Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 10, 2026 is:

loath • \LOHTH\  • adjective

A person who is loath to do something is unwilling or reluctant to do that thing.

// Proud of the company he had built, Henry was loath to admit that it was time to think about retiring.

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Examples:

“On these runs, I was loath to stop. I dreaded zebra crossings and the city-center pavements, and instead ran into the surrounding countryside, abandoning myself to the endless roads that seemed to be going nowhere.” — Madeline Po...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 9, 2026 is:

stigma • \STIG-muh\  • noun

Stigma refers to a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.

// The organization is animated by a commitment to challenging stigmas associated with the condition.

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Examples:

“The stigma surrounding workers of my generation is real—some depict us as burned-out, overworked employees who are difficult to manage and are merely looking for a paycheck while mapping out our exit strategy for retirement.” — Suzie Jimenez...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 8, 2026 is:

magnanimous • \mag-NAN-uh-mus\  • adjective

Magnanimous is a formal word that means “having or showing a generous and kind nature.”

// She was too magnanimous to resent the unkind words of those grousing about her winning the spelling bee.

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Examples:

“Think before you act or speak. Drive and walk carefully. Be magnanimous and forgiving if others make a boo-boo.” — Georgia Nicols, The Boston Globe, 27 Nov. 2025

Did you know?

When you see anima, animus, or a similar fo...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 7, 2026 is:

gist • \JIST\  • noun

Gist, which almost always appears in the phrase “the gist,” refers to the general or basic meaning of something written or said.

// I found the author’s grandiloquent style of writing intolerable, but I got the gist of the story.

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Examples:

“His daughter dismissed the film they were watching early on, [Tim] Allen explained, because she'd already got the gist of what was going to happen.” — Steven McIntosh, BBC, 1 June 2026

Did you kn...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 6, 2026 is:

inexorable • \i-NEK-suh-ruh-bul\  • adjective

Inexorable is a formal word used to describe something that cannot be stopped or changed.

// For some, the changing autumn foliage is a beautiful yet bittersweet reminder of the inexorable march of time.

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Examples:

“At the summer solstice, the Sun ‘stands still’—the meaning of the Latin solstice—and begins its progression back toward the south. Days shorten, shadows lengthen, and the cold and dreariness of winter return. Europeans across the entire continent have...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 5, 2026 is:

matriculate • \muh-TRIK-yuh-layt\  • verb

To matriculate is to enroll or be enrolled as a student, especially at a college or university.

// She matriculated at the Rhode Island School of Design and began classes in the fall.

// A spokesperson for the college said the school is expected to matriculate approximately 1,000 students for the fall semester.

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Examples:

"Fresh off the heels of graduation from high school, many rising freshmen are choosing to step off of the tread...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 4, 2026 is:

apiary • \AY-pee-air-ee\  • noun

Apiary refers to a place where bees are kept, and especially a collection of hives or colonies of bees kept for their honey.

// One of the best parts of having a beekeeper for a sister-in-law is getting fresh jars of local honey from the family apiary.

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Examples:

“The 70-year-old retiree from South Philadelphia ordinarily would avoid bees out of fear, but this spring she suited up for a study on therapeutic beekeeping at the...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 3, 2026 is:

recalcitrant • \rih-KAL-suh-trunt\  • adjective

Recalcitrant is a formal word typically used to describe someone who stubbornly refuses to obey rules or orders. Recalcitrant can also describe something that is difficult to manage or operate.

// The magazine, aimed at parents and caregivers of young children, will include the latest in child development science as well as practical information, like tricks for persuading even the most recalcitrant toddler to cooperate.

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Examples:

“One particularly recalcitrant driver … managed to rack up 29 speedin...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 2, 2026 is:

dissonant • \DISS-uh-nunt\  • adjective

Dissonant typically describes music that is not in harmony, or sounds and notes that clash. In non-music contexts, dissonant describes things that clash by not being in agreement or by not fitting well together.

// The guitarist struck a dissonant chord.

// The retrospective provided a sometimes dissonant journey through the artist's decades of work.

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Examples:

"Their disparate sonic elements form a dissonant but cohesive whole, wisps of trumpet and electronic woodwinds flash...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 1, 2026 is:

conscientious • \kahn-shee-EN-shus\  • adjective

Conscientious describes someone who is concerned with doing things correctly. It can be used as a synonym for both meticulous and careful.

// She has always been a conscientious worker committed to painstaking research.

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Examples:

“Earth-friendly, conscientious gardeners learn to slow down and pay attention not only to plants but to the many creatures that share the garden. ... The garden teaches us valuable lessons. It reminds us that balance is achieved not through sorting...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 31, 2026 is:

gumption • \GUMP-shun\  • noun

Gumption refers to courage and confidence.

// It took a lot of gumption to speak up for yourself like that.

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Examples:

"Fourth graders devise machines powered by rubber bands and 10-year-old ingenuity, some of the most creative thinking you'll ever witness. Wonders of nature and humanity coexist in these spaces. Behind all this is the gumption and bravery of teachers who set this up." — Adam Johnston, The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah), 13 May 2026

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 30, 2026 is:

illustrious • \ih-LUSS-tree-us\  • adjective

Illustrious describes a person or deed that is highly admired and respected.

// During the ceremony, the illustrious star of stage and screen was presented with a lifetime achievement award.

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Examples:

“Two of the most respected professors—an academic power couple—invited me to their home for dinner. I was flattered and excited. When we sat down at the table, my heart sank. The first dish they served was steak tartare. Raw beef, no matter h...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 29, 2026 is:

kith • \KITH\  • noun

Kith is an old-fashioned term that refers to familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives. It is often used in the phrase “kith and kin,” which means “friends and relatives.”

// Spending time with kith and kin at the end of the summer is the highlight of our year.

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Examples:

“One thing that you could usually count on was the loyalty of your kith and kin, your friends and family. But now it seems that the closeness o...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2026 is:

cogent • \KOH-junt\  • adjective

Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe. It is used as a synonym of convincing.

// At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center.

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Examples:

“The history of art reads here as one long, free verse poem-in-progress, gorgeous and absorbing. Even so, many of the most memorable moments come in the for...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 28, 2026 is:

cogent • \KOH-junt\  • adjective

Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe. It is used as a synonym of convincing.

// At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center.

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Examples:

“The history of art reads here as one long, free verse poem-in-progress, gorgeous and absorbing. Even so, many of the most memorable moments come in the for...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 27, 2026 is:

southpaw • \SOUTH-paw\  • noun

Southpaw is an informal word for someone who is left-handed. It is especially used for a left-handed baseball pitcher or boxer.

// The team’s new pitcher is a southpaw with a wicked knuckleball.

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Examples:

“The Sox southpaw’s perfect game bid ended when the Yankees loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth …” — Gabrielle Starr, The Boston Herald, 7 June 2026

Did you know?

Sandy Koufax, Lefty Grove, Whitey Ford—there...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 26, 2026 is:

devolve • \dih-VAHLV\  • verb

To devolve is to gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state, or to pass something, such as responsibility or power, from one person or group to another at a lower level of authority.

// Somehow the debate devolved into a petty competition to see who could get more applause.

// Community leaders hope that the new government will devolve more power to the community itself.

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Examples:

“He accused board m...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2026 is:

tilde • \TIL-duh\  • noun

Tilde refers to the mark ~ placed especially over the letter n (as in the Spanish señor, meaning "sir") to denote the sound \nʸ\, or over vowels (as in the Portuguese irmã, meaning "sister") to indicate nasality. When a tilde appears as an independent character, it usually means "approximately" (as in "we'll be there in ~ 30 minutes").

// A familiar example of the tilde appears in the name of the Brazilian city São Paulo.

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Examples:
...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 25, 2026 is:

tilde • \TIL-duh\  • noun

Tilde refers to the mark ~ placed especially over the letter n (as in the Spanish señor, meaning "sir") to denote the sound \nʸ\, or over vowels (as in the Portuguese irmã, meaning "sister") to indicate nasality. When a tilde appears as an independent character, it usually means "approximately" (as in "we'll be there in ~ 30 minutes").

// A familiar example of the tilde appears in the name of Brazil's capital city, São Paulo.

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Examples:
...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 24, 2026 is:

expeditious • \ek-spuh-DISH-us\  • adjective

Expeditious is a formal word that is used to describe someone acting in a quick and efficient way, or something done in such a manner.

// Both sides hoped for an expeditious resolution of the dispute.

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Examples:

“Inspectors were on campus Friday afternoon with a certified arborist to determine which trees are protected and the extent to which any damage or removals have occurred, according to the city. ‘The City is prepared to conduct t...

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 23, 2026 is:

prowess • \PROW-us\  • noun

Prowess refers to someone’s great ability, skill, or talent for something specified, as in “the pop star's vocal prowess” or “a lawyer of great prowess.”

// Already a proven virtuoso on guitar, she extends her considerable instrumental prowess to the piano throughout her new album as well.

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Examples:

“On another Friday ... I led a nature writing workshop at the library’s Fowler branch. ... I had everyone draw a map of a place they loved and popula...