An Encyclopædia Britannica Company
SINCE 1828
Search for a Word
dictionary
thesaurus
Suggested searches: ingenuous, quibble, behest, ephemeral, confidant, arrogate
Word lovers! Save words plus keep track of all your lookups
REGISTER NOW »
Word of the Day
JUNE 24, 2022
confidant Listen to the pronunciation of confidant
Get the definition, examples, and podcast »
Top Lookups Right Now
Unusual Lookup Trends in the Past 24 Hours
SEE MORE TRENDS »
Roe v. Wade
Lookups spiked 100% Find out why »

Games & Quizzes

View All »

vector image of a face with thought expression
Commonly Confused Words Quiz
Take a (break/brake) and (pore/pour) over this (cache/cachet/cash) of questions about commonly confused words.
Play Now »
name tags
Words Named After People
Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," and more.
Play Now »

up and down words
Up and Down Words
Solve the word chain where each answer provides a clue to the next.
Play Now »
caps thrown in air
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz
"Most Likely to Use Obscure Words"
Play Now »
hedgehog reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know
Not a quiz for the pusillanimous
Play Now »

Words at Play

View All »

stack of blankets
The Words of the Week - June 24
Dictionary lookups from the Supreme Court, politics, and the economy
Read Now »
alt 5b3a37db4f353
'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
How to pick the right one
Read Now »

man-with-lots-of-shopping-bags
One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More
When a single word contains two conflicting ideas.
Read Now »
ring finger
How the 'Ring Finger' Got Its Name
'Leech finger' doesn't have the same ring to it
Read Now »
students taking test
The Vocabulary Test From Hell
Students in 1915 knew these words. Do you?
Read Now »
Reviews by Merriam-Webster
See More »
A buying guide for the best products and services
11 Games for Word Lovers
»
Flex your vocabulary muscles with board games for kids and adults
20 Teacher Gift Ideas
»
Show your appreciation with one of these thoughtful gifts selected by our Reviews team
Hobby Starter Kits
»
Try something new with these step-by-step kits for beginners

Word Usage & Grammar

View more »

toy truck lifting etc letters
Words Commonly Mispronounced
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
Read Now »
goldfish jumping from small bowl to larger
33 Transition Words and Phrases
'Besides,' 'furthermore,' 'although,' and other words to help you jump from one idea to the next.
Read Now »

security guard photo
What Does 'Eighty-Six' Mean?
It comes from 1930s soda-counter slang meaning that an item was sold out.
Read Now »
parkway
Why Do We Park in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?
Finally, the answer to one of life's enduring questions
Read Now »
under the bus
Where Does the Expression 'Throw Someone Under the Bus' Come From?
Let's blame the British
Read Now »

Videos

View All »
woman and dog illustration play
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
woman and dog illustration play
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
onomatopoeia video play
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
video how a word gets into the dicionary play
How a Word Gets into the Dictionary
video soup vs soop play
An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

Time Traveler

Find words from the year you were born … and beyond!

Apps from Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Take America's most trusted dictionary wherever you go

App Store Play Store
Puku: Learn New Words

Puku: Learn New Words

For kids 8-12

App Store Play Store

Podcasts

Word of the Day

Word of the Day

From the fun and familiar to the strange and obscure, learn something new everyday with Merriam-Webster

Apple Podcasts
Word Matters

Word Matters

Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal the surprising origins behind words, tackle common questions, and generally geek out about the beautiful nightmare that is language.

Apple Podcasts New England Public Media