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video 20014 word of the year
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 serial comma
The Serial Comma Explained

 

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

play peter-sokolowski-indict-graphic
Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

play video ending a sentence with a preposition
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

play merriam-webster eggcorns title page
What Is an Eggcorn?

 

And how did it get that name?

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
spelunker-silhouette
People of Interest Quiz Can you tell the "sommeliers" from the "spelunkers"?
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