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Night vocabulary words from Elie Wiesel's memoir

Night is Elie Wiesel's memoir of survival during the Holocaust, and its spare, powerful language carries real emotional weight. This list gathers vocabulary tied to the memoir's historical setting and its themes of suffering, faith, and endurance. It's meant for students studying the book in class and approaching its difficult subject matter thoughtfully.

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Night vocabulary words from Elie Wiesel's memoir

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
persecutionnounSustained cruel or unfair treatment of someone, often because of their beliefs, race, or identity.Many refugees fled their homeland to escape religious persecution.
deportationnounThe formal, legal expulsion of a foreign national from a country.The court ordered his deportation after he was convicted of the crime.
liberationnounThe act of freeing someone or something from imprisonment, oppression, or restriction.Veterans gathered each year to mark the liberation of the town from occupying forces.
despairnounA complete loss of hope, often leading to a feeling of hopelessness.She felt a wave of despair after losing her job for the second time that year.
anguishnounSevere mental or physical suffering caused by grief, pain, or worry.She felt a wave of anguish when she heard the news of the accident.
emaciatedadjectiveAbnormally thin and weak, especially as a result of illness or starvation.Rescuers were shocked to find the emaciated dog barely able to stand.
testimonynounA formal statement, especially one given under oath in a court of law, that serves as evidence.The witness gave testimony describing exactly what she saw on the night of the robbery.
memoirnounA written account of a person's own life or experiences, often focused on a particular period or theme.The author's memoir describes her childhood in postwar Berlin in vivid detail.
survivornounA person who continues to live or function after a difficult, dangerous, or life-threatening event.Only a handful of survivors were pulled from the wreckage after the earthquake.
dehumanizationnounThe process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities, often to justify mistreating them.Wartime propaganda often relies on the dehumanization of the enemy to make violence seem acceptable.
indifferencenounA lack of interest, concern, or sympathy toward something or someone.The manager's indifference to employee complaints eventually led several staff members to quit.
sufferingnounThe experience of significant pain, distress, or hardship, whether physical or emotional.The charity works to reduce suffering caused by famine and conflict.
resiliencenounThe ability to recover quickly from difficulties, setbacks, or hardship.Her resilience after the accident inspired everyone who watched her recovery.
captivitynounThe state of being imprisoned or confined, especially against one's will or removed from a natural habitat.The wolves paced restlessly, clearly unhappy after years spent in captivity.
oppressionnounProlonged, unjust treatment or control exerted over a person or group through harsh restrictions or force.The novel describes the daily oppression faced by workers under the harsh factory system.
tyrannynounCruel, unjust, and arbitrary rule or control by a person or group holding power.The rebels fought for decades to free their country from tyranny.
starvationnounSevere suffering or death caused by a prolonged lack of food.The drought pushed thousands of families toward starvation before aid finally arrived.
griefnounDeep sorrow, especially the intense sadness caused by someone's death.The family struggled with grief in the months after their father's passing.
silencenounThe complete absence of sound, or the state of not speaking.A heavy silence fell over the room after the announcement was made.
identitynounThe distinct characteristics that define who a person or thing is, or proof of who someone is.Her cultural identity shaped much of the imagery in her paintings.
humanitynounHuman beings considered collectively as a group, or the whole of the human race.Scientists warned that the discovery could benefit all of humanity, not just one nation.
atrocitynounAn extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act, especially one committed against a large group of people.Historians have spent decades documenting the atrocities committed during the war.
faithnounComplete trust or confidence in someone or something, or strong religious belief.She has always had faith in her brother's ability to fix any engine.
exilenounThe state of being forced to live away from one's home country or region, often for political reasons.The writer spent thirty years in exile after criticizing the government.
curfewnounAn official rule requiring people to be indoors or off the streets after a specified time.The mayor imposed a nightly curfew after riots broke out downtown.
ghettonounA part of a city where a minority group or poor people live, often segregated by social or economic pressure.Many immigrant families first settled in the crowded ghetto near the docks.
transportverbTo carry or move people or goods from one place to another.Trucks transport fresh produce from the farms to markets across the region.
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.
hauntingadjectiveSo beautiful, sad, or strange that it stays in one's memory, often with an unsettling quality.The singer's haunting melody lingered in listeners' minds long after the concert ended.
numbnessnounA lack of physical sensation in part of the body, or an inability to feel emotion.After the dentist's injection, a strange numbness spread across half of her face.

Approaching Night's vocabulary with care

Night describes real historical suffering during the Holocaust, so its vocabulary includes serious words like persecution, deportation, and dehumanization alongside quieter words like faith, silence, and grief. Reading these words in context, rather than as an isolated list, helps readers understand the weight Wiesel gives each one. Teachers and students often pair this vocabulary with discussion of the historical events the memoir describes.

Frequently asked questions

Is this an official answer key for Night vocabulary assignments?

No, this is an independent word list for study purposes and is not an official answer key tied to any particular class or workbook.