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Words Matter

Webster's Dictionary of 1864

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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play video websters video of 1864
Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'?

 

How 'literally' can mean "figuratively"

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Is It 'Hanger' or 'Hangar'?

 

How to remember which is which

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'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'?

 

We're intent on clearing it up

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Literally

 

A word that (literally) drives people nuts

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Its vs. It's

 

Some practical guidance, and interesting history, about a common mistake.

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Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

Games & Quizzes

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Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A crossword with a twist
winning words from the national spelling bee logo
Spelling Bee Quiz Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...