Wordplay

Arts & Culture

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Our maraca shake brings all the hautbois to the yard

Pop Rhetoric: Our Favorites

Rhetorical devices in pop songs

If You Like to Complain About 'Decimate'...

You'll love to hate these other words!

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Here's how all this nonsense started

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

Look what you made us do

The Words of the Week - Nov. 29

Lookups from politics, poultry, and Thanksgiving

12 Words and Phrases for Romantic Relationships

This list warms the cockles of our hearts

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

Let's blame the British

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

We know you're going to look these up

Top Banana, Kingpin, and Other Nicknames for Important People

Big wigs, big enchiladas, and big shots

What Does 'Eighty-Six' Mean?

We won't refuse you service

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

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

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

The answer to one of life's big questions

Bait and Switch: 10 Misleading Words for Foods

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

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

24 down-home turns of phrase

Words We’re Watching: ‘Brat’

Lexicography is so brat.

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

Muggles welcome.

Word Icons

Legendary figures and the words that define them

The History of 'Wag the Dog'

Making a big show about it

The Hilarious History of 'OK'

English's most successful export

10 Words Conjuring Hell and the Devil

Going beyond the fire and brimstone

What exactly is a 'liberal'?

No one wants a 'servile arts' degree

15 Cheffy Words for Chefs (and Everyone Else)

Including 'cheffy'
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