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Word of the Day
APRIL 1, 2023
shenanigans Listen to the pronunciation of shenanigans
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Games & Quizzes

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name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower
Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a hyacinth?
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Are You Feeling Lucky?
A charming quiz about fortunate and unfortunate words.
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Challenging Standardized Test Words
20 questions to help you score 1600
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What’s on the Menu?
Sink your teeth into these questions about food.
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What Are You Wearing?
Roll up your sleeves and identify these garments
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Words at Play

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hempen homespun
7 Shakespearean Insults to Make Life More Interesting
Scorn thine enemies, those three-inch fools, like the Bard
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wilt chamberlain 1967
10 Words From Basketball
Plus a few failed terms that never quite made it
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The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
Which is correct? We'll get into it.
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english words from yiddish bagel
14 English Words from Yiddish
Our little list is not the whole 'megillah,' but it ain't 'bubkes'
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17 of the finest words for drinking jingled
17 of the Finest Words for Drinking
Try these out at your next happy hour
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Word Usage & Grammar

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man buying fewer than 10 items at supermarket
'Fewer' and 'Less'
We all want fewer problems and less trouble with 'fewer' and 'less'
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jealousy
Jealous vs. Envious
The words are often used as synonyms, but 'jealous' has more meanings
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this kids not having it
I Before E Except After C
The famous rhyme is wrong. Here's why.
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herodotus
What's the difference between 'historic' and 'historical'?
And should you use 'a' or 'an' before each one?
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'Recessions' vs. 'Depressions' in the Economy
Taking stock of the differences
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Videos

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onomatopoeia video play
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
onomatopoeia video play
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
alright allright video play
Alright vs. All Right
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Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?
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Why Did Yankee Doodle Call a Feather 'Macaroni'?

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Puku: Learn New Words

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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.

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