An Encyclopædia Britannica Company
Word lovers! Save words plus keep track of all your lookups
REGISTER NOW »
games and quizzes from merriam-webster including quordle blossom name that thing
Games & Quizzes
New challenges every day!

PLAY »
Word of the Day
MARCH 26, 2023
cavalcade Listen to the pronunciation of cavalcade
Get the definition, examples, and podcast »
Top Lookups Right Now

Games & Quizzes

View All »

name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower
Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a hyacinth?
Play Now »
womans hand holding a green four leaf clover
Are You Feeling Lucky?
A charming quiz about fortunate and unfortunate words.
Play Now »

high school student holding a pencil leaning over a sat test
Challenging Standardized Test Words
20 questions to help you score 1600
Play Now »
alt-628f89ac49496
What’s on the Menu?
Sink your teeth into these questions about food.
Play Now »
lady standing with her back to the audience looking at the beach in front of her
What Are You Wearing?
Roll up your sleeves and identify these garments
Play Now »

Words at Play

View All »

hempen homespun
7 Shakespearean Insults to Make Life More Interesting
Scorn thine enemies, those three-inch fools, like the Bard
Read Now »
wilt chamberlain 1967
10 Words From Basketball
Plus a few failed terms that never quite made it
Read Now »

alt 5b744f0097bef
The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
Which is correct? We'll get into it.
Read Now »
english words from yiddish bagel
14 English Words from Yiddish
Our little list is not the whole 'megillah,' but it ain't 'bubkes'
Read Now »
17 of the finest words for drinking jingled
17 of the Finest Words for Drinking
Try these out at your next happy hour
Read Now »

Word Usage & Grammar

View more »

man buying fewer than 10 items at supermarket
'Fewer' and 'Less'
We all want fewer problems and less trouble with 'fewer' and 'less'
Read Now »
jealousy
Jealous vs. Envious
The words are often used as synonyms, but 'jealous' has more meanings
Read Now »

this kids not having it
I Before E Except After C
The famous rhyme is wrong. Here's why.
Read Now »
herodotus
What's the difference between 'historic' and 'historical'?
And should you use 'a' or 'an' before each one?
Read Now »
stock-market-decline-image
'Recessions' vs. 'Depressions' in the Economy
Taking stock of the differences
Read Now »

Videos

View All »
onomatopoeia video play
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
onomatopoeia video play
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
alright allright video play
Alright vs. All Right
serenity carr next to an illustration of a refrigerator with the letter d in it play
Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?
cartoon-of-british-nobility play
Why Did Yankee Doodle Call a Feather 'Macaroni'?

Time Traveler

Find words from the year you were born … and beyond!

Apps from Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Take America's most trusted dictionary wherever you go

App Store Play Store
Puku: Learn New Words

Puku: Learn New Words

For kids 8-12

App Store Play Store

Podcasts

Word of the Day

Word of the Day

From the fun and familiar to the strange and obscure, learn something new everyday with Merriam-Webster

Apple Podcasts
Word Matters

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.

Apple Podcasts New England Public Media