Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2026 is: hale • \HAIL\ • adjective Someone described as hale is in good and often exceptional health. Hale is commonly used in the phrase "hale and hearty."// Their mother remains hale and hearty in her old age.See the entry > Examples: "Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell star [in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes] as two vivacious all-American...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 12, 2026 is: blandishment • \BLAN-dish-munt\ • noun Blandishments are nice things that you say or do to convince someone to do something. Blandishment is usually used in the plural form. // Despite the many blandishments of the dressing room attendant, we were resolved not to overspend at the fashion boutique.See the entry > Examples: “… he sought to...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 11, 2026 is: saturnine • \SAT-er-nyne\ • adjective Saturnine is a literary word that typically describes people who are glum and grumpy, or things that suggest or express gloom. It can also mean “slow to act or change.” // A walk in the sunshine can improve your mood significantly, raising the spirits of even the most saturnine among us.See the entry...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2026 is: foible • \FOY-bul\ • noun Foibles are minor flaws or shortcomings in someone's character or behavior. In fencing, foible refers to the weakest part of a sword's blade, between the middle and point.// You have to be able to laugh at your own foibles.See the entry > Examples: "The British sketch comedy troupe Monty Python loved taking aim...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2026 is: deleterious • \del-uh-TEER-ee-us\ • adjective Deleterious is a word used in formal speech and writing to describe something that is damaging or harmful, usually in a subtle or unexpected way.// Though effective at keeping pests away from plants, the spray is no longer used because of its deleterious effects on the respiratory system. See the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2026 is: accoutrement • \uh-KOO-truh-munt\ • noun An accoutrement is a piece of clothing or equipment that is used in a particular place or for a particular activity. In military contexts, accoutrement refers specifically to a soldier's outfit. The word can also refer to an identifying and often superficial characteristic or device. Accoutrement in...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 7, 2026 is: MacGyver • \muh-GHYE-ver\ • verb To MacGyver something is to make, form, or repair it with materials that are conveniently on hand.// Social media websites are full of videos that show people MacGyvering everything from a life jacket out of a pair of pants to a stove using three metal cans and some dirt. See the entry > Examples: “Maybe...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 6, 2026 is: valedictory • \val-uh-DIK-tuh-ree\ • adjective Valedictory describes something expressing or containing a farewell.// The valedictory speech given by the department chair moved several faculty members to tears. See the entry > Examples: “Did I regret not catching a retrospective showing of ‘Little Miss Sunshine,’ in a special valedictory...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 5, 2026 is: interloper • \in-ter-LOH-per\ • noun An interloper is a person who intrudes in a place or sphere of activity; they are not wanted or welcome by the other people present.// Summer residents were regarded as interlopers who lacked a commitment to the town's welfare.See the entry > Examples: "... my garden is wildlife friendly, sometimes too...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 4, 2026 is: redolent • \RED-uh-lunt\ • adjective As a synonym of aromatic, the word redolent can describe something that has a noticeable smell without specifying the scent, but more often it is accompanied by of or with and means “full of a specified fragrance,” as in “redolent with incense.” Redolent can also describe something that causes thoughts or...