Wordplay

Arts & Culture (page 2)

What exactly is a 'liberal'?

No one wants a 'servile arts' degree

15 Cheffy Words for Chefs (and Everyone Else)

Including 'cheffy'

2024 Word of the Year: Polarization

Merriam-Webster's 2024 Word of the Year is 'Polarization'

Words We’re Watching: ‘Brat’

Lexicography is so brat.

Word Icons

Legendary figures and the words that define them

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups

We know you're going to look these up

Merriam-Webster's Short List of Gender and Identity Terms

In case you (or someone you know) has questions about what they mean

7 Words from Political Scandals

Behind the smoke-filled rooms

Top Banana, Kingpin, and Other Nicknames for Important People

Big wigs, big enchiladas, and big shots

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

24 down-home turns of phrase

10 Phrases from Shakespeare

Where the "wild goose chase" comes from

11 Words Used to Great Effect by Edgar Allan Poe

The Vocabulary in the Rue Morgue

The History of 'Wag the Dog'

Making a big show about it

The Left Hand of (Supposed) Darkness

It depends on what side you're coming from.

12 Words and Phrases for Romantic Relationships

This list warms the cockles of our hearts

The Hilarious History of 'OK'

English's most successful export

Has ‘supper’ always meant ‘dinner?'

Your grandmother might answer differently.

10 Words Conjuring Hell and the Devil

Going beyond the fire and brimstone

Why do we park in the driveway and drive on the parkway?

The answer to one of life's big questions

'Dumbledore', 'Hippogriff', and 11 More Real Words from Harry Potter

Muggles welcome.

Where Does the Expression 'Throw Someone Under the Bus' Come From?

Let's blame the British

Bait and Switch: 10 Misleading Words for Foods

There's a reason 'mountain oysters' aren't on the seafood menu, friend

The Words of the Week - May 2

Lookups from the courts, Canada, and Amphibia

The Words of the Week - Apr. 25

Lookups from social media, deep space, and the Vatican

The Words of the Week - Apr. 18

Lookups from law, the economy, and the edge of space

The Words of the Week - Apr. 11

Lookups from Wall Street, Main Street, and politics

The Words of the Week - Apr. 4

Lookups from France, the Senate, and Saturday Night Live

The Words of the Week - Mar. 28

Lookups from politics and government

The Words of the Week - Mar. 21

Lookups from weather, government, and St. Patrick’s Day

The Words of the Week - Mar. 14

Lookups from the federal government, the North Sea, and the New York Times

The Words of the Week - Mar. 7

Lookups from New Orleans and Washington D.C.

The Words of the Week - Feb. 28

Lookups from Washington D.C., Munich, and the East River

The Words of the Week - Feb. 21

Lookups from Black History Month, quantum mechanics, and SNL

The Words of the Week - Feb. 14

Lookups from the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, and Galentine’s Day

The Words of the Week - Feb. 7

Lookups from the trade wars, the Grammy Awards, and the high seas

The Words of the Week - Jan. 31

Lookups from sports, politics, and seismology

The Words of the Week - Jan. 24

Lookups from Washington D.C.

The Words of the Week - Jan. 17

Lookups from Capitol Hill, the White House, and California

The Words of the Week - Jan. 10

Lookups from Washington D.C., California, and Winter Storm Blair

The Words of the Week - Jan. 3

Lookups from Georgia, New Orleans, and the new year

The Words of the Week - Dec. 27

Lookups from the White House, Congress, and the holidays

The Words of the Week - Dec. 20

Lookups from law, television, and yuletide

The Words of the Week - Dec. 13

Lookups from Altoona, Washington D.C., and the beach

The Words of the Week - Dec. 6

Lookups from California, South Korea, and the Pleistocene

The Words of the Week - Nov. 29

Lookups from politics, poultry, and Thanksgiving

The Words of the Week - Nov. 22

Lookups from politics, weather, and the dairy aisle

The Words of the Week - Nov. 15

Lookups from politics, cinema, and Uranus

The Words of the Week - Nov. 8

Lookups from the 2024 election

The Words of the Week - November 1

Lookups from a cheese shop, Halloween, and a box of rain

The Words of the Week - October 25

Lookups from the election, Newfoundland, and the frozen foods aisle

The Words of the Week - October 18

Lookups from the election, the night sky, and Indigenous Peoples' Day

The Words of the Week - October 11

Lookups from the Supreme Court, Sweden, and the Florida coast

The Words of the Week - October 4

Lookups from the VP debate, Earth’s orbit, and your smartphone

The Words of the Week - September 27

Lookups from the U.N., deep space, and a zoo in Thailand

The Words of the Week - September 20

Lookups from the courtroom, the campaign trail, and the Carolinas

The Words of the Week - September 13

Lookups from the debate, the forest, and the snack food aisle

The Words of the Week - September 6

Lookups from the thermosphere, the calendar, and the Justice Department

The Words of the Week - August 30

Lookups from weather, law, and Britpop

The Words of the Week - August 23

Lookups from Chicago, Philadelphia, and Australia

The Words of the Week - August 16

Lookups from the sky, TikTok, and your favorite coffee shop

The Words of the Week - August 9

Lookups from Central Park, Paris, and federal court

The Words of the Week - August 2

Lookups from politics, the Olympics, and fast-casual restaurants

The Words of the Week - July 26

Lookups from the presidential campaign, pop music, and reality television

The Words of the Week - July 19

Lookups from the sun, the troposphere, and the dog days of summer

The Words of the Week - July 12

Lookups from Texas, France, and the recliner

The Words of the Week - July 5

Lookups from politics, national holidays, and summer

The Words of the Week - June 28

Lookups from social media, politics, and Oklahoma

The Words of the Week - June 21

Lookups from Juneteenth, the fourth estate, and the law

The Words of the Week - June 14

Lookups from cricket, basketball, and politics

The Words of the Week - June 7

Lookups from World War II, the justice system, and Europe

The Words of the Week - May 31

Lookups from politics, the Supreme Court, and baseball

The Words of the Week - May 24

Lookups from court, politics, and the Middle East

The Words of the Week - May 17

Lookups from the sea, the courts, and Europe

The Words of the Week - May 10

Lookups from technology, the courts, and the brain

The Words of the Week - May 3

Lookups from court, college, and culture

The Words of the Week - Apr. 26

Lookups from Portugal, religion, and the law

The Words of the Week - Apr. 19

Lookups from sports, politics, and the arts

The Words of the Week - Apr. 12

Lookups from the eclipse, religion, and the world of celebrity

The Words of the Week - Apr. 5

Lookups from politics, celestial bodies, and the law

The Words of the Week - Mar. 29

Lookups from the law, politics, and Easter

The Words of the Week - Mar. 22

Lookups from politics, the seasons, and Saint Patrick's Day

The Words of the Week - Mar. 15

Lookups from the worlds of math, the British royal family, and the legal system

The Words of the Week - Mar. 8

Lookups from politics, political figures, and political events

The Words of the Week - Mar. 1

Lookups from the calendar, the arts, and the English language

The Words of the Week - Feb. 23

Lookups from politics, Alabama, and United States history

The Words of the Week - Feb. 16

Lookups from politics, holidays, and Samuel Johnson

The Words of the Week - Feb. 9

Lookups from California, sports, and the economy

The Words of the Week - Feb. 2

Lookups from social media, politics, and football

The Words of the Week - Jan. 26

Lookups from politics, entertainment, and Robert Burns

The Words of the Week - Jan. 19

Lookups from entertainment, politics, and publishing

The Words of the Week - Jan. 12

Lookups from the presidential race, the justice system, and the coming of the Magi

The Words of the Week - Jan. 5

Lookups from Europe, higher education, and the new year

The Words of the Week - Dec. 29

Lookups from the holidays, the economy, and environmentalism

The Words of the Week - Dec. 22

Lookups from the calendar, the holidays, and NFT theft

Archaic Words We Know from Christmas Songs

You only need to know these words for one month out of the year

The Words of the Week - Dec. 15

Lookups from late night television, higher education, and the law

The Words of the Week - Dec. 8

Lookups from the Supreme Court, Congress, and the atmosphere

The Words of the Week - Dec. 1

Lookups from Parliament, international relations, and advertising

Word of the Year 2023

Merriam-Webster's 2023 Word of the Year is 'Authentic'

The Words of the Week - Nov. 24

Lookups from the holidays, the Middle East, and presidential history

The Words of the Week - Nov. 17

Lookups from politics, the Middle East, and international relations

The Words of the Week - Nov. 10

Lookups from publishing, politics, and the clock

The Words of the Week - Nov. 3

Dictionary lookups from politics, New York, and volcanology

The Words of the Week - Oct. 27

Lookups from Maine, congress, and sports

The Words of the Week - Oct. 20

Lookups from the House of Representatives, federal court, and the New York Times word games section

The Words of the Week - Oct. 13

Lookups from politics, the celestial skies, and brunch

The Words of the Week - Oct. 6

Lookups from medicine, politics, and conspiracy theories

The Words of the Week - Sept. 29

Lookups from the Republican debates, the picket lines, and the armed services
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