Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 24, 2026 is: cadence • \KAY-dunss\ • noun Cadence is used to refer to various rhythmic or repeated motions, activities, or patterns of sound, or to the way a person's voice changes by gently rising and falling while they are speaking.// Ivy relaxed at the beach, listening to the cadence of the surf. // He speaks with a soft Southern cadence.See the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 23, 2026 is: frenetic • \frih-NET-ik\ • adjective Something described as frenetic is filled with excitement, activity, or confusion. The word is a synonym of frantic.// The event was noisy and frenetic, which prompted us to leave early. See the entry > Examples: “As Marty Mauser, a wannabe table tennis champion who dreams and deceives his way through...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 22, 2026 is: apotheosis • \uh-pah-thee-OH-sis\ • noun Apotheosis refers to the perfect form or example of something, or to the highest or best part of something. It can also mean “elevation to divine status; deification.” It is usually singular, but the plural form is apotheoses.// Some consider (however ironically) french fries to be the apotheosis of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 21, 2026 is: scrutinize • \SKROO-tuh-nyze\ • verb To scrutinize something is to examine it carefully especially in a critical way.// I closely scrutinized my opponent's moves before making my own.See the entry > Examples: "The governor proposes a balanced budget, and the General Assembly scrutinizes every line." — J.B. Jennings, The Baltimore Sun, 5...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 20, 2026 is: eureka • \yoo-REE-kuh\ • adjective As an interjection, eureka is used to express excitement when a discovery has been made. When used as an adjective, eureka describes something (typically a moment) that is characterized by a usually sudden triumphant discovery. // After years of trying to piece together a concrete business idea, I had a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 19, 2026 is: nadir • \NAY-deer\ • noun Nadir refers to the lowest or worst point of something. When used in astronomy, nadir describes the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer. // Only once the novel’s protagonist reaches her nadir does she arouse the reader’s empathy, and we root...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 18, 2026 is: jejune • \jih-JOON\ • adjective Jejune is a formal word that means "uninteresting" or "boring." It is also used as a synonym of juvenile to describe things (such as behaviors, attitudes, etc.) that are immature, childish, or simplistic.// The movie adaptation employed surreal visual effects to tell the story, making the plot, jejune in the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 17, 2026 is: Erin go bragh • \air-un-guh-BRAW\ • phrase Erin go bragh is an Irish phrase that means “Ireland forever.”// They proudly waved the Irish flag during the parade, shouting “Erin go bragh!”See the entry > Examples: “Dressed in full Irish regalia, Fitzgerald rode his horse, Jack, through the streets of Clinton every St. Patrick’s Day. Jack...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 16, 2026 is: putative • \PYOO-tuh-tiv\ • adjective Putative is a formal word used to describe something that is generally believed, supposed, or assumed to be something specified. It is always used before a noun. // The group's putative leader was conspicuously absent from the meeting.See the entry > Examples: "... the painting is swept up in...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 15, 2026 is: tranche • \TRAHNSH\ • noun Tranche refers to a division or portion of a whole.// A tranche of leaked documents was delivered to the newspaper anonymously, with more promised to come. See the entry > Examples: “Congress approved an initial tranche of funding legislation in November as the longest shutdown in history came to an end.” —...