vocabulary

noun

vō-ˈka-byə-ˌler-ē How to pronounce vocabulary (audio)
Definition of vocabularynext
1
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field scientific vocabulary

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2
as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication children learn enough of the common vocabulary to make themselves understood by around the age of two

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vocabulary Yet a 2023 Stanford study said that Pangram was biased against non-native English speakers, who might have more limited vocabularies, and many AI researchers contend that such detectors are unreliable. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026 Learn emotions from other people Advertisement Your emotional vocabulary doesn’t have to come from a list. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Chinese law schools have accordingly placed greater weight on teaching Chinese students to argue using the vocabularies of foreign legal systems. — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026 In addition to being a ton of fun, this game is excellent for building vocabulary. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vocabulary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vocabulary
  1. terminology
  2. language
  3. dialect
  4. tongue
  5. slang
  6. idiom
Noun
  • In ordinary tax terminology, income, property, and estate taxes are often described as direct taxes, while sales, excise, and customs duties are generally characterized as indirect taxes.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The platform will allow students to learn circularity terminology, look at design-stage impact decisions, and explore realistic compliance scenarios.
    — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of terminology
Noun
  • Jurin keeps working after the conversation ends—across phone, email, web chat and LINE, the messaging app used by the vast majority of Japan’s population—connecting plain language to the software that acts.
    — Jurin AI Contributor, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Born and raised in Paris’s Chinatown, Zouaghi’s fluent command of Mandarin led him to teach the Chinese language to students in New York City, and eventually London.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • Researchers have built ArabCulture-Dialogue, the first benchmark for testing whether leading AI models can understand and converse in Modern Standard Arabic and 13 national dialects.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But after Carter reset the unit later that year by bringing in new leaders who were native speakers of both the tech world’s dialect and the language of warfighting, the organization succeeded in building a bridge between the two communities.
    — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • But Jesus would always emerge out of the darkness again, and scoop out his tongue or sew up his mouth and eyes and then shoot him full of arrows.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Augmental says MouthPad is best suited for people over 18 who have enough tongue dexterity to operate it.
    — Jesse Watson , Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Young artists like the members of the Chilean boy band Q_ARE are fusing these elements with Latin music styles, Spanish and English lyrics and Chilean slang to pioneer a uniquely Latino pop subgenre.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The latest slang to capture the Gen Z zeitgeist is a way to say poser, try-hard or fraud.
    — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of slang
Noun
  • There are plenty of idioms to describe Andrean outside hitter Aleece Ehler’s freshman season.
    — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodgers acquired Skubal in an abundantly predictable bombshell trade with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a trio of prospects, wanting to test the idiom that a ballclub can never have enough pitching.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of idiom

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vocabularies
vocabulary
vocal
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Cite this Entry

“Vocabulary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vocabulary. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vocabulary

Nglish: Translation of vocabulary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vocabulary

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