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Every episode
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
10 episodes
lackadaisical
Aug 17, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 17, 2026 is: lackadaisical \lak-uh-DAY-zih-kul\ adjective Something or someone described as lackadaisical is lacking in interest, enthusiasm, or zest. // Feeling particularly lackadaisical in the summer heat, they lazily tossed a ball back and forth. See the entry > Examples: "The defense was lackadaisical at best, while the offense wasn't much better." — Shreyas Laddha, The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, New York), 7 Feb. 2026 Did you know? We…
zeugma
Aug 16, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 16, 2026 is: zeugma \ZOOG-muh\ noun Zeugma refers to wordplay in which a single word relates to other words in such a way that it means something different in each case, as in “building a boat and a reputation” and “open a book along with your mind.” // A clever use of zeugma was demonstrated by Groucho Marx’s character Rufus T. Firefly in Duck Soup (1933): “You can leave in a taxi. If you can’t get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that’s…
circumscribe
Aug 15, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 15, 2026 is: circumscribe \SER-kum-skrybe\ verb To circumscribe something is to limit its range or activity. // The president’s decision-making power was carefully circumscribed by the company’s board. See the entry > Examples: “A mid-credits scene that shows Santos and Mel at a karaoke bar performing a duet ... might seem to be a throwaway. But it’s more like a glimmer of a happy ending. By blowing off steam together, Mel is forming an inde…
vacuous
Aug 14, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 14, 2026 is: vacuous \VAK-yuh-wus\ adjective Vacuous is a formal word indicating a lack of thought, intelligence, or substance. // Despite a lengthy advertising campaign pitching the film as a masterwork, critics ultimately assailed it as dull and filled with self-important characters spouting vacuous platitudes. See the entry > Examples: "Harper Lee was not slight, was not vacuous. To Kill a Mockingbird is an artefact of its time … but it h…
salvo
Aug 13, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 13, 2026 is: salvo \SAL-voh\ noun In military contexts, salvo refers to various actions involving discharge or release of bombs, rockets, artillery, etc., as well to the bombs or projectiles released in such an action. In general use, salvo is usually used to refer to a strong or sudden verbal attack, but it can also refer to a sudden occurrence of applause, laughter, etc., from many people. // The troops were driven back by a salvo of canno…
gnomic
Aug 12, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 12, 2026 is: gnomic \NOH-mik\ adjective Gnomic is a formal word that describes something cryptically said or written in few words. // The painter is notorious for offering terse, gnomic responses to questions about her work that leave interviewers and critics scratching their heads. See the entry > Examples: “Indeed, the album that ‘Michelangelo Dying’ reminds me of most is [Laurie] Anderson’s seminal ‘Big Science,’ from 1982. ... Both album…
baptism of fire
Aug 11, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 11, 2026 is: baptism of fire \BAP-tiz-um-uv-FYRE\ noun A baptism of fire (or baptism by fire, as it is sometimes referred to in the U.S.) is an introductory or initial experience that is a severe ordeal. In military contexts, baptism of fire specifically refers to a soldier's first exposure to enemy fire. // The newly recruited player faced a baptism of fire as the team went head to head with their greatest rival. See the entry > Examples: "…
pedagogical
Aug 10, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 10, 2026 is: pedagogical \ped-uh-GAH-jih-kul\ adjective Pedagogical is a formal word used to describe things that are of or related to teachers or education. // The new professor is known for particularly engaging pedagogical methods. See the entry > Examples: “It’s a predictable part of every academic year at my institution: that time when we faculty are asked to submit course proposals and space requests. ... But the prosaic task of pickin…
anecdote
Aug 9, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 9, 2026 is: anecdote \AN-ik-doht\ noun An anecdote is a short narrative about an interesting, funny, or biographical incident. // Dinner with our uncles means lots of anecdotes involving the mischief they got into as kids. See the entry > Examples: “Standing in front of a room of about 40 people … [NASCAR driver, Lavar] Scott told stories about his racing family. ‘One time, my grandmother raced my grandfather, and she flipped her Mustang,’ s…
nurture
Aug 8, 2026 · 2 min
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 8, 2026 is: nurture \NER-cher\ verb Nurture is most often used to mean “to help someone or something grow, develop, or succeed.” It can also mean “to take care of someone or something that is growing or developing by providing food, protection, a place to live, etc.,” or “to hold something, such as an idea or strong feeling, in your mind for a long time.” // Art teachers nurture their students’ creativity. // She nurtured a secret ambition t…
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