Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 23, 2026 is: asunder • \uh-SUN-der\ • adverb or adjective Asunder is most often used as an adverb—often with a verb such as tear or rip—to mean "apart" or "into pieces." It is more rarely used as an adjective meaning "apart from each other," as in "standing with legs wide asunder."// The park was torn asunder by yesterday's microburst, and many of its...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 22, 2026 is: vocation • \voh-KAY-shun\ • noun Vocation can refer simply to an occupation, or it can refer to a strong calling to pursue a particular kind of work or course of action. // Since he was a teenager, he knew that he would find his vocation in marine biology.// She is headed to medical school to pursue her vocation as a doctor.See the entry...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 21, 2026 is: jilt • \JILT\ • verb To jilt someone is usually to abruptly end a romantic relationship with them. Jilt is also applied to various kinds of abrupt rejection. // The novel begins with the hero, having just been jilted by his fiancée, setting off to hike the Appalachian Trail.See the entry > Examples: “The set suggests Miss Havisham’s...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 20, 2026 is: compunction • \kum-PUNK-shun\ • noun Compunction refers to a feeling of misgiving, that is, doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event. It can also refer to a feeling of guilt or regret. The word is typically used in negative constructions.// We moved ahead with the plans without compunction.// They felt no compunctions about...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 19, 2026 is: fervid • \FER-vid\ • adjective Fervid is used to describe people or things that express or are expressive of strong feelings.// The core of the book is the fervid letters the friends exchanged during the years they were apart.See the entry > Examples: “Fervid superfans of high-profile groups often pore over members’ appearances,...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 18, 2026 is: bon vivant • \bahn-vee-VAHNT\ • noun A bon vivant is a sociable person who has refined tastes especially with respect to food and drink.// She has become something of a bon vivant since moving to Paris, going out most nights and delighting in the city's many restaurants. See the entry > Examples: “The vineyard is named for the exiled...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 17, 2026 is: syncretic • \sin-KRET-ik\ • adjective Syncretic describes things that are characterized or brought about by a combination of different forms of belief or practice.// We were raised with a syncretic religion that combined practices from various faiths. See the entry > Examples: "Traditional medicine, wellness rituals, and spiritual...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 16, 2026 is: zenith • \ZEE-nith\ • noun Zenith refers to the strongest or most successful period of time for a person or thing.// At its zenith in the 1980s, the company employed more than 300 people.See the entry > Examples: “The opening 40 minutes of Trần Anh Hùng’s dreamy romance set in the 1889 French countryside are the zenith of food...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 15, 2026 is: outlandish • \out-LAN-dish\ • adjective Outlandish can describe things that are strikingly strange or unusual; in this use, it’s a synonym of bizarre. Outlandish can also describe things, such as claims, rumors, and accusations, that go beyond reasonable limits or standards.// One of the author’s greatest strengths is her ability to write...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 14, 2026 is: deportment • \dih-PORT-munt\ • noun Deportment refers to the way in which one conducts oneself especially in a formal setting.// The new students were instructed in proper dress and deportment.See the entry > Examples: "The scholarship goes to a junior nursing student who has demonstrated 'academic achievement and abilities, promise as...