Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents
compass on multicolored background
Are We Entering 'Uncharted' or 'Unchartered' Waters?

We'll map it out for you.

alt-5f36b629cf6d9
'Intensive purposes': An Eggcorn

We're intent on clearing it up

child holding iphone with puku on screen with puku logo in the corner
Set your young readers up for lifelong success

Build vocab with Puku today!

three bears two of them look like theyre whispering to a third bear who looks chuffed to be the center of attention
Homophone Quiz

More/moor than/then two/too/to.

assortment of food on table
Tasty Only in Afterthought: 6 Words That Didn’t Always Describe Food

We use these words to describe food, but they began their lexical lives in other territories

Videos

play emily-brewster-with-the-words-effect-affect-on-screen
How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

Most of the time.

play onomatopoeia video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

And is one way more correct than the others?

play video ghost words
Ghost Word

The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.

play serial comma
The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

Latest Videos

alt-5f36b629cf6d9 play
alt-5f36b25d24595 play
alt-5f36b0012d7e8 play
all over sudden graphic play
day today graphic play
merriam-webster eggcorns title page play

Grammar and Usage

Word History

Most Viewed

See all Videos
TRENDING NOW

  1. a stitch in time (saves nine) BoJo discusses lockdown restrictions

  2. phosphine Phosphine found on Venus

  3. sedition Caputo makes claims about CDC scientists

SEE ALL

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three bears two of them look like theyre whispering to a third bear who looks chuffed to be the center of attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Words at Play
Word Games