Username Policy
Your username is the unique name that you use to identify yourself on M-W. When you register, you should choose a username that you like and will remember, but keep in mind that M-W usernames:
- Can't be obscene or profane;
- Can't contain an email address or web address (URL), or the words Merriam-Webster or M-W;
- Must be at least 3 characters long; and
- Can't contain a third party's trademark or brand
You also must follow the following formatting guidelines when creating your username:
Allowed - Usernames can contain:
- Letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and some symbols;
- An element of an email address or web address (URL) that identifies you or your brand. For example, if your website is www.mikes_bikes.com, your username can be mikes_bikes.
Not allowed - Usernames can't contain:
- The @, &, ', (, ), <, or > character;
- Spaces or tabs;
- Elements that imply an email address or web address (for example, xyz.com), including but not limited to .com, .net, .org, .edu or any variation of such (for example, _com or -com);
- Consecutive underscores __;
- An underscore _, hyphen -, or period . at the beginning of a username (for example, -pezcollector);
- The words Merriam-Webster or letters M-W (only M-W employees can use the words Merriam-Webster or letters M-W in their usernames);
- Obscene or profane words;
- A term that is similar to, or might be confused with, a third party's trademark or brand (for example, BritannicaWords).
Make sure you follow these guidelines. If you don't, you may be subject to a range of actions, including suspension of your account.
If you see a username on the site that you think violates this policy, report it. If you're having trouble signing in to M-W or can't remember your username or password, get help.
Why does M-W have this policy?
We want all our users to choose a username they like, but we don't allow users to choose a username that might be offensive to others, might violate a copyright or trademark, or might mislead or confuse other users.
