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Words of the Year

2014 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

The inside scoop behind our 2014 Word of the Year selections.

The inside scoop behind our 2014 Word of the Year selections.

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play video 20014 word of the year
2014 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

 

The inside scoop behind our 2014 Word of the Year selections.

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

play video ghost words
How a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck into the dictionary

play video ie vs eg
i.e. vs. e.g.

 

Often used, often confused. Here's some guidance and insight.

play backward index mystery
The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

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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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
puzzle-piece-road
Missing Link Quiz February 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
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