The Faces Of The 2011 National Spelling Bee

    The agony and the ecstasy of America's brainiest spectator sport, written all over the faces of precocious kids. Could I have the definition of "adorable," please? Could you use it in a sentence? And congrats to Sukanya Roy for spelling her way to the championship trophy!

    Gavon Laessig
    by Gavon Laessig

    BuzzFeed News Reporter

    • 1.

      Dhivya Senthil Murugan, 10, from Denver, Colo., laughs out loud at the beginning of the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 2.

      Samuel George Estep, 13, from Winchester, Va., reacts to discovering that he spelled 'brisance' correctly during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 3.

      Laura Newcombe, 12, of Toronto, Canada, spells in the finals where she placed second misspelling the word "sorites," at the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md. on Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 4.

      Narahari Bharadwaj, 13, from Forth Worth, Texas pauses before spelling 'boccaro' correctly during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 5.

      Anja Beth Swoap, 14, from Minneapolis, Minn., spells a word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. She was eliminated in the semifinals. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 6.

      Tony Incorvati, 13, from Canton, Ohio reacts after spelling 'syringadenous' incorrectly during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 7.

      Grace Remmer, 12, from Jacksonville, Fla., spells a word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. She was eliminated in the semifinals. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 8.

      Anna-Marie Mitroi Sprenger, 13, from Provo, Utah, pauses before spelling 'limacine' correct during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 9.

      Nicolas B. Rushlow, 13, from Lancaster, Ohio, reacts with surprise as he is told that he spelled his word, "drusy," correctly, during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 10.

      Katie Fo, 13, from Portland, Ore. reacts after learning she spelled 'linguipotence' incorrect during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 11.

      Pranav Sivakumar, 11 from Grayslake, Ill., concentrates while spelling during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 12.

      Ray Wang, 13, from Neptune, N.J., pauses while spelling his word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 13.

      Surabhi Lakshmanan Iyer, 12, from Taunton, Mass., laughs while at the microphone during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 14.

      Dakota Jones, 14, from Las Vegas, Nev., spells his word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 15.

      Sam Osheroff, 12, from Columbia, Md., reacts on misspelling his word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 16.

      Sunny Levine, 14, from Akron, Ohio walks off stage after spelling 'lithotrity' incorrectly during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 17.

      Surjo Bandyopadhyay, 14, from Prince Frederick, Md., concentrates before spelling 'lysozyme' correctly during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 18.

      Surjo Bandyopadhyay, 14, from Prince Frederick, Md., spells a word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. He was eliminated in the semifinals. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 19.

      Surjo Bandyopadhyay, 14, from Prince Frederick, Md., frowns while thinking how to spell his word during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 20.

      Emily Keaton, 12, from Louisville, Ky., looks down after spelling 'sciamachy' incorrect during the semifinals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 21.

      After the third round Julianna M. Canabal-Rodriguez, 14, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, right, is comforted after learning that she did not make it into the next round of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 22.

      Joanna Z. Ye, 14, Harrisburg, Pa., left, stretches as David Krak, 15, from Lancaster, Pa., yawns, during a two minute break in competition during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 23.

      Caleb R. Anderson, 14, from Lubbock, Texas, covers his face while correctly remembering how to spell "ipecac" in round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 24.

      Adam Ferrari, 13, from Gloversville, N.Y., reacts after spelling "pargetry" correct during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    • 25.

      Ryan E. Frank, 10, from Panama City, Fla. reacts after spelling "andante" correct during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    • 26.

      Rosemary Torola, 13, from Iron Mountain, Mich. reacts after spelling "neophyte" incorrectly during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    • 27.

      Katie A. Hudek, 12, from Fitchburg, Mass. searches for the correct spelling for "tokamak" during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. She answered the question correctly. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    • 28.

      Kali Monifan Palmer, 11, from Mount Vernon, N.Y., listens to competitors spell during round two of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 29.

      Glenn Medina, 12, from Miami scratches his head while spelling his word during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 30.

      Jonathan J. Nativi, 14, from Naples, Fla. concentrates on spelling his word during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 31.

      Donovan Jordan, 11, of Washington, makes a face while spelling his word during round three of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 32.

      Autumn Marie Currin, 11, from Lillington, N.C., reacts after spelling "mozzarella" wrong, during round two of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 33.

      Addison W. Hughes, 9, from Terre Haute, Ind. concentrates while spelling his first word during round two of the National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    • 34.

      Arvind V. Mahankali, 11, of New York City salutes after spelling 'jugendstil' incorrectly during the finals of the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hills, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

    • 35.

      David Phan, 14, from Boulder, Colo., celebrates after spelling his word correctly during the semifinals of the National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)