Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16, 2018 is: tantalize \TAN-tuh-lyze\ verb : to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach Examples: "The scientist tantalized them with a radical theory about the foundation of the universe, which proposes that time and space fluctuate in a bubbly, unstable state known as 'quantum fo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2018 is: pugnacious \pug-NAY-shus\ adjective : having a quarrelsome or combative nature : truculent Examples: "In almost all the Orders, the males of some species, even of weak and delicate kinds, are known to be highly pugnacious; and some few are furnished with special weapons for fighting with their rivals." — Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man,187...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 14, 2018 is: defenestration \dee-fen-uh-STRAY-shun\ noun 1 : a throwing of a person or thing out of a window 2 : a usually swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office) Examples: Although defenestration may seem an appropriate response to an alarm clock set for too early an hour, the demise of the device does not change the hour of th...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2018 is: mantic \MAN-tik\ adjective : of or relating to the faculty of divination : prophetic Examples: The magician mesmerized the crowd with her sleight-of-hand tricks as well as her mantic predictions. "Like everyone else, I was in awe of her mantic abilities, and I think she looked upon my storytelling endeavors with indulgence, having known both...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 12, 2018 is: epithet \EP-uh-thet\ noun 1 : a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing 2 : a disparaging or abusive word or phrase 3 : the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus Examples: The school's policy makes it clear that derogatory epithets will not be tolerated...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 11, 2018 is: abrogate \AB-ruh-gayt\ verb 1 : to abolish by authoritative action : annul 2 : to treat as nonexistent Examples: "U.S. deterrence in the Taiwan Strait used to resemble U.S. deterrence elsewhere: Washington had a formal alliance with the Republic of China and stationed troops in Taiwan. But the United States abrogated the alliance treaty when...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 10, 2018 is: roseate \ROH-zee-ut\ adjective 1 : resembling a rose especially in color 2 : overly optimistic : viewed favorably Examples: "Sometimes mistaken for a flamingo, the roseate spoonbill has lots of pink shades that can fool you." — Lyle Johnson, The Gonzales Weekly Citizen (Ascension, Louisiana), 26 Apr. 2018 "… the Catalan channels, richly funde...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2018 is: shenanigan \shuh-NAN-ih-gun\ noun 1 : a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose 2 a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct — usually used in plural b : high-spirited or mischievous activity — usually used in plural Examples: The CEO resigned amid accusations of financial shenanigans and dubious deals. "And the protesters...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2018 is: whelm \WELM\ verb 1 : to turn (something, such as a dish or vessel) upside down usually to cover something : to cover or engulf completely with usually disastrous effect 2 : to overcome in thought or feeling : overwhelm 3 : to pass or go over something so as to bury or submerge it Examples: The hotel was adequate but we were far from whelmed b...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 7, 2018 is: boondoggle \BOON-dah-gul\ noun 1 : a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament 2 : a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft Examples: "It may be an urban legend that the Pentagon spent $600 on a hammer in the 1980s, but it's no secret that the Department of Defense has at times acqu...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 6, 2018 is: 1 : happening or existing without the knowledge of someone specified — usually used with to 2 : not known or not well-known : unknown Examples: "… Travis was the one who paid the bills—and he often used credit cards to cover them, unbeknownst to Vonnie." — Penny Wrenn, Forbes.com, 9 Oct. 2013 "… Senate Bill 15, approved unanimously by that Hou...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 5, 2018 is: fustigate \FUSS-tuh-gayt\ verb 1 : to beat with or as if with a short heavy club : cudgel 2 : to criticize severely Examples: Matthew was thoroughly ­fustigated for failing to reserve a table large enough to accommodate all of the visitors from the corporate main office. "Ontario Court Justice Charles Vaillancourt … fustigated them all, e...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 4, 2018 is: proficient \pruh-FISH-unt\ adjective : well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge Examples: "The audition process is intense. Rockettes must be proficient in ballet, tap, and jazz. Hundreds of women come to auditions and the line to get into Radio City Music Hall wraps around the building." — Melinda Farrell, USA Today, 1 Nov....

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 3, 2018 is: opportune \ah-per-TOON\ adjective 1 : suitable or convenient for a particular occurrence 2 : occurring at an appropriate time Examples: Kristin seized upon the first opportune moment to approach her boss about a raise. "We believe that the recent momentum and widespread recognition the concept has received makes it an opportune time to introdu...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 2, 2018 is: ingenue \AN-juh-noo\ noun 1 : a naive girl or young woman 2 : the stage role of an ingenue; also : an actress playing such a role Examples: "Aberra, a native of Ethiopia, helped to change the way that women presented themselves on their wedding day. She recognized that not all women wanted to promenade down the aisle looking like a Disney prin...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 1, 2018 is: mise-en-scène \meez-ahn-SEN\ noun 1 a : the arrangement of actors and scenery on a stage for a theatrical production b : stage setting 2 a : the physical setting of an action (as of a narrative or a motion picture) : context b : environment, milieu Examples: "For the night of his election last May …, he arranged a dramatic mise-en-scène: while...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 31, 2018 is: chastise \chass-TYZE\ verb 1 : to censure severely : castigate 2 : to inflict punishment on (as by whipping) Examples: The boss eventually had to chastise certain employees for being consistently late. "Strikingly, each time the company encounters another privacy outcry, its initial response is not to own up to the situation, explain, apologiz...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 30, 2018 is: indigence \IN-dih-junss\ noun : a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking Examples: "But how do the poor minority fare? Perhaps it will be found that just in proportion as some have been placed in outward circumstances above the savage, others have been degraded below him. Th...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 29, 2018 is: flummox \FLUM-uks\ verb : confuse Examples: "A computer glitch at the IRS knocked offline the agency's ability to process many tax returns filed electronically, a stunning breakdown that left agency officials flummoxed and millions of Americans bewildered." — Jeff Stein, Damian Paletta, and Mike DeBonis, The Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2018 "The...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 28, 2018 is: sacrosanct \SAK-roh-sankt\ adjective 1 : most sacred or holy : inviolable 2 : treated as if holy : immune from criticism or violation Examples: "Cowperwood's private office … was a solid cherry-wood box in which he could shut himself completely—sight-proof, sound-proof. When the door was closed it was sacrosanct." — Theodore Dreiser, The Titan...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 27, 2018 is: arrogate \AIR-uh-gayt\ verb 1 a : to claim or seize without justification b : to make undue claims to having : assume 2 : to claim on behalf of another : ascribe Examples: The city council has accused the mayor of arrogating decision-making authority to himself that rightly belongs with the council. "Teenage girls rule in the tart but sweet ne...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 26, 2018 is: riposte \rih-POHST\ noun 1 : a fencer's quick return thrust following a parry 2 : a retaliatory verbal sally : retort 3 : a retaliatory maneuver or measure Examples: "A riposte to the stuffy awards shows in music-industry centers like Los Angeles and New York, the impetus behind the Bay Area Music Awards was to play it fast, loose and irrevere...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 25, 2018 is: homogeneous \hoh-muh-JEEN-yus\ adjective 1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature 2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout Examples: Stir in the flour, water, eggs, and sugar until it all blends together into one homogeneous mixture. "The new makeovers also are being tailored to a store's community. That's a shift from the former...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 24, 2018 is: cajole \kuh-JOHL\ verb 1 a : to persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance : coax b : to obtain from someone by gentle persuasion 2 : to deceive with soothing words or false promises Examples: "Wertheim and the 60 Minutes crew were only permitted into the building's circular library, despite an attempt to cajo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 23, 2018 is: petard \puh-TAHRD\ noun 1 : a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall 2 : a firework that explodes with a loud report Examples: "The metal walls of the narrow corridor would scatter ricochets and shrapnel in every direction, and any intact panels of reflex armor would ignite grenades and petards in counterfir...