What are some strategies for figuring out the meaning for unfamiliar words in a text?:

Look at the parts of the word. Are there any roots in the word? Does the word sound like another word you know?

Break down the sentence. What can you learn about the word based on the information in the sentence?

Hunt for clues. Are there definitions, synonyms, antonyms, or punctuation that provide clues about the word's meaning?

Think about connotative meaning (ideas, feelings, or associations beyond the dictionary definition). Does the word have positive or negative connotations?

Once you have a guess, substitute your word or phrase for the unfamiliar word to see if it works.