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2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

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The Adverb: A Most Fascinating POS

'POS' means "part of speech," obviously

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More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

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Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

'a person of low moral character'

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What the #@*% Is a ‘Grawlix?’

We can thank Beetle Bailey.

Videos

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The Serial Comma

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

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2016 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'surreal'

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Alright vs. All Right

Is 'alright' all right?

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Is None Singular or Plural?

Or both? Or neither?

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Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

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Grammar and Usage

Word History

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  1. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  2. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  3. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  4. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

  5. oligarch 'government in which a small group exercises control'

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Test Your Vocabulary

More Confusing Words—Quiz

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  • The magician ______ moved the selected card to the top of the deck.
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Word Winder's CrossWinder

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

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Words at Play

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What the #@*% Is a ‘Grawlix?’

We can thank Beetle Bailey.

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'Altho' vs. 'Although'

Altho doesn't get much love.

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A Brief History of 'Potshot'

Duck, or you might be dinner

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What Is a 'Thirst Trap'?

A tall drink of water

Word Games

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More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
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Name that Thing: Toys and Games Edition

It's all fun and games until someone beats your high score.

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How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

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Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game