Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

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](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/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 outlandish characters whose quirks remain lodged in readers’ minds long after they’ve finished the book. // When asked to back up his outlandish claims, the mayor quickly changed the subject, all but admitting that he had no proof for his allegations. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlandish) Examples: “In a successful book for children, no matter what outlandish stuff might be happening on the page, young readers will see their real emotions faithfully represented there ...” — Caroline Carson, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 Did you know?…

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 >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deportment) Examples: "The scholarship goes to a junior nursing student who has demonstrated 'academic achievement and abilities, promise as a future nurse, personal deportment and other outstanding characteristics,' the college said in a news release." — The Citizen (Auburn, New York), 24 June 2026 Did you know? Deportment, like a number of English words, has its roots in Latin portare, meaning "to carry." Other portare descendants include such familiar terms as [import](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/import) ("to bring from an external source"), [transport](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transport) ("to bring from one place to another"), and…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 13, 2026 is: abscond \ab-SKAHND\ verb To abscond is to leave, flee, or escape a place in secret and go into hiding. Often, someone is said to have absconded with something. // It was mid-semester, when fantasies about absconding from school and leaving the stress of exams behind abound. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abscond) Examples: “So having a variety of financial intermediaries is good. But they need to be regulated and supervised by objective parties using objective standards. If not, someone could open a bank, take deposits and abscond to a tropical isle.” — Edward Lotterman, The St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press, 23 Nov. 2025 Did you know? In “Take the Money and Run,” a 1976 song by the Steve Miller Band, the singer punctuates a song about teenage bandits with the catchy refrain “Go on, take the money and run.” Granted, the song probably wouldn’t have charted had it been titled “Abscond,” but the meaning would have been the…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 12, 2026 is: nexus \NEK-sus\ noun A nexus is a relationship or connection between people or things. Nexus can also refer to a connected group or series or to the center or focus of something. // The cultural district serves as a nexus for art and cuisine. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nexus) Examples: “The eclectic costume design by Ryan Matthieu Smith suggests Eastern Europe at the nexus of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance: loosely fitting frocks and vests, layered and embroidered, and hats in myriad geometric shapes ...” — Manuel Mendoza, The Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026 Did you know? If you’re unfamiliar with the word nexus, the popular, long-running video game series [The Legend of Zelda](https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Legend-of-Zelda-1688275) provides an object lesson in its several definitions. When nexus came into English from Latin in the 17th century, it meant “connection” or “link.” Eventually, people began…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 11, 2026 is: galore \guh-LOR\ adjective Galore is an informal adjective that describes something as being in large numbers or amounts. It is always used postpositively, that is, after a noun. // The store promises bargains galore on Black Friday. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galore) Examples: “The rest of the home is filled with what Josh calls ‘love stuff,’ like an entire wall of family pictures, his mother’s recipe box, random heirlooms, and artwork galore, including his grandfather’s acid etching prints and three-dimensional pieces made by his mother … who worked in wood and papier-mâché.” — Meg McConahey, The Mercury News (San Jose, California), 1 July 2026 Did you know? Galore means “in large numbers or amounts,” making it a synonym of useful words like [abundant](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abundant) and [plentiful](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plentiful). But its charm lies not in its meaning but…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 10, 2026 is: Luddite \LUH-dyte\ noun Luddite refers to someone who is opposed to change, and especially to technological change. // My friends call me a Luddite for refusing to use chat bots. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Luddite) Examples: “Today, a Luddite is your grandparent who keeps looking at the screen rather than the camera when on Zoom, the Boomer who types in all-capital letters, the grouchy man who refuses to get a smart phone, the professor spewing invective against Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. … But the Luddites weren’t simple-minded primitives who objected to technology out of ignorance; they were dedicated craftsmen in the looming guilds who despised the shoddy craftsmanship of the mechanized contraptions replacing them, and of those same machines robbing them of their livelihoods.” — Ed Simon, Writing During the Apocalypse: Reflections on the Great Unraveling, 2026 Did you know? Long before your Luddite friend was…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 9, 2026 is: inscrutable \in-SKROO-tuh-bul\ adjective Inscrutable means "not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood." It often describes things that are mysterious or difficult to comprehend. // His professor wore an inscrutable expression throughout the oral exam. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inscrutable) Examples: "The paper makes significant progress on an unresolved aspect of the inscrutable math equation that determines how the primes are distributed along the number line." — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 Did you know? Scrutinizing the inscrutable may be futile: even close scrutiny can fail to decipher it. Scrutinizing the scrutable, on the other hand, is likely to yield some understanding. All of these scrut- words have the same Latin root: scrutari, meaning "to search or examine." While [scrutiny](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrutiny),…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 8, 2026 is: etiquette \ET-ih-kut\ noun Etiquette refers to rules or customs that dictate what behavior is considered appropriate and expected in a particular setting. // Her failure to respond to the invitation was a serious breach of etiquette. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etiquette) Examples: “My first interaction with The Real Housewives franchise happened sometime in 2015, when my partner became hooked on the show. I had just begun work on what I expected to be a big and research-heavy multi-generational family novel, and all I could hear was a chorus of accusations about who said what to whom, who lied to whom, and who hadn’t followed the correct etiquette at a charity event.” — Saleen Haddad, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026 Did you know? If you’re looking for a polite topic of conversation to raise at your next gathering of word lovers, we’ve got just the ticket. The French word étiquette means “ticket”; its direct French ancestor…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 7, 2026 is: discreet \dih-SKREET\ adjective Discreet describes someone who is careful about not allowing something to be known or noticed by many people. It can also describe something that is not likely to be seen or noticed by many people. // She was always very discreet about her personal life. // A photographer followed the singer at a discreet distance. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discreet) Examples: “Expectations surrounding their nuptials were high. But the couple opted for a discreet ceremony that took place in Cascais, Portugal, in complete privacy.” — Ahad Sanwari, Hello Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026 Did you know? If you’ve ever mixed up discreet and [discrete](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discrete), you’re not alone. Which to use when writing is tricky to discern, given their identical pronunciation and shared etymology; both terms (and their relatives discern and certain) ultimately trace back to the Latin verb…

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 6, 2026 is: regimen \REJ-uh-mun\ noun Regimen refers to a plan or set of rules about food, exercise, etc., designed to make someone become or stay healthy. // Sherry’s personal trainer started her on a workout regimen of 30 minutes on the treadmill followed by 30 minutes of weight training. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regimen) Examples: "The last step in a great antiaging skin care regimen is, of course, sunscreen." — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026 Did you know? Being but humble lexicographers, we cannot say whether an apple a day truly keeps the doctor away, but as far as regimens go, one could do a lot worse than snackin' on a McIntosh. Regimen, which usually refers to a system of rules or guidelines—often for living a healthy life or taking a regular dose of exercise—comes ultimately from a Latin verb, regere, meaning "to direct." Regere led in apple-pie order to the English word regimen, first by way of the…