Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 28, 2026 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\ • adjective Something described as congruous is in agreement, harmony, or correspondence with something else. Congruous can also describe something that is appropriate for a particular circumstance or requirement, or a thing that is marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among its constituent elements.//...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 27, 2026 is: nettle • \NET-ul\ • verb To nettle someone is to make them angry or annoyed.// Though he tried to maintain a friendly tone, the town official was clearly nettled by the reporter's suggestion that the town was at fault.See the entry > Examples: "I can't help but be reminded of an idiom that irked me no end during times of familial...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 26, 2026 is: knackered • \NAK-erd\ • adjective Knackered is an adjective mostly used informally in British English to mean “very tired or exhausted.” // Unfortunately, I was too knackered after work to join them for dinner. See the entry > Examples: “‘How are you doing?’ ‘Yeah, good thanks... just tired.’ I don’t know about you, but it feels like...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 25, 2026 is: onomatopoeia • \ah-nuh-mah-tuh-PEE-uh\ • noun Onomatopoeia refers to the creation of words that imitate natural sounds. It can also refer to the words themselves, such as buzz and hiss.// The author’s clever use of onomatopoeia delights children especially. See the entry > Examples: “As they began to slurp, columns of noodles steadily...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 24, 2026 is: umpteen • \UMP-teen\ • adjective Umpteen is an informal adjective meaning "very many" or "indefinitely numerous."// The artist has painted the same subject umpteen times, yet each piece has its own unique quality.See the entry > Examples: "The life of a showgirl often includes umpteen costume changes, elaborate props and copious...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 23, 2026 is: culminate • \KUL-muh-nayt\ • verb To culminate is to reach the end or the final result of something. Culminate is usually used with in or with. // Their efforts have culminated in the discovery of a new treatment.See the entry > Examples: “The grand emotions of these cartoons-come-to-life culminate in huge song and dance numbers, the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 22, 2026 is: foray • \FOR-ay\ • noun A foray is an initial and often hesitant attempt to do something in a new or different field or area of activity, as in “the novelist’s foray into nonfiction.” In martial contexts, foray means “a sudden or irregular invasion or attack for war or spoils.” // The professional wrestler’s surprise foray into ballet...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 21, 2026 is: laconic • \luh-KAH-nik\ • adjective Laconic describes someone or something communicating with few words. Laconic can more narrowly mean "concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious." // The stand-up comedian is known for his laconic wit and mastery of the one-liner.See the entry > Examples: "Elijah did not enjoy all my choices....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 20, 2026 is: encapsulate • \in-KAP-suh-layt\ • verb Encapsulate literally means “to enclose in or as if in a capsule,” but the word is more often used figuratively as a synonym of summarize, to talk about showing or expressing a main idea or quality in a brief way.// Can you encapsulate the speech in a single paragraph?// The first song encapsulates...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 19, 2026 is: syllogism • \SIL-uh-jiz-um\ • noun Syllogism refers to a formal argument in logic that is formed by two statements and a conclusion which must be true if the two statements are true.// An example of a syllogism is “All men are mortal; no gods are mortal; therefore no men are gods.”See the entry > Examples: “The Dallas area was a...