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Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster

Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster"s experts

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00:01:43

sleuth

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/05/03

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2025 is: sleuth • \SLOOTH\ • verb To sleuth is to carefully or methodically search for information, or to act as a detective. // We spent hours at the flea market sleuthing for 19th century paintings. See the entry > Examples: "To fill the market with vintage treasure, we called upon some of the industry’s best dressed—Anok Yai, Emma Chamberlain, Hamish Bowles, Julia Sarr-Jamois, Kaia

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00:01:43

ziggurat

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/05/02

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 2, 2025 is: ziggurat • \ZIG-uh-rat\ • noun A ziggurat is an ancient Mesopotamian temple consisting of a pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top. The word ziggurat is also sometimes used for a similarly shaped structure. // Ancient ziggurats were always built with a core of mud brick and an exterior covered with baked brick. They had no internal chambers and

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00:02:03

convoluted

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/05/01

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2025 is: convoluted • \KAHN-vuh-loo-tud\ • adjective Something described as convoluted is very complicated and difficult to understand, or has many curves and turns. // The speaker’s argument was so convoluted that most of the audience had trouble determining whether they were for or against the new policy. // The route from the airport to the village was long and convoluted. See the entry >

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00:02:20

insouciance

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/30

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2025 is:insouciance • \in-SOO-see-unss\ • noun Insouciance is a formal word that refers to a feeling of carefree unconcern. It can also be understood as a word for the relaxed and calm state of a person who is not worried about anything. // The young actor charmed interviewers with his easy smile and devil-may-care insouciance. See the entry > Examples: “Gladiator II is OK when

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00:02:10

furtive

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/29

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 29, 2025 is: furtive • \FER-tiv\ • adjective Furtive describes something that is done in a quiet and secret way to avoid being noticed. It can also mean "expressive of stealth" or "sly" (as in "a furtive look"), or "obtained underhandedly" (as in "furtive gains"). // We exchanged furtive smiles across the table, carefully not to attract the teacher's attention. See the entry > Examples:

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00:01:36

alacrity

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/28

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 28, 2025 is: alacrity • \uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ • noun Alacrity refers to a quick and cheerful readiness to do something. // She accepted the invitation to go on the trip with an alacrity that surprised her parents, who had assumed she wouldn’t be interested. See the entry > Examples: “Antipater, about to mount his horse, saw Pollio and Sameas so close to him that the sleeve of Sameas almost

en-us

00:02:00

decimate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/27

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 27, 2025 is:decimate • \DESS-uh-mayt\ • verb Decimate can mean both “to destroy a large number of (plants, animals, people, etc.)” or “to severely damage or destroy a large part of (something).” // The bay’s lobsters have been decimated by disease. // Budget cuts have decimated public services throughout the state. See the entry > Examples: “The deer—and there is an abundance of those

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00:01:52

nonchalant

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/26

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 26, 2025 is: nonchalant • \nahn-shuh-LAHNT\ • adjective Someone described as nonchalant is relaxed and calm, either because they do not care about something or because they are not worried about something. Nonchalant can also be used to describe something, such as demeanor or behavior, that expresses such relaxed, calm unconcern. // The team showed a somewhat nonchalant attitude at the beginning of the

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00:01:45

travail

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/25

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 25, 2025 is: travail • \truh-VAIL\ • noun Travail is a formal word, usually used in plural, that refers to a difficult experience or situation. // The book describes the political travails of the governor during her first year in office. See the entry > Examples: "Written by Samy Burch, the film [Coyote vs. Acme] follows the travails of the desert denizen who is tired of being slammed with

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00:02:21

ostensible

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/24

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 24, 2025 is: ostensible • \ah-STEN-suh-bul\ • adjective Ostensible is used to describe something that seems or is said to be true or real, but is possibly not true or real. In other words, it is plausible rather than demonstrably true or real. // The ostensible purpose of a filibuster is to extend debate, but in reality it is used to delay or prevent action. See the entry > Examples: “No

en-us

00:02:02

slough

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/23

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 23, 2025 is: slough • \SLUFF\ • verb Slough is a formal verb used for the action of getting rid of something unwanted. It is usually used with off. Slough can also mean "to lose a dead layer of (skin)" or "to become shed or cast off." // The editorial urges the mayor not to slough off responsibility for the errors in the report. // The exfoliating cleanser promises to gently slough away dead skin cells. See

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00:01:54

liaison

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/22

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 22, 2025 is: liaison • \lee-AY-zahn\ • noun Liaison refers to a person who helps organizations or groups work together and provide information to each other, or to a relationship that allows such interactions. Liaison can also refer to an illicit sexual relationship. // The new position involves acting as a liaison between the police department and city schools. // The committee has maintained close liaison

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00:01:51

bodacious

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/21

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 21, 2025 is: bodacious • \boh-DAY-shuss\ • adjective Bodacious is used as an informal synonym of remarkable and noteworthy, as well as sexy and voluptuous. In some dialects of the Southern and Midland US, bodacious is used by its oldest meaning: "outright, unmistakable." // The bodacious decor of the boutique hotel is intended to appeal to the young and the hip. See the entry > Examples:

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00:02:34

resurrection

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/20

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 20, 2025 is:resurrection • \rez-uh-REK-shun\ • noun In Christian theology, Resurrection (typically capitalized in this use) refers to the event in which Jesus Christ returned to life after his death. In general contexts, resurrection refers to the act of causing something that had ended or been forgotten or lost to exist again, to be used again, etc. // Church members look forward to celebrating the

en-us

00:02:06

fastidious

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/19

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 19, 2025 is: fastidious • \fass-TID-ee-us\ • adjective Someone described as fastidious is extremely or overly careful about how they do something. Fastidious may also describe someone who is difficult to please, or someone who always wants to be clean, neat, etc. // Our parents taught us to be fastidious in keeping our rooms clean, making sure to dust every surface and sweep out every corner. // He's a

en-us

00:02:18

collaborate

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/18

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 18, 2025 is: collaborate • \kuh-LAB-uh-rayt\ • verb To collaborate is to work with another person or group in order to do or achieve something. Collaborate can also be used disapprovingly to mean "to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an enemy who occupies it during a war." // Several research teams from various countries collaborated closely on the project. // They

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00:02:08

uncouth

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/17

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 17, 2025 is: uncouth • \un-KOOTH\ • adjective Uncouth describes things, such as language or behavior, that are impolite or socially unacceptable. A person may also be described as uncouth if they are behaving in a rude way. // Stacy realized it would be uncouth to show up to the party without a gift, so she picked up a bottle of wine on the way. See the entry > Examples: “Perhaps people

en-us

00:02:02

adversity

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/16

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 16, 2025 is: adversity • \ad-VER-suh-tee\ • noun Adversity refers to a difficult situation or condition, or to a state of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune. // The soldiers were honored for acting with courage in the face of adversity. // The team overcame many adversities on their way to summiting the mountain. See the entry > Examples: “To foster self-reliance, colleges should

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00:01:39

pugnacious

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/15

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 15, 2025 is: pugnacious • \pug-NAY-shus\ • adjective Someone described as pugnacious shows a readiness or desire to fight or argue. // There's one pugnacious member on the committee who won't agree to anything. See the entry > Examples: "While looking through the Perkins telescope [at Saturn] one night, a pugnacious 10-year-old commented, 'Hey! I only see one ring. Rip off!'" — Tom Burns,

en-us

00:02:00

druthers

Merriam-Webster"s Word of the Day ·

2025/04/14

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 14, 2025 is: druthers • \DRUH-therz\ • noun plural Druthers is an informal word that refers to the power or opportunity to choose—in other words, free choice. It is used especially in the phrase if one had one's druthers. // If I had my druthers, I would travel all the time. See the entry > Examples: “If I had my druthers, if I made the sequel to ‘Companion,’ it would just be a shot of her

en-us

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