Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day

00:01:50

dudgeon

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/07

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 7, 2026 is:dudgeon • \DUJ-un\ • noun Dudgeon is typically used in the phrase “in high dudgeon” to describe someone who is angry and offended by something they perceive to be unfair or wrong. // The customer stormed out of the store in high dudgeon after the manager refused to give them a refund for their purchase. See the entry > Examples: “She was in high dudgeon because her expensive

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00:02:03

flamboyant

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/06

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2026 is:flamboyant • \flam-BOY-ant\ • adjective Someone or something described as flamboyant has a very noticeable quality that attracts a lot of attention. Such a person or thing is often strikingly elaborate or colorful in their behavior or display. // Reality television attracts millions of viewers for its depictions of flamboyant, larger-than-life personalities living equally flamboyant lifestyles

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00:01:42

augur

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/05

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 5, 2026 is: augur • \AW-gur\ • verb To augur is to show or suggest, especially from omens, that something might happen in the future. Used most often in formal speech or writing, augur is often followed by an adverb, such as well. // The downturn augurs badly for the success of the business. See the entry > Examples: "Last March, almost exactly two decades after his ghost church appeared at

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00:02:07

scrupulous

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/04

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 4, 2026 is: scrupulous • \SKROO-pyuh-lus\ • adjective Scrupulous describes someone who is very careful about doing something correctly, or something marked by such carefulness. Scrupulous can also describe someone who is careful about doing what is honest and morally right. // She was always scrupulous about her work. // Being an editor requires scrupulous attention to detail. // Less scrupulous companies

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00:02:02

métier

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/03

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2026 is: métier • \MET-yay\ • noun Métier, sometimes styled metier, is a formal word that refers to something that a person does very well. // After trying several careers, she found her true métier in computer science. See the entry > Examples: “Turning from his father’s trade of corset-making, [Thomas] Paine tried his hand at business, met and impressed Benjamin Franklin in London, sailed

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00:01:52

exasperate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/02

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 2, 2026 is: exasperate • \ig-ZASS-puh-rayt\ • verb To exasperate someone is to cause them irritation or annoyance, or to make them angry. // We were all exasperated by the delays. See the entry > Examples: "My tendency to throw remote historical observations into a conversation exasperates my wife and often results in chuckles and eye rolls from friends." — Angus Scott, The Niagara Falls

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00:01:58

Beltane

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/05/01

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2026 is:Beltane • \BEL-tayn\ • noun Beltane refers to the Celtic May Day festival. // Beltane falls each year approximately halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. See the entry > Examples: “On May 1, we celebrate what began as the ancient Celtic holiday of Beltane. ... It started at sundown April 30, when, according to Celtic lore, the evil spirits that had wreaked

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00:01:51

interlocutor

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/30

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2026 is:interlocutor • \in-ter-LAH-kyuh-ter\ • noun Interlocutor is a formal word that means “one who takes part in dialogue or conversation.” // It is crucial in our age of email scams to verify the validity of one’s online interlocutors before sharing sensitive information. See the entry > Examples: “I remember sitting alone on the train platform, and then on the train, with no

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00:02:14

speculate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/29

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 29, 2026 is:speculate • \SPEK-yuh-layt\ • verb In general contexts, speculate means "to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it." In contexts relating to business or finance, it means "to invest money in ways that could produce a large profit but that also involve a lot of risk." // Scientists speculate that the newly discovered exoplanet could host liquid

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00:01:45

evanescent

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/28

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 28, 2026 is: evanescent • \ev-uh-NESS-unt\ • adjective Evanescent is a formal and literary word that describes something that only lasts a very short time. // Our acting coach always reminded us that fame is evanescent, and that we should pursue a life in the theater purely for the love of the art. See the entry > Examples: "Franklin once sternly confiscated a customer's espresso and

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00:02:08

boondoggle

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/27

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 27, 2026 is: boondoggle • \BOON-dah-gul\ • noun A boondoggle is an expensive and wasteful project usually paid for with public money. Boondoggle is also a word for a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament. // Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary. See the entry > Examples: "A controversial proposal to

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00:02:02

onerous

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/26

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 26, 2026 is:onerous • \AH-nuh-rus\ • adjective Onerous means "involving, imposing, or constituting a burden." It typically describes something that is difficult and unpleasant to do or deal with. // They were assigned the onerous task of post-show cleanup. // The government imposed onerous taxes on imports. See the entry > Examples: "Morton professed joy at relinquishing politics and

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00:02:18

juxtapose

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/25

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 25, 2026 is: juxtapose • \JUK-stuh-pohz\ • verb To juxtapose things is to place them together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different. // The local museum’s new exhibit juxtaposes modern art with classical art. See the entry > Examples: “... on ‘Murder Most Foul’ [Bob] Dylan thwarts readymade nostalgia, an easy revisiting of the storybook

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00:02:59

arboreal

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/24

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 24, 2026 is:arboreal • \ahr-BOR-ee-ul\ • adjective Arboreal is a formal and literary word used to describe something that relates to trees. It is also used in technical contexts to mean "living in or often found in trees," as in "arboreal primates." // Despite weekly hikes on the same trail, she never ceases to be amazed by the arboreal beauty. See the entry > Examples: "In the saplings'

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00:01:59

fortitude

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/23

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 23, 2026 is:fortitude • \FOR-tuh-tood\ • noun Fortitude is a formal word that refers to the strength of mind that enables someone to encounter danger or to bear pain or adversity with courage. Less formal words with similar meanings include grit, fiber, and pluck. // To reach the summit of the mountain requires not only great physical strength and training but the fortitude to persevere no matter the

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00:01:47

tantamount

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/22

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 22, 2026 is:tantamount • \TAN-tuh-mount\ • adjective Something may be described as tantamount to something else if it is equal in value, meaning, or effect. // The pop star’s fans see any criticism of her music as tantamount to a crime. See the entry > Examples: “... conducting requires more than merely gesturing with a baton—some pieces of music are tantamount to 80 minutes of hard cardio

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00:02:09

orthography

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/21

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 21, 2026 is: orthography • \or-THAH-gruh-fee\ • noun Orthography refers to the way in which the words of a language are spelled, or to the art of writing words with the proper letters according to standard usage. // As the winner of several spelling bees, she impressed her teachers with her exceptional grasp of orthography. See the entry > Examples: “Ormin, a medieval monk, sought to bring

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00:01:42

indoctrinate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/20

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 20, 2026 is: indoctrinate • \in-DAHK-truh-nayt\ • verb To indoctrinate someone is to teach them to fully accept the ideas, opinions, and beliefs of a particular group while categorically rejecting other ideas, opinions, and beliefs. // The video series attempts to indoctrinate younger audiences with ahistorical and unscientific ideas. See the entry > Examples: "They worry about being 'cut

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00:02:03

nugatory

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/19

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 19, 2026 is: nugatory • \NOO-guh-tor-ee\ • adjective Something described as nugatory is of little or no consequence. In law, nugatory describes something (such as a statute or agreement) without operative legal effect. // Most of the criticism of the film in the weeks since its release has been nugatory nonsense. // This new contract renders the previous agreement nugatory. See the entry >

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00:02:01

hiatus

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2026/04/18

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 18, 2026 is: hiatus • \hye-AY-tus\ • noun In general contexts, hiatus usually refers to a period of time when something, such as an activity or program, is suspended. In biology, hiatus describes a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ, and in linguistics, it refers to the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound. // The actor, who’s been on hiatus for several

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