Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 13, 2026 is: shofar • \SHOH-far\ • noun A shofar is the horn of an animal (usually a ram) blown as a trumpet by the ancient Hebrews in battle and during religious observances. It is used in modern Judaism especially during Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur.// As a child, Eli’s favorite part of the High Holidays was the sounding of the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 12, 2026 is: hobnob • \HAHB-nahb\ • verb To hobnob is to socialize with others, especially with people of high social status.// A great deal can be learned about the entertainment industry by hobnobbing with folks at film festivals.See the entry > Examples: “My whole attitude has been—because all I care about is the music—I don’t need to make the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 11, 2026 is: patina • \puh-TEE-nuh\ • noun A patina is a usually green film that forms on copper and bronze that is exposed to moist air for an extended time. The word patina can also refer to a shiny or dark surface that over time forms naturally on something (such as wood or leather), or to a literal or figurative thin layer.// The town erected a...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 10, 2026 is: loath • \LOHTH\ • adjective A person who is loath to do something is unwilling or reluctant to do that thing. // Proud of the company he had built, Henry was loath to admit that it was time to think about retiring.See the entry > Examples: “On these runs, I was loath to stop. I dreaded zebra crossings and the city-center pavements,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 9, 2026 is: stigma • \STIG-muh\ • noun Stigma refers to a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.// The organization is animated by a commitment to challenging stigmas associated with the condition.See the entry > Examples: “The stigma surrounding workers of my generation is real—some...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 8, 2026 is: magnanimous • \mag-NAN-uh-mus\ • adjective Magnanimous is a formal word that means “having or showing a generous and kind nature.”// She was too magnanimous to resent the unkind words of those grousing about her winning the spelling bee. See the entry > Examples: “Think before you act or speak. Drive and walk carefully. Be magnanimous...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 7, 2026 is: gist • \JIST\ • noun Gist, which almost always appears in the phrase “the gist,” refers to the general or basic meaning of something written or said.// I found the author’s grandiloquent style of writing intolerable, but I got the gist of the story. See the entry > Examples: “His daughter dismissed the film they were watching early...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 6, 2026 is: inexorable • \i-NEK-suh-ruh-bul\ • adjective Inexorable is a formal word used to describe something that cannot be stopped or changed.// For some, the changing autumn foliage is a beautiful yet bittersweet reminder of the inexorable march of time. See the entry > Examples: “At the summer solstice, the Sun ‘stands still’—the meaning of...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2026 is: matriculate • \muh-TRIK-yuh-layt\ • verb To matriculate is to enroll or be enrolled as a student, especially at a college or university.// She matriculated at the Rhode Island School of Design and began classes in the fall.// A spokesperson for the college said the school is expected to matriculate approximately 1,000 students for the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 4, 2026 is: apiary • \AY-pee-air-ee\ • noun Apiary refers to a place where bees are kept, and especially a collection of hives or colonies of bees kept for their honey. // One of the best parts of having a beekeeper for a sister-in-law is getting fresh jars of local honey from the family apiary. See the entry > Examples: “The 70-year-old retiree...