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The Crucible vocabulary for readers

Arthur Miller's play turns on accusation, fear, and moral pressure, and its vocabulary reflects that tension. This list collects words tied to the Salem witch trials and the play's themes, helping students discuss the courtroom scenes and the choices each character makes under pressure.

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The Crucible vocabulary for readers

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
hysterianounExaggerated, uncontrollable emotion or excitement, often spreading quickly through a group of people.Media coverage of the shortage triggered hysteria, and shelves emptied within hours.
accusationnounA claim that someone has done something wrong, illegal, or unethical.She denied the accusation and demanded to see the evidence against her.
witchcraftnounThe practice of magic, especially spells and rituals believed to influence people or events supernaturally.The villagers accused the old woman of witchcraft after their crops mysteriously failed.
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.
integritynounThe quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that one follows consistently.The auditor was known for her integrity, refusing to overlook even minor discrepancies.
reputationnounThe general opinion that people hold about someone's character, abilities, or reliability.The restaurant built a strong reputation for fresh ingredients and attentive, friendly service.
guiltnounA feeling of responsibility or remorse for having done something wrong.Guilt kept him awake after he realized he had blamed his coworker unfairly.
paranoianounAn irrational or excessive suspicion or fear that others intend harm, often without real evidence.His paranoia grew until he was convinced his coworkers were plotting against him.
deceitnounThe act of deliberately making someone believe something false, or a general tendency toward dishonesty.Years of deceit finally caught up with him when the truth came out.
vengeancenounHarm inflicted on someone as punishment or retaliation for a wrong they committed.He swore vengeance against the men who had burned down his farm.
condemnverbTo express strong disapproval of something, usually publicly, or to sentence someone to a punishment.World leaders quickly condemned the deadly attack on the foreign embassy.
testifyverbTo give evidence or make a formal statement, especially as a witness under oath in court.The witness agreed to testify about what she saw on the night of the robbery.
confessverbTo admit that one has done something wrong or to reveal a private feeling.He finally confessed to breaking the window while playing baseball in the yard.
redemptionnounThe act of being saved from sin, error, or a bad situation, or of making up for a past fault.After years of hard work, he finally found redemption in the eyes of his community.
injusticenounUnfair treatment or a lack of fairness within a system or society.The documentary exposed a long history of injustice in the local courts.
fanaticismnounExtreme, uncritical enthusiasm or devotion to a cause, belief, or activity.His fanaticism for the team led him to travel across the country for every game.
scapegoatnounA person unfairly blamed for the mistakes or wrongdoing of others.The manager made the new employee a scapegoat for the team's missed deadline.
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.
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.
trialnounA formal examination of evidence in a court of law, or a test used to check the quality or performance of something.The trial lasted three weeks before the jury reached a unanimous verdict.
sinnounAn act that breaks a religious or moral law, especially one committed deliberately.In the sermon, the priest spoke about forgiveness for even the gravest sin.
righteousadjectiveMorally right and justifiable, or acting in accordance with strong moral or religious principles.The activist felt a righteous anger at the injustice she witnessed.
hypocrisynounThe act of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs that one's own behavior does not match.Critics accused the senator of hypocrisy after he broke the very law he had championed.
allegorynounA story, poem, or image in which characters and events represent a deeper moral or political meaning.Animal Farm is often read as an allegory for the Russian Revolution.
tensionnounA feeling of mental or emotional strain, or a state of unease between people or groups.There was visible tension in the room as the two candidates avoided eye contact.
suspicionnounA feeling or belief that something is wrong or that someone has done something dishonest, without firm proof.Her sudden nervousness only deepened his suspicion that she was hiding something.
betrayalnounThe act of being disloyal to someone who trusted you, especially by breaking a promise or revealing a secret.Sharing her private diary with classmates felt like the ultimate betrayal to her.
moralitynounPrinciples and beliefs concerning what is right and wrong behavior, and the degree to which actions conform to those standards.The novel raises difficult questions about morality during a brutal war.
defiancenounOpen resistance or bold refusal to obey a person, rule, or authority.In an act of defiance, the workers refused to leave the factory floor.
courtnounA body of people, presided over by a judge, that decides legal cases and disputes.The case will go to court next month after months of negotiation failed.

Words about fear and accusation

Fear spreads through Salem largely through language, so words like accusation, suspicion, and hysteria describe how the panic builds. Characters testify and confess under pressure, sometimes out of paranoia and sometimes to protect their own reputation. Words like integrity and defiance describe the few characters who resist that pressure instead of giving in to it.

Frequently asked questions

What vocabulary words relate to the Salem witch trials in the play?

Words such as accusation, testify, confess, witchcraft, and scapegoat all relate directly to the trial scenes and the fear that drives them.