmond Raceway What is hedonism?
a way of life based on the pursuit of pleasure
243 Raven Amrhein Town Hall Seattle Tepidity is the quality of being:
lukewarm
244 Nirav Nimbarte Charleston Gazette-Mail If something is described as stereotypical, it:
conforms to a fixed or general pattern
245 Arnav Vempati Wisconsin State Journal A harrier is a type of:
Scottish tweed
Correct answer: slender hawk
246 Ethan Robert Wisconsin State Journal A person described as prosperous has:
economic well-being
247 Levi Goodwin Sweetwater County BOCES What is a skirmish?
a battle between small bodies of troops