We had no choice but to hear you. You stated your case time and again.

peek = 🫣 peak = 🗻 pique = 👀

‘Cleave’ can refer to splitting something apart. ‘Cleave’ can also refer to the uniting of two things. …what? A word that is also its own opposite is called a ‘contronym.’

We just had an illuminating realization that tomorrow is the Epiphany.

‘Cancel’ comes from a Latin word meaning “to make like a lattice.” When people needed to annul or void a document, they sometimes would mark it with crosshatches XXXXX which resembled a lattice. So the document became ‘canceled.’ ...we hope this post doesn’t get us that.

The steaks can't be higher...

Take a screenshot of this GIF, and whichever new word you land on is YOUR word for 2026. Let's. Go.

We acknowledge that no one has the bandwidth for this, but if it helps: - It’s ‘voilà,’ not ‘wallah!’ - It’s ‘a lot,’ not ‘alot.’ - It’s ‘further ado,’ not ‘farther adieu.’ - It’s ‘flesh out,’ not ‘flush out.’ - It’s ‘sneak peek,’ not ‘sneak peak.’ No worries if not!!!

grateful | adjective | appreciative of benefits received : feeling or showing thanks Thank you all for a superlative year. Here are some of our favorite posts of 2025.

The 'kin' of ‘napkin’ means "little." ‘Nap’ comes from ‘nape,' which means “tablecloth.” So a napkin is a little tablecloth. 10/10, no notes.

Technically, ‘should of’ is ‘should have,’ but we’re all about showing grace in the new year.

‘Asterisk’ comes from a Geek word meaning “little star.” *Greek

Merriam Christmas

‘Carol’ as in ‘Christmas carol’ originally referred to dances performed in the round. It later referred to the song of merriment that accompanied said dances. ‘Carol’ is your mom’s friend who sells labradoodle sweaters on Etsy.

‘Soup’ was a slang term for drugs that were injected into a horse to make it run faster. A racehorse that was on PEDs was said to be ‘souped up.’ We now use the term to refer to anything that is enhanced.

Xmas = Christmas Exmas= When you’re back home for the holidays, and you run into your ex and decide to take the high road by telling them they look good

‘Solstice’ comes from a Latin word that means “sun standing still.”

December 21 is the winter solstice, which means that in the Northern Hemisphere: - The path of the Sun is farthest south in the sky - The Sun travels the shortest path, giving the day the least daylight and the longest night - Things can only get lighter from here

The ‘deck’ in “Deck the Halls” means “to decorate.” But, it is not related or a shortening of ‘decorate.’ It comes from the Dutch word meaning “to cover.” You also use it when you’re all “decked out.”

These are your words of the week Hanukkah inconceivable disarm bellicose junco gool www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the...

'Fac simile’ is a Latin phrase meaning “make alike.” 1600s: ‘facsimile’ was used to mean "an exact copy." 1800s: people developed facsimile technology that could reproduce printed material via telegraph. We shortened ‘facsimile,’ and now call them ‘fax’ machines.

Webster is fired from the library. Depressed on Christmas Eve, he climbs the town bridge. Merriam arrives & shows him what the world would have been like without him. His faith restored, he gets off the bridge and kisses her. - "A Merriam Little Christmas 3: Unabridged Ed."

“Tahnk you for reaching put! I will be OOOO four the holiday brake and look forward too connection when I return!”

Your lips only touch for four letters of the alphabet.

I want my MWTV.

Jane Austen used 'however' at the beginning of a sentence, and so can you.

‘Futz’ means “to fool around” or “to behave in a way that is not very serious.” It is thought to have come from a modification of the Yiddish phrase ‘arumfartsn zikh,’ the literal translation of which is “to fart around.” Excuse us.

Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.

flu = 🤒 flew = 🦅 flue = 🏠🎅

Yule ≠ Christmas Yule is one of the oldest winter solstice festivals, with origins among the ancient Norse thousands of years ago. Although today it’s heavily associated with, and even confused with, Christmas, the celebration existed long before Christianity. 🧵⬇️

All 'Q' wants for Christmas is 'U.' (Except 'qi,' 'qaud,' 'FAQ,' 'qapik,' 'Iraq,' 'IQ'...)

Is it 'Winter' or 'winter'? The seasons are common nouns, not proper nouns, so they are not usually capitalized. They should be capitalized when they are the first word of a sentence or in titles, and in cases where they are being personified, as in poetry.

Faith Hill describing a kiss:

The Danish word ‘hygge’ refers to “a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable.” We hope this list of joyful words makes you feel hygge. www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/ten...

clause = 📝 claws = 🦞 Claus = 🎅🏻

The first known use of ‘conspiracy theory’ was in 1863…or so they want you to believe.

Let's be sensitive to our language choices this week!

die-hard | adjective | strongly or fanatically determined or devoted Die Hard | noun | a Christmas movie

These are your words of the week monsoon war crime misogynoir affordability pulldoo www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the...

score = ⚽️ score = 💰 score = 🎼 score = 💋 score = 2️⃣0️⃣ score = 🤬 score = 📝

Rudolph gets all the love, so let’s talk about the names of Santa’s other reindeer. dasher | noun | one that dashes dancer | noun | one that dances prancer | noun | one that walks or moves in a spirited manner Ok, those three are easy to understand. 🧵⬇️

REPORT: Lookups of 'frankincense' and 'myrrh' are up 3200% from this time last month.

January-November 'naughty' = 😈 December 'naughty' = 🎅🏻

Merriam quits the high-stakes world of lexicography to teach at a college in Springfield, MA…where Webster just became the head librarian. She shows him that ‘love’ isn’t that hard to find…if you know where to look it up. “A Merriam Little Christmas 2: Collegiate Edition.”

It's here...Your 2025 Merriam-Webster Wrapped! ⬇️

“Have Yourself A Merriam Little Christmas” Merriam, a career-oriented lexicographer from the city, returns to her small town for the holidays and meets Webster, a ruggedly handsome librarian, who shows her the true DEFINITION of Christmas.

*you're

'Restaurant' comes from the same French word that gave us 'restore.' This is the reason why there is no 'n' in 'restaurateur.'

What is YOUR Word of the Year for 2025?

"We will call the 12th month of the year 'December'... which means 'tenth month.'"