SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

as it is

Definition of as it is

1 :in the present condition :the way it is

Leave everything exactly/just as it is.

2 :with the situation that exists now

We have enough to do as it is without your latest orders!

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up as it is? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

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WORD OF THE DAY

anathematize

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to curse or denounce

Words at Play

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'Meat Sweats': The Competitive Eater's Worst Nightmare

They're real, but is meat the cause?

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'Diffuse' vs. 'Defuse'

Let us defuse the situation.

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Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

The word's origins are quite literal

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Let's Talk 'Tea'

Spill it, sip it: just make it hot.

Ask the Editors

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Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

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Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

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Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

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Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz

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Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

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True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

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Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

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