Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Latest Episodes:

gauntlet Nov 12, 2026

Show notes

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 12, 2026 is:

gauntlet \GAWNT-lut\ noun

Gauntlet originally referred to a double file of men facing each other and armed with clubs or other weapons with which to strike at an individual made to run between them. It later gained an expanded sense referring to a line, series, or assemblage of people or things that poses some sort of ordeal, as in “faced a gauntlet of opponents to get to the championship.”

// Salmon returning to their spawning grounds must make it past a gauntlet of predators, from eagles to otters to bears.

See the entry >

Examples:

“… I’m also a mother in my forties, which means daily life is a gauntlet of logistics: lunches, permission slips, orthodontist appointments, emotional squalls, school emails multiplying like fruit flies.” — Mira Ptacin, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2026

Did you know?

Gauntlet is often used today for a line, series, or assemblage of something that poses some sort of ordeal (as in “the celebs had to make it past a gauntlet of autograph-seekers”) but it originally referred to a trial of a particularly awful variety. In the not-so-golden days, a gauntlet was a military punishment in which a prisoner was made to pass between two rows of men armed with (and using) clubs or other weapons. The original word for the punishment in English was gantelope, from the Swedish gatlopp meaning, literally, “run down the lane.” Gantelope was a bit funny-sounding to the English ear, though, and through a process called folk etymology gantelope morphed into the already-familiar gauntlet. By the time gantelope had become gauntlet, an older gauntlet, referring to a protective glove worn with medieval armor, had been part of the language for about 200 years. (It comes from the Middle French word gantelet, a diminutive of gant, “glove.”)

valorous Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 11, 2026 is:

valorous \VAL-uh-russ\ adjective

Someone or something described as valorous is courageous or brave.

// For carrying three wounded members of his squadron out of harm's way, the lieutenant was presented with an award that recognized his valorous actions in the heat of battle.

See the entry >

Examples:

"... a Texas native who was awarded the Medal of Honor for valorous action during combat in Vietnam." — Melissa Renteria, The San Antonio (Texas) Express-News, 8 Mar. 2026

Did you know?

The English language has no shortage of synonyms for brave. In fact, it even has two different such words from the same Latin verb, valēre ("to be well, to have strength"): valiant and valorous. Valiant is the older of the pair, borrowed from the Anglo-French vaillant ("worthy, strong, courageous") in the 1300s. Valorous followed in the 1400s, a combination of valor ("strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness")—another valēre descendent—and the adjective suffix -ous. While the words can be used synonymously, valorous sometimes has an archaic or romantic ring, describing stout-hearted warriors of yore, while the more common word valiant often describes soldiers as well as general kinds of bravery or effort.

defer Nov 10, 2026

Show notes

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

defer \dih-FER\ verb

To defer something is to put it off or delay it, to choose to do it at a later time.

// We decided to defer the offer so that we could explore other options.

See the entry >

Examples:

“Amelie plans to defer college for a year to attempt a mostly solo thru-hike of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail.” — Justin Souza, Noozhawk (Santa Barbara, California), 24 Sept. 2026

Did you know?

There are two distinct words spelled defer in English, each with its own history and meaning. The defer having to do with allowing someone else to decide or choose something, or with agreeing to follow someone else’s decision, tradition, etc., (as in “deferred to his parents’ wishes”) comes from the Latin dēferre, meaning “to bring down, convey, transfer, submit.” The defer meaning “to put off or delay” comes from a different Latin verb, differre, which itself has several meanings, including two that resound in its English descendant: “to postpone” and “to delay.” Another meaning of differre is “to be unlike or distinct,” which makes apparent another of its descendants: differ, meaning “to be different.”

wabi-sabi Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

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

wabi-sabi \WAH-bee-SAH-bee\ noun

Wabi-sabi refers to a philosophy of Japanese origin that emphasizes the aesthetic value in imperfect, impermanent, and simple things. This word can also refer to the qualities of imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity considered as beautiful.

// Over the years, the gardener learned to let go of his perfectionism and embrace wabi-sabi.

See the entry >

Examples:

"Traditional Japanese homes often follow the philosophy of wabi-sabi, an appreciation for imperfection and asymmetry. If elements are flawed, worn out or unbalanced, rather than scrambling to fix them, the theory goes, it's better to not only accept but celebrate a place's peccadillos." — Robin Roberts, The Vancouver (British Columbia) Sun, 9 May 2026

Did you know?

Wabi-sabi followed a simple path to English: it was borrowed directly from Japanese in the early 1960s. The philosophy this word refers to, however, is much older. In the mid-16th century, Japanese tea master Sen Rikyū firmly established simple or unadorned beauty, known as wabi, and an aged appearance or rustic patina, known as sabi, as integral aesthetic elements of the ceramics used in tea ceremonies. A popular expression of wabi-sabi is seen in kintsugi, the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using a lacquer and metal powder (such as gold, silver, or platinum) to draw attention to, rather than hide, the repair. Kintsugi is another Japanese borrowing, from kin, meaning "gold" and tsugi, meaning "patch."

cockamamie Nov 08, 2026

Show notes

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

cockamamie \kah-kuh-MAY-mee\ adjective

Cockamamie describes something that is ridiculous, silly, or incredible.

// Instead of being honest, he came up with a cockamamie excuse about why he didn’t turn in his assignment.

See the entry >

Examples:

“As my wife and I plotted our annual family road trip, I made my pitch: A cemetery tour of the Midwest! It would be fun! … ‘It’s cemetery summer,’ I whispered and pumped my fist. A few days after my wife agreed to the plan, I found an even more willing audience for my cockamamie scheme.” — Will McGrath, The New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Did you know?

By the look and sound of it, cockamamie (also spelled cockamamy) could have something to do with a rooster and the outrageous sound it makes. But in fact, cockamamie is believed to be an altered form of the term decalcomania, which refers to the process, invented in the mid-19th century, of transferring pictures and designs from specially prepared paper to surfaces such as glass or porcelain. (The word referring to the picture or design itself, decal, is a shortening of decalcomania.) The word decalcomania comes from French, with décalcomanie combining the verb décalquer, meaning “to trace" or "to transfer by tracing,” and -manie, meaning “-mania.” Starting in the 1930s, painted strips of paper with images capable of being transferred to the skin were called decals or—in children’s slang—cockamamies. Those familiar with today’s temporary tattoos will understand quickly that these were regarded by many as silly novelties, lending the word cockamamie the necessary leeway for application to anything ridiculous.

abandon Nov 07, 2026

Show notes

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

abandon \uh-BAN-dun\ noun

Abandon refers to a feeling or attitude of wild or complete freedom.

// The two friends spent the work week looking forward to hitting the clubs together on Friday night and dancing with total abandon.

// After years of contemplating, he finally decided to make a career pivot and pursue his passion with reckless abandon.

See the entry >

Examples:

“That experience didn’t just provide her the freedom to fail; it pushed her to take risks with abandon and follow her instincts. Even if that movie wasn’t well-received, it was an ambitious project that she had an obvious passion for.” — Coleman Spilde, Salon, 5 July 2026

Did you know?

Given the familiarity of the verb abandon, you may associate the noun with the act of leaving and never returning. But despite being a relative newcomer to English, the noun abandon, with its more pleasant connotations of freedom, is likely here to stay. It only entered the English language in the early 1800s, as a borrowing from French that goes back to an Old French word meaning “surrender.” (English had borrowed the verb abandon centuries before from the French speakers living in medieval England.) Louisa May Alcott recognized the word’s utility; she used it of Jo in Little Women, writing that “when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon, and led a blissful life, unconscious of want, care, or bad weather ...”

quondam Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

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

quondam \KWAHN-dum\ adjective

Quondam is an adjective that means “former” or “sometime.”

// Many people were surprised to learn that the quondam professor has since become a dancer.

See the entry >

Examples:

“… quondam soccer legend David Beckham and his wife Victoria, formerly known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls …” — Alex Beam, The Boston Globe, 31 July 2026

Did you know?

Looking for an unusual and creative way to say “former”? Quondam (which came to English in the 16th century from Latin quondam, meaning “at one time” or “formerly”) certainly fits the bill. Or maybe you’d prefer whilom, ci-devant, or preterit. Or you could really go wild with umquhile, a word that is extremely rare even in its more natural Scots English setting. Quondam itself isn’t exactly ubiquitous, but it’s used more than any of the other words above. If you’re looking for something a bit more pedestrian, you might try erstwhile. Despite its wonderfully archaic flavor, erstwhile is a highly favored alternative.

effrontery Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

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

effrontery \ih-FRUN-tuh-ree\ noun

Effrontery is a formal word that refers to bold shamelessness, or in other words an attitude or way of behaving that is both confident and shocking or rude.

// Holly could not believe the sheer effrontery of the student who asked that her grade be changed even though she had completed little of the coursework.

See the entry >

Examples:

“Big Nose kicks up a loud fuss when a squirrel, chipmunk or bird has the effrontery to cross on the deck while he is lazily laying with his eyes peeking out the patio door glass.” — Barry Ellsworth, The Trenton (Ontario) Trentonian, 4 June 2026

Did you know?

A bald-faced liar (or barefaced liar, if you prefer) is one who has no shame about their dishonesty. Is it possible to be so shameless, so bald or bare of face as to be completely without a forehead? If this strikes you as an odd question (it is), consider the history of effrontery, a formal synonym of such informal words for shamelessness as nerve, cheek, and gall. The word traces back to the Medieval Latin adjective effrons, formed by combining the Latin prefix ex-, meaning “out” or “without,” with frons, the Latin word for “forehead.” Medieval Latin users didn’t use it to mean “without forehead,” however, but “shameless.” While the connection between the word’s literal origins and figurative meaning is unclear, some theorists have noted frons was sometimes used for the ability to blush, suggesting that someone acting with effrontery betrays no embarrassed feelings (visibly, at least) about their mendacity.

fulsome Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

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

fulsome \FULL-sum\ adjective

Fulsome describes someone or something that is generous in amount, extent, or spirit.

// They were fulsome in their praise of her efforts to raise money for the new wing of the children’s hospital.

// A day after offering a weak non-apology for instigating a bases-clearing brawl, the pitcher expressed more fulsome regrets at a press conference, taking full responsibility.

See the entry >

Examples:

“... her archive, now kept at Yale University, forms the basis of this lusty, vibrant and fittingly multi-textured bio-doc that pays fulsome tribute to [Barbara] Hammer’s shapeshifting, once undervalued but now increasingly revered talent.” — Leslie Felperin The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sept. 2026

Did you know?

In the 19th century, fulsome was mostly a literary term used disapprovingly to describe excessive, insincere praise and flattery. This meaning is still current, but since the early 20th century fulsome has been increasingly used with far more positive meanings, among them “abundant, copious” (as in “wrote in fulsome detail”) and “full and well developed” (as in “a fulsome voice”). The result is some amount of confusion: a phrase like “fulsome praise” used today without clarifying context may rightly be understood to mean either “abundant praise” or “excessive and obsequious praise.” While some critics object to the pleasanter meanings of fulsome, they are in fact true to the word’s origins: when it was first used in the 14th century, fulsome meant “abundant, copious.”

candidate Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

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

candidate \KAN-duh-dayt\ noun

A candidate is someone who aspires to or is nominated or qualified for an office, membership, or award. Candidate may also refer to someone likely or suited to undergo or be chosen for something specified (as in "a candidate for surgery"), or to a student in the process of meeting final requirements for a degree (as in "a PhD candidate").

// The hiring team will select the best candidate for the job.

See the entry >

Examples:

"Voters can choose up to three of the candidates on their ballot." — Mary Ramsey, The Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer, 14 Feb. 2026

Did you know?

When a man running for public office in ancient Rome greeted voters in the Forum, the center of judicial and public business, he wore a toga that had been whitened with chalk. As a result, the Latin word for someone seeking office came to be candidātus, meaning literally "clothed in white." Candidātus, in turn, comes from the adjective candidus, meaning "white." Candidātus was adopted into English as candidate, and since the 17th century that word has had an uncontested seat in the language.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected