Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Build your vocabulary with Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day! Each day a Merriam-Webster editor offers insight into a fascinating new word -- explaining its meaning, current use, and little-known details about its origin.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 1 minutes
- Episodes
- 81
- Years Active
- 2025
histrionic
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2025 is: histrionic \hiss-tree-AH-nik\ adjective
Histrionic is a word used disapprovingly to describe someone or something that is too emotional …
00:02:04 |
Fri 05 Sep 2025
abeyance
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 4, 2025 is: abeyance \uh-BAY-unss\ noun
Abeyance is a formal word that is almost always used in the phrase “in abeyance” to describe something in a …
00:02:30 |
Thu 04 Sep 2025
trivial
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 3, 2025 is: trivial \TRIV-ee-ul\ adjective
Something described as trivial is of little worth or importance.
// Although her parents initially dismi…
00:01:43 |
Wed 03 Sep 2025
carp
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 2, 2025 is: carp \KAHRP\ verb
To carp is to complain in an annoying way.
// They’re always carping about their boss.
[See the entry >](https://ww…
00:01:30 |
Tue 02 Sep 2025
epitome
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 1, 2025 is: epitome \ih-PIT-uh-mee\ noun
Epitome means "a perfect example." It is usually used in the phrase "the epitome of," as in "the epitome of…
00:01:45 |
Mon 01 Sep 2025
simpatico
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 31, 2025 is: simpatico \sim-PAH-tih-koh\ adjective
Simpatico typically describes two or more people or things with shared qualities, interests, etc. It…
00:02:03 |
Sun 31 Aug 2025
protocol
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 30, 2025 is: protocol \PROH-tuh-kawl\ noun
Protocol most often refers to a system of rules explaining the correct conduct and procedures to be followed…
00:02:16 |
Sat 30 Aug 2025
incisive
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 29, 2025 is: incisive \in-SYE-siv\ adjective
Incisive means "impressively direct and decisive." It is generally applied to either something communicate…
00:02:15 |
Fri 29 Aug 2025
diminution
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2025 is: diminution \dim-uh-NOO-shun\ noun
Diminution is a formal word that refers to the act or process of becoming less.
// The company is commi…
00:01:50 |
Thu 28 Aug 2025
nebulous
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 27, 2025 is: nebulous \NEB-yuh-lus\ adjective
Nebulous is a formal word used to describe something that is difficult to see, understand, or describe—in…
00:02:02 |
Wed 27 Aug 2025
trepidation
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 26, 2025 is: trepidation \trep-uh-DAY-shun\ noun
Trepidation refers to a feeling of fear that causes someone to hesitate because they think that someth…
00:01:36 |
Tue 26 Aug 2025
undulant
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2025 is: undulant \UN-juh-lunt\ adjective
Undulant describes things that rise and fall in waves, or things that have a wavy form, outline, or surfa…
00:01:52 |
Mon 25 Aug 2025
cloister
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 24, 2025 is: cloister \KLOY-ster\ verb
To cloister someone or something is to shut the person or thing away from the world.
// The scientist cloistere…
00:02:09 |
Sun 24 Aug 2025
flagrant
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 23, 2025 is: flagrant \FLAY-grunt\ adjective
Something may be described as flagrant if it is conspicuously bad—that is, too bad to be ignored.
// In a…
00:02:24 |
Sat 23 Aug 2025
apathy
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 22, 2025 is: apathy \AP-uh-thee\ noun
Apathy refers either to a lack of feeling or emotion, or to a lack of interest or concern.
// Though the girl’s …
00:02:11 |
Fri 22 Aug 2025
validate
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 21, 2025 is: validate \VAL-uh-dayt\ verb
To validate something is to show that it is real or correct. Validate can also mean “to state or show that som…
00:02:14 |
Thu 21 Aug 2025
salient
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 20, 2025 is: salient \SAIL-yunt\ adjective
Something described as salient is very important or noticeable.
// The assignment was to write down the mo…
00:01:35 |
Wed 20 Aug 2025
euphemism
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 19, 2025 is: euphemism \YOO-fuh-miz-um\ noun
A euphemism is a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensi…
00:01:50 |
Tue 19 Aug 2025
ostentatious
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 18, 2025 is: ostentatious \ah-stun-TAY-shus\ adjective
Ostentatious describes someone or something that displays wealth, knowledge, power, etc., in a w…
00:01:48 |
Mon 18 Aug 2025
ostentatious
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 18, 2025 is: ostentatious \ah-stun-TAY-shus\ adjective
Ostentatious describes someone or something that displays wealth, knowledge, power, etc., in a w…
00:01:48 |
Mon 18 Aug 2025
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