Phases of the Moon Word Search
Play a Phases of the Moon word search free online. We built the 12-word list around the terms and ideas of a school subject, then scattered it across a 15×15 grid — horizontal, vertical and diagonal. Find them all to clear the board.
Words to find: WAXING, WANING, GIBBOUS, CRESCENT, QUARTER, FULL, LUNAR, CYCLE, PHASE, ORBIT, EARTH, MOON.
Found words stay highlighted, so the grid gets easier to read as you go and the final few tend to fall quickly.
Phases of the Moon word list, defined
- WAXING /ˈwæksɪŋ/ · verb; adjective
- Waxing means applying wax to a surface, or becoming larger or more prominent. In particular, a waxing moon is one whose illuminated portion is increasing. Related: polishing, buffing, coating, increasing.
- WANING /ˈweɪnɪŋ/ · adjective; verb
- Waning means becoming smaller, weaker, less intense, or less popular. As a verb, it means to diminish or decline in size, strength, intensity, or importance. Related: wane, diminish, decrease, ebb.
- GIBBOUS /ˈɡɪbəs/ · adjective
- Rounded or bulging outward. Of the Moon, convex in shape because more than half of its visible surface is illuminated. Related: convex, bulging, swollen, protuberant.
- CRESCENT /ˈkrɛsənt/ · noun
- A curved shape resembling a segment of a ring, tapering to points at each end; especially the shape of the Moon when less than half illuminated. Also, a street or terrace forming an arc. Related: arc, curve, bow, half-moon.
- QUARTER /ˈkwɔːrtər/ · noun, adjective, verb
- One of four equal parts of something; a quarter of an hour, meaning fifteen minutes; or a twenty-five-cent coin. The word also denotes a residential or commercial district and, as a verb, means to divide something into four parts or provide accommodation for someone. Related: fourth, twenty-five percent, part, segment.
- FULL /fʊl/ · adjective
- Containing or holding as much as possible; filled to capacity. Also used more broadly to mean complete, whole, or at the maximum extent or degree. Related: packed, filled, complete, replete.
- LUNAR /ˈluː.nər/ · adjective
- Relating to the Moon, especially to its light, movement, phases, or cycles. It can also describe something shaped like a crescent moon. Related: moon-related, moonlit, selenitic, crescent-shaped.
- CYCLE /ˈsaɪkəl/ · noun, verb
- A cycle is a series of events that repeats regularly in the same order; as a verb, it means to ride a bicycle or to move through such a recurring sequence. Related: round, rotation, sequence, pattern.
- PHASE /feɪz/ · noun, verb
- A phase is a distinct stage or period in a process or development. As a verb, to phase something means to organize or introduce it in separate stages. Related: stage, period, step, stage of development.
- ORBIT /ˈɔːbɪt/ · noun; verb
- As a noun, an orbit is the curved path of an object moving around a star, planet, or other body, as well as a sphere of influence or activity. As a verb, to orbit means to move in a curved path around something, or to remain close to or within a particular sphere of influence. Related: path, trajectory, course, sphere.
- EARTH /ɜːrθ/ · noun
- The planet on which we live, the third from the sun; also the substance of the ground — soil and land as opposed to sea or sky. Related: ground, soil, land, dirt.
- MOON /muːn/ · noun; verb
- The Moon, the natural satellite that orbits Earth; more generally, a natural satellite orbiting a planet. As a verb, “moon” means to expose one’s buttocks, usually as a joke or act of defiance. Related: satellite, natural satellite, celestial body, lunar body.
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