N-400 interview words, explained simply

At your naturalization interview the officer may ask what a word on your N-400 means, to check that you understood your own answers. Here are 80 of them.

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• oath

  A serious promise.

• allegiance

  Loyalty to a country.

• renounce

  To give up something officially.

• naturalization

  The process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

• permanent resident

  A person with a green card who can live in the U.S. permanently.

• claimed to be a U.S. citizen

  Said you were a U.S. citizen when you were not.

• registered to vote / voted

  Signed up to vote, or voted, in a U.S. election.

• overdue taxes

  Taxes you owe that are late.

• title of nobility

  A royal or noble title, like king, duke, or lord.

• Communist party

  A political party that follows communism.

• totalitarian party

  A party that wants total control of people's lives.

• terrorist organization

  A group that uses violence to scare people for political goals.

• genocide

  Killing people because of their race, religion, or group.

• torture

  Causing severe pain to someone on purpose.

• persecuted

  Hurt or treated badly because of race, religion, nationality, or opinion.

• militia

  An armed group that is not the regular army.

• habitual drunkard

  A person who is drunk very often.

• prostitution

  Selling sex for money.

• smuggled

  Brought something or someone into a country illegally.

• illegal gambling

  Betting money in a way that breaks the law.

• failed to support dependents

  Did not give money or care to people who depend on you, like children.

• misrepresentation

  Giving false information.

• removal / deportation

  Being ordered to leave the United States.

• Selective Service

  The U.S. system that registers men aged 18 to 26 for a possible draft.

• bear arms

  To carry weapons and fight for the United States if the law requires it.

• noncombatant services

  Helping the military without fighting.

• work of national importance

  Important work for the country under civilian direction.

• arrested / cited / detained

  Stopped or held by police or a law officer.

• probation / parole

  Rules you follow instead of, or after, jail time.

• under oath

  After promising to tell the truth.

• naturalized citizen

  A person born in another country who became a U.S. citizen through naturalization.

• lawful permanent resident

  A person allowed to live and work in the U.S. permanently (green card holder).

• continuous residence

  Living in the U.S. without long trips abroad that break your residence.

• physical presence

  The total number of days you were actually inside the United States.

• good moral character

  Following the law and being honest during the required period before you apply.

• trip outside the United States

  Any time you left the U.S., even for one day.

• marital status

  Whether you are single, married, divorced, widowed, or separated.

• annulment

  A court decision that says a marriage was never legally valid.

• household

  The people who live with you in your home.

• employer

  The company or person you work for.

• self-employed

  Working for yourself instead of for a company.

• tax return

  The yearly form you file to report income to the IRS.

• nonresident

  A person who is not treated as living in the U.S. for tax purposes.

• hereditary title

  A title like duke or count that passes to you from your family.

• legally incompetent

  Declared by a court unable to make your own decisions.

• mental institution

  A hospital for people with serious mental illness.

• advocate

  To publicly support an idea.

• overthrow

  To remove a government from power, usually by force.

• weapon

  An object used to hurt people, like a gun or knife.

• paramilitary unit

  An armed group organized like an army but not part of the official military.

• rebel group

  A group that fights against its own government.

• guerrilla group

  A small armed group that fights using surprise attacks.

• prison camp

  A place where prisoners are held, often in war.

• detention facility

  A place where people are held by authorities.

• child soldier

  A person under 15 used to fight in an armed group.

• sexual contact without consent

  Any sexual act forced on someone who did not agree.

• religious beliefs

  Your faith or religion.

• military training

  Being taught to use weapons or fight.

• armed forces

  The army, navy, air force, marines, or other official military.

• desert

  To leave the military without permission and not return.

• discharge

  Being released from military service.

• exemption

  Being officially excused from a duty.

• committed a crime

  Broke a law, even if you were never arrested.

• convicted

  Found guilty of a crime by a court.

• charged

  Officially accused of a crime.

• diversion

  A program that lets you avoid conviction if you follow certain conditions.

• deferred adjudication

  A court result where the judge delays a finding of guilt.

• suspended sentence

  A punishment the court does not apply unless you break rules again.

• expunged

  Removed from your criminal record by a court.

• sealed record

  A record the court has closed so the public cannot see it.

• controlled substance

  A drug regulated by law, such as illegal drugs.

• polygamy

  Being married to more than one person at the same time.

• public benefits

  Government help like food assistance or cash aid.

• immigration benefit

  Something you get from immigration, like a green card or visa.

• false documents

  Papers that are fake or not true.

• removal proceedings

  A court process to decide if you must leave the U.S.

• Oath of Allegiance

  The promise new citizens make to support the U.S. Constitution.

• Constitution

  The supreme law of the United States.

• form of government

  How a country is organized and run.

• civilian direction

  Being managed by non-military government officials.