Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 2, 2025 is: atone • \uh-TOHN\ • verb To atone for something is to make amends for it—that is, to do something good as a way of showing that you are sorry about, or have remorse for, a mistake, bad behavior, etc. // The novel opens with an act of cruelty and then traces the thoughts and actions of those responsible as they try to atone for it.See the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 1, 2025 is: preternatural • \pree-ter-NATCH-uh-rul\ • adjective Preternatural is a formal adjective used to describe things that are very unusual in a way that does not seem natural.// He has a preternatural knack for imitating birdcalls. // There was an eerie, preternatural quiet in the house.See the entry > Examples: "Beyond his physical and...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 30, 2025 is: impetuous • \im-PECH-uh-wus\ • adjective Impetuous is a synonym of impulsive that describes a person who is acting without thought, or an action that is done without thought.// That impetuous decision could've cost us everything we worked so hard for.See the entry > Examples: “She takes off, impetuous and alone, for a cross-country...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 29, 2025 is: obliterate • \uh-BLIT-uh-rayt\ • verb To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left, to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it. It can also mean "to remove utterly from recognition or memory." // The wave completely obliterated our sandcastles. // The October snowstorm obliterated our...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 28, 2025 is: kerfuffle • \ker-FUFF-ul\ • noun Kerfuffle is an informal word that refers to a disturbance or fuss typically caused by a dispute or conflict.// The reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet caused quite a kerfuffle among astronomy lovers. See the entry > Examples: “I find it fascinating that the media landscape and...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 27, 2025 is: vociferous • \voh-SIF-uh-rus\ • adjective Vociferous describes people who express their feelings or opinions loudly and insistently. It is also applied to things, such as objections, that are expressed in such a way.// We were vociferous in our support of the proposal. // The decision was made over their vociferous objections. See the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 26, 2025 is: gesundheit • \guh-ZOONT-hyte\ • interjection Gesundheit is an interjection used to wish good health to one who has just sneezed.// I sneezed three times in a row, and my coworker called "gesundheit!" from the next cubicle.See the entry > Examples: "Personally, I did not like my husband's sneezing into his hand, so I stopped saying...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 25, 2025 is: anomaly • \uh-NAH-muh-lee\ • noun Anomaly is a somewhat formal word that refers to something that is remarkable in its deviation from what is usual or expected.// Last summer’s storm was an anomaly for this area.// We were unable to explain the anomalies in the test results.See the entry > Examples: “Magic realism usually makes no...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 24, 2025 is: brandish • \BRAN-dish\ • verb To brandish something, such as a weapon, is to wave or swing it in a threatening or excited manner. // Squeals of laughter erupted as three children brandishing squirt guns rounded the corner of the house.See the entry > Examples: “The dancers are young men from the neighborhoods dressed in dark robes...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 23, 2025 is: nonpareil • \nahn-puh-REL\ • adjective Nonpareil describes that which has no equal because it is better than any other.// To this day, the band's debut album is still considered nonpareil, raising the bar for every rock group to follow.See the entry > Examples: "The Crew's soccer operations have been nonpareil during this latest...