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Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster

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00:01:53

vendetta

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/16

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 16, 2026 is:vendetta • \ven-DET-uh\ • noun Vendetta refers to an active and mutual hatred between two families or groups, also known as a blood feud. It can also refer to an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts, or to a commitment to carrying out such acts. // The student insisted that the principal had a personal vendetta against her. See the entry > Examples:

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00:02:19

cloying

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/15

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 15, 2026 is:cloying • \KLOY-ing\ • adjective Cloying is used disapprovingly to describe something that is too sweet, pleasant, or sentimental. // She finds most romantic comedies cloying and predictable. See the entry > Examples: “Images of her came to me often, as did snatches of songs in her repertoire, which she sang to me as lullabies. ... What I couldn’t quite summon, despite what I

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00:02:00

delegate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/14

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 14, 2026 is:delegate • \DEL-uh-gayt\ • verb To delegate something (such as control, responsibility, authority, or a job or duty) is to trust someone else with it. // Those tasks can be delegated to someone else. See the entry > Examples: “In practice, principals shuttle back and forth, sometimes multiple times a day, or divide their schedule between mornings and afternoons, or alternate

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00:01:52

umbrage

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/13

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 13, 2026 is: umbrage • \UM-brij\ • noun Umbrage refers to a feeling of being offended by what someone has said or done. It is often used in the phrase “take umbrage.” // Some listeners took umbrage at the podcaster’s remarks about the event. See the entry > Examples: “The one item on offer was considered to be so good that the chef took umbrage at being asked for mustard.” — The Irish

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00:01:47

brackish

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/12

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 12, 2026 is: brackish • \BRACK-ish\ • adjective Brackish, meaning “somewhat salty,” usually describes water or bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and estuaries. The word can also mean “not appealing to the taste” or “repulsive.” // The river becomes brackish as we approach the tidemark. See the entry > Examples: “The blood-testing organs don’t measure water levels but rather the

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00:02:11

paradox

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/11

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 11, 2026 is:paradox • \PAIR-uh-dahks\ • noun Paradox refers to something (such as a situation) that is made up of two opposite things and that seems impossible but is actually true or possible. It can also refer to someone who does two seemingly opposite things or who has qualities that are opposite; to a statement that seems to say two opposite things but that nonetheless may be true; or to the use of such

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00:01:57

collude

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/10

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 10, 2026 is: collude • \kuh-LOOD\ • verb To collude is to work with others secretly especially in order to do something illegal or dishonest. Collude is used as a synonym of conspire and plot. // She is accused of colluding with known criminals. See the entry > Examples: "Two lawsuits filed in April accuse hundreds of insurers of colluding to drop policyholders and force them onto the

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00:02:11

innocuous

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/09

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 9, 2026 is:innocuous • \ih-NAH-kyuh-wus\ • adjective Innocuous describes either something that is not likely to bother or offend anyone (as in “an innocuous comment”), or something that causes no injury, or is otherwise considered harmless (as in “an innocuous prank”). // The reporter asked what seemed like an innocuous question, but it prompted the candidate to storm off, abruptly ending the press

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00:02:08

gumbo

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/08

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 8, 2026 is:gumbo • \GUM-boh\ • noun Gumbo refers to a soup thickened with okra pods or filé and containing meat or seafoods and usually vegetables. The word is also used figuratively to refer to a mixture or blend of something. // The reputation of the family’s gumbo guaranteed them an invitation to any and all neighborhood potlucks. // She draws her artistic inspiration from the city’s rich gumbo of

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00:01:30

eminently

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/07

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 7, 2026 is:eminently • \EM-uh-nunt-lee\ • adverb Eminently is used as a synonym of very and means "to a high degree." // Our team came up with an eminently sensible plan to reduce waste. See the entry > Examples: "This was jazz of the highest order—challenging, yet accessible, eminently entertaining and arrestingly beautiful. Goosebumps were felt." — T'Cha Dunlevy, The Gazette (Montreal,

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00:01:33

loll

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/06

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 6, 2026 is: loll • \LAHL\ • verb Loll most often means “to droop or hang loosely.” It can also mean “to act or move in a relaxed or lazy manner.” // We’re counting down the days until the weather will be warm enough again to laze and loll by the pool. See the entry > Examples: “Just across the highway at Año Nuevo State Park, elephant seals loll lazily on the beach.” — Scott Clark, quoted

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00:02:01

marginalia

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/05

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 5, 2026 is:marginalia • \mahr-juh-NAY-lee-uh\ • noun Marginalia is a plural noun that refers to notes or other marks written in the margins of a text, and also to nonessential matters or items. // I loved flipping through my literature textbooks to find the marginalia left behind by former students. // She found the documentary's treatment of not only the major events but also the marginalia of

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00:02:00

titanic

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/04

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 4, 2026 is: titanic • \tye-TAN-ik\ • adjective Something described as titanic is very great in size, force, or power. // The batter saved the game in the bottom of the ninth inning by hitting a titanic home run right out of the park. See the entry > Examples: “Absurdly, though, if you were standing on a Rodinian beach [on the ancient supercontinent of Rodinia] you might not have even

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00:01:43

senescence

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/03

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 3, 2026 is: senescence • \sih-NESS-unss\ • noun Senescence is a formal and technical word that refers to the state of being old or the process of becoming old. // Our grandparents, now in their senescence, are enjoying spending more time with family and going on new adventures together. See the entry > Examples: “Pilates provides improvements in core strength, flexibility and balance,

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00:02:13

febrile

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/02

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 2, 2026 is:febrile • \FEB-ryle\ • adjective Febrile is a medical term meaning "marked or caused by fever; feverish." It is sometimes used figuratively, as in "a febrile political climate." // I'm finally back on my feet after recovering from a febrile illness. // The actor delivered the monologue with a febrile intensity. See the entry > Examples: "Peppered with exclamation marks,

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00:02:12

amortize

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/01/01

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 1, 2026 is:amortize • \AM-er-tyze\ • verb To amortize something, such as a mortgage, is to pay for it by making regular payments over a long period of time. // If you apply extra payments directly to your loan balance as a principal reduction, your loan can be amortized sooner. See the entry > Examples: “As part of some of the league’s commercial deals—where companies pay the league for

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00:01:56

retrospective

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/12/31

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 31, 2025 is:retrospective • \reh-truh-SPEK-tiv\ • adjective Retrospective describes something that relates to the past or to something that happened in the past. // The museum has curated a retrospective exhibit of the artist's early works. See the entry > Examples: "Our retrospective sense of time hinges on memory: Periods rich in novel, significant experiences feel longer, while

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00:01:35

charisma

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/12/30

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 30, 2025 is: charisma • \kuh-RIZ-muh\ • noun Charisma refers to a special magnetic charm or appeal that causes people to feel attracted and excited by someone. A person with charisma is captivating and often admired. // The young singer has the kind of charisma that turns a performer into a star. See the entry > Examples: "Sports and showbiz have gone hand in hand since newsreels in the

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00:02:00

nefarious

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/12/29

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 29, 2025 is: nefarious • \nih-FAIR-ee-us\ • adjective Nefarious is a formal word that describes something as evil or immoral. // Authorities suspect that the recovered materials were going to be used for nefarious purposes. See the entry > Examples: “Introducing characters like Gorilla Grodd on DC Crime would help familiarize audiences with these figures before they potentially receive an

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00:01:21

yen

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/12/28

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 28, 2025 is:yen • \YEN\ • noun A yen is a strong desire, urge, or craving for something. // After dinner, the family went out for ice cream to satisfy their yen for something sweet. // Students with a yen to travel should consider studying abroad. See the entry > Examples: “If you’ve got a yen for succulent, right-off-the-boat Maine sea scallops, now is the time to get them.” — Stephen

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