Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster's experts
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Word Matters is a show for readers, writers, and anyone who's curious about the English language. 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 our language.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 17, 2025 is: apologia • \ap-uh-LOH-jee-uh\ • noun An apologia is a defense especially of one's opinions, position, or actions. // The opinion piece reads like an apologia for the industry's reckless behavior. See the entry > Examples: "Yes, Barbie is a polarizing toy ... but [Greta] Gerwig leaped right to …
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16, 2025 is: garrulous • \GAIR-uh-lus\ • adjective Someone described as garrulous is very talkative. When garrulous is used to describe a piece of language (such as a speech), it means “containing many and often too many words; wordy.” // One of the dinner party guests was a garrulous poet whose stories ke…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16, 2025 is: garrulous \GAIR-uh-lus\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2025 is: progeny • \PRAH-juh-nee\ • noun Progeny refers to the child or descendant of a particular parent or family. Progeny can also refer to the offspring of an animal or plant, or broadly to something that is the product of something else. The plural of progeny is progeny. // Many Americans are the …
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2025 is: progeny \PRAH-juh-nee\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 14, 2025 is: vexillology • \vek-suh-LAH-luh-jee\ • noun Vexillology is the study of flags. // An expert in vexillology, Cynthia has an impressive collection of flags displayed in her home. See the entry > Examples: "... flags should have simple elements, a limited number of colors, and no words. One of the…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2025 is: rambunctious • \ram-BUNK-shuss\ • adjective Rambunctious describes someone or something showing uncontrolled exuberance. // On my first day of student teaching, I was tasked with managing a class of rambunctious youngsters. See the entry > Examples: "To juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, a tasty…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 12, 2025 is: impute • \im-PYOOT\ • verb To impute something, such as a motive, act, or emotion, to a person or thing is to assert that the person or thing is guilty of that motive, act, emotion, etc. // It is shocking that they would impute such awful motives to me. See the entry > Examples: “California is…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 11, 2025 is: debilitating • \dih-BILL-uh-tay-ting\ • adjective Debilitating is a formal word used to describe things that seriously impair strength or the ability to function. // She suffers from debilitating migraines. // The class helped him conquer his debilitating fear of public speaking. See the entry…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2025 is: minutia • \muh-NOO-shee-uh\ • noun Minutia refers to a small or minor detail. It is usually used in its plural form minutiae. // Unaccustomed to legalese, I was bewildered by the contract's minutiae. See the entry > Examples: “The novel is an intricate thatch of corkscrew twists, vivid charact…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2025 is: minutia \muh-NOO-shee-uh\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2025 is: eloquent • \EL-uh-kwunt\ • adjective An eloquent speaker or writer expresses ideas forcefully and fluently; an eloquent speech or piece of writing likewise expresses ideas in such a way. Eloquent can also describe something that is vividly or movingly expressive. // She received high marks for …
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2025 is: cataract • \KAT-uh-rakt\ • noun Cataract refers to a clouding of the lens of the eye, or of its surrounding transparent membrane, that obstructs the passage of light. Cataract is also used, often in literature, to refer to a waterfall, steep rapids in a river, or to a downpour or flood. // Cata…
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2025 is: cataract \KAT-uh-rakt\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 7, 2025 is: abstruse \ub-STROOSS\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 6, 2025 is: festoon \fess-TOON\ verb See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 5, 2025 is: sea change \SEE-CHAYNJ\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 4, 2025 is: bogus \BOH-gus\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 3, 2025 is: tutelage \TOO-tuh-lij\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 2, 2025 is: Herculean \her-kyuh-LEE-un\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 1, 2025 is: proscribe \proh-SCRYBE\ verb See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 31, 2025 is: opportune \ah-per-TOON\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 30, 2025 is: gust \GUST\ noun See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 29, 2025 is: nascent \NASS-unt\ adjective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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