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Lord of the Flies vocabulary list

William Golding's novel tracks a group of boys sliding from order into savagery, and its vocabulary reflects that shift. This list gathers words tied to civilization, chaos, and ritual that show up throughout the book, useful for students annotating chapters or reviewing before a discussion or test.

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Lord of the Flies vocabulary list

28 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
savageadjectiveExtremely violent, fierce, or brutal in behavior or attack.The report described a savage attack on the small village by armed raiders.
savagerynounExtreme and cruel violence or brutality.Historians described the savagery of the battle in shocking detail.
civilizationnounA complex society with organized government, cities, and shared culture, or human society as a whole.Ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the fertile banks of the Nile River.
chaosnounComplete disorder and confusion, often with no clear pattern or organization.The power outage plunged the entire office into total chaos.
primaladjectiveRelating to a most basic, primitive, or instinctive state, especially from an early stage of existence.The scream expressed a primal fear that no words could describe.
tauntverbTo provoke or mock someone with insulting remarks in order to anger or upset them.The rival fans taunted the losing team as they walked off the field.
miragenounAn optical illusion, often of water or distant objects, caused by the bending of light in hot air.The exhausted travelers thought they saw a lake, but it was only a desert mirage.
conchnounA large sea snail with a spiral shell, or the shell itself, sometimes used as a horn.He found a pink conch shell washed up on the beach after the storm.
chantnounA repeated rhythmic phrase or tune, often sung or shouted by a group, or the act of performing one.The crowd broke into a chant, repeating the team's name over and over.
ritualnounA set of actions performed in a fixed order, especially as part of a ceremony, tradition, or habit.The wedding included several traditional rituals passed down through generations of the family.
hierarchynounA system that ranks people or things in order of status, authority, or importance.The company's hierarchy places the CEO above all regional managers.
anarchynounA state of disorder resulting from the absence or breakdown of government and authority.The city descended into anarchy after the police force abandoned its posts during the riots.
mutinynounAn open rebellion by soldiers or sailors against the authority of their officers.The crew planned a mutiny after months of unpaid wages and cruel treatment.
ominousadjectiveSuggesting that something bad or threatening is likely to happen soon.Dark, ominous clouds gathered on the horizon just before the storm hit the coast.
malevolentadjectiveHaving or showing a desire to cause harm to others.The villain's malevolent smile slowly revealed his true dark intentions.
ferociousadjectiveExtremely fierce, violent, or aggressive in nature or behavior.A ferocious storm tore roofs off houses along the coast overnight.
incantationnounA series of words spoken or chanted as a magic spell or ritual formula.The witch in the story muttered an incantation over the bubbling cauldron.
taboonounA social or religious custom that forbids or restricts a particular practice, word, or behavior.Discussing salaries openly is still something of a taboo in many workplaces.
rescueverbTo save someone or something from a dangerous, harmful, or otherwise difficult situation.Firefighters rescued the family from the top floor moments before the roof collapsed.
castawaynounA person stranded, usually on a deserted island, after a shipwreck or accident.The castaway built a small shelter from driftwood and palm leaves.
decreenounAn official order or decision issued by an authority, having the force of law.The king issued a decree banning the export of grain during the famine.
authoritynounThe power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience within a given area.The manager had the authority to approve refunds without asking her supervisor.
democracynounA system of government in which citizens hold power, typically through voting for representatives.The nation transitioned from military rule to democracy after years of protest.
tribaladjectiveRelating to a tribe, or characterized by strong loyalty to one's own group over outsiders.The museum displayed a collection of tribal masks and ceremonial drums.
brutalitynounExtreme and cruel violence or harshness in behavior or treatment.The documentary exposed the brutality faced by prisoners in the camp.
innateadjectiveExisting in a person or animal from birth, rather than acquired through experience or learning.Some scientists believe humans have an innate sense of fairness.
primitiveadjectiveBelonging to an early stage of development, especially simple, basic, or lacking modern technology.The explorers survived using only primitive tools they crafted from stone and wood.
consciencenounAn inner sense that helps a person judge the moral rightness or wrongness of their own actions.His conscience wouldn't let him keep the extra change the cashier had mistakenly given him.

Words that track the boys' descent

Several words in this list mark the boys' shift from rules to violence. Civilization and democracy describe the order they try to build early on, using the conch as a symbol of authority. As fear grows, words like chant, ritual, and incantation describe the group behavior that replaces reasoned discussion, while savagery and brutality describe what that behavior becomes.

Frequently asked questions

What vocabulary words describe the novel's main themes?

Words like civilization, savagery, and chaos capture the central conflict, while ritual, taboo, and mutiny describe how the boys' group behavior changes across the story.