Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 18, 2026 is: acquiesce • \ak-wee-ESS\ • verb To acquiesce to something is to accept it, agree with it, or allow it to happen by staying silent or by not arguing. Acquiesce is somewhat formal, and is often used with in or to.// Eventually, the professor acquiesced to the students’ request to have the seminar’s final class be a potluck lunch.See the entry...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 17, 2026 is: wifty • \WIF-tee\ • adjective Wifty, a synonym of ditzy, describes something or someone eccentrically silly or scatterbrained. // The play features a wifty character who starts out blissfully unaware of the conflict driving the plot but ultimately pulls it together to save the day.See the entry > Examples: “When he dreams, he dreams about...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16, 2026 is: gamut • \GAM-ut\ • noun A gamut is a range or series of related things. When we say that something “runs the gamut,” we are saying that it encompasses an entire range of related things.// The flea market offerings run the gamut with a wide array of vendors each offering something unique.See the entry > Examples: “... she brings a certain...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2026 is: tenuous • \TEN-yoo-us\ • adjective Something described as tenuous is flimsy, weak, or uncertain. // The theater had a tenuous existence for years, but today is on much more solid financial footing.See the entry > Examples: “While more non-screen-based interactive technology could be an antidote to our screen-obsessed society, it’s an...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 14, 2026 is: emblazon • \im-BLAY-zun\ • verb To emblazon something is to decorate its surface, usually with a name, slogan, or picture. // Her favorite souvenir from her trip to the Grand Canyon was a t-shirt emblazoned with a rosy sunset over the famous chasm.See the entry > Examples: “Later that week we were boarding our flight with the painting...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2026 is: hale • \HAIL\ • adjective Someone described as hale is in good and often exceptional health. Hale is commonly used in the phrase "hale and hearty."// Their mother remains hale and hearty in her old age.See the entry > Examples: "Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell star [in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes] as two vivacious all-American...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 12, 2026 is: blandishment • \BLAN-dish-munt\ • noun Blandishments are nice things that you say or do to convince someone to do something. Blandishment is usually used in the plural form. // Despite the many blandishments of the dressing room attendant, we were resolved not to overspend at the fashion boutique.See the entry > Examples: “… he sought to...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 11, 2026 is: saturnine • \SAT-er-nyne\ • adjective Saturnine is a literary word that typically describes people who are glum and grumpy, or things that suggest or express gloom. It can also mean “slow to act or change.” // A walk in the sunshine can improve your mood significantly, raising the spirits of even the most saturnine among us.See the entry...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2026 is: foible • \FOY-bul\ • noun Foibles are minor flaws or shortcomings in someone's character or behavior. In fencing, foible refers to the weakest part of a sword's blade, between the middle and point.// You have to be able to laugh at your own foibles.See the entry > Examples: "The British sketch comedy troupe Monty Python loved taking aim...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2026 is: deleterious • \del-uh-TEER-ee-us\ • adjective Deleterious is a word used in formal speech and writing to describe something that is damaging or harmful, usually in a subtle or unexpected way.// Though effective at keeping pests away from plants, the spray is no longer used because of its deleterious effects on the respiratory system. See the...