Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 29, 2026 is: cohort • \KOH-hort\ • noun Cohort refers to a group or band of individuals, as in “a cohort of supporters.” It can also be used for a group of individuals who have a statistical factor (such as age) in common in a demographic study, as in “a cohort of people born in the 1980s.” Cohort can be used for individuals too, as for a friend,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 28, 2026 is: ingratiate • \in-GRAY-shee-ayt\ • verb To ingratiate yourself with others is to gain their favor or approval by deliberately doing or saying things they will like. Ingratiate is usually used with with, and is often (though not always) used disapprovingly.// Scam artists often have an uncanny ability to ingratiate themselves with their victims...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 27, 2026 is: benevolent • \buh-NEV-uh-lunt\ • adjective Benevolent can describe someone or something that is kind and generous or something that is organized for the purpose of doing good.// The event's reception was courtesy of a benevolent donor who's chosen to remain anonymous.// They belong to several benevolent societies and charitable...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 26, 2026 is: Gordian knot • \GOR-dee-un-NAHT\ • noun Gordian knot refers to a complicated and difficult problem. It is often used in the phrase cut the Gordian knot, which means “to solve a difficult problem in a very direct way by doing something forceful or extreme.”// The organization’s change in leadership is being widely applauded as a step toward...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 25, 2026 is: sacrosanct • \SAK-roh-sankt\ • adjective Sacrosanct is a formal word that describes something too important and respected to be changed or criticized. It can also mean "most sacred or holy."// While the family's new matriarch aimed to maintain the familiar traditions of the holidays, she did not consider the details of their celebration to be...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 24, 2026 is: onus • \OH-nuss\ • noun Onus is a formal word typically used to refer to a responsibility, obligation, or burden. It is usually preceded by the word the.// Management has made it clear that the onus is on employees to ask for further training if they don’t understand the new procedures.See the entry > Examples: “The [London Book Fair]...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2026 is: expedite • \EK-spuh-dyte\ • verb To expedite something is to cause it to happen faster. // We’ll do what we can to expedite the processing of your application.See the entry > Examples: “The new task force ... is required to submit an initial report in 60 days and final report in 90 days with recommendations to simplify, improve and...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 22, 2026 is: fraught • \FRAWT\ • adjective Fraught describes something that causes or involves a lot of emotional stress or worry. When fraught is used in the phrase “fraught with,” it means “full of something bad or unwanted.”// The siblings had a fraught relationship.// The paper was poorly researched and fraught with errors.See the entry > Examples:...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 21, 2026 is: lacuna • \luh-KOO-nuh\ • noun Lacuna is a formal word that refers to a gap or blank space in something—in other words, a missing part. When used with respect to biology, lacuna also refers to a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure.// The absence of hemlock pollen from one stretch of the fossil record is a notable...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 20, 2026 is: cordial • \KOR-jul\ • adjective Cordial describes someone or something that is politely pleasant and friendly.// All the guests were assembled and given a cordial greeting by the host.See the entry > Examples: “The Burnside post office is a small one-­room wooden building profusely planted with flowers all around it. ... One enters a tiny...