Podcasts about Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 10, 2025 is: obviate • AHB-vee-ayt • verb To obviate something (usually a need for something, or a necessity) is to anticipate and prevent it. A formal word, obviate can also mean "to make an action unnecessary." // The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery. // Allowing workers flexibility should obviate any objections to the change. See the entry > Examples: "In 1987, a new kind of computer workstation debuted from Sun Microsystems. These workstations, as well as increasingly powerful desktop computers from IBM and Apple, obviated the need for specialized LISP machines. Within a year, the market for LISP machines evaporated." — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sept. 2025 Did you know? It's most often needs that get obviated. And a need that's obviated is a need that's been anticipated and prevented. That sentence may obviate your need to consult the definition again, for example. Obviate comes ultimately from the Latin adjective obviam, meaning "in the way," and obviating does often involve figuratively putting something in the way, as when an explanatory sentence placed just so blocks a need to consult a definition. (Obviam is also an ancestor of our adjective obvious.) Obviate has a number of synonyms in English, including prevent, preclude, and avert, which all can mean "to hinder or stop something." Preclude often implies that a degree of chance was involved in stopping an event, while avert always implies that a bad situation has been anticipated and prevented or deflected by the application of immediate and effective means. Obviate generally suggests the use of intelligence or forethought to ward off trouble.

I read new words that were added to the Oxford (online) Dictionary in March of 2025, specifically from campo santo to collectomania.I'm not sure what makes it "charanga" music but I like it. https://youtu.be/7GztIUo8tSs?si=6x1nvArl_LWoQCCZUse my special link https://zen.ai/thedictionary to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastrTheme music from Jonah Krauthttps://jonahkraut.bandcamp.com/Merchandising!https://www.teepublic.com/user/spejampar"The Dictionary - Letter A" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter B" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter C" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter D" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter E" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter F" on YouTubeFeatured in a Top 10 Dictionary Podcasts list!https://blog.feedspot.com/dictionary_podcasts/Backwards Talking on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmIujMwEDbgZUexyR90jaTEEVmAYcCzuqhttps://linktr.ee/spejampardictionarypod@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/thedictionarypod/https://www.threads.net/@dictionarypodhttps://twitter.com/dictionarypodhttps://www.instagram.com/dictionarypod/https://www.patreon.com/spejamparhttps://www.tiktok.com/@spejampar917-727-5757

1123. This week, we talk with author and self-described “word freak” Stefan Fatsis about his book "Unabridged." He shares his experience embedding at Merriam-Webster to become a lexicographer, sharing the contrast between the company's 1940s headquarters and the modern digital business. We look at the tension between updating old words (like the surprising original meaning of "pompom girl") and the need to add new, "sexy" words to generate web traffic.Find Stefan Fatsis on his website, Bluesky or Facebook. Get the book, Unabridged.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 9, 2025 is: duress • dur-RESS • noun Duress, which is typically used with under, refers to force or threats meant to make someone do something. It is used especially of unlawful coercion. // The defense asserts that the defendant's confession was made under duress. See the entry > Examples: “Did you know that Toni [Morrison] also edited poetry? (What couldn't she do!) Despite inexperience with the medium, Morrison was an early champion of the poet June Jordan. She published one of her earliest collections, Things I Do in the Dark, in 1977. In a 1975 letter, Morrison told Jordan that Random House would publish her work, but only under duress. ‘The answer they gave was “we would prefer her prose—will do poetry if we must,”' she wrote. ‘Now I would tell them to shove it if that were me…'” — Brittany Allen, LitHub.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Did you know? Duress is most often paired with the word under to refer to force or threats meant to make someone do something. For example, someone forced to sign a document signs it “under duress,” and a person held “under duress” is not free to leave but is being constrained, usually unlawfully. (Do not confuse being “under duress” with being “under stress,” which is a much more common occurrence.) Duress comes ultimately from the Latin adjective durus, meaning “hard,” source too of durable and endure.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 8, 2025 is: finicky • FIN-ih-kee • adjective Finicky describes someone who is very hard to please, or something that requires a lot of care, precision, or attentive effort. // Although she was a finicky eater as a child, she grew up to become a world-renowned chef famous for her encyclopedic knowledge of global ingredients. // The latest game in the series boasts amazing graphics but the controls are a little finicky. See the entry > Examples: "Stardom is a fleeting concept, one that we've seen play out with the biggest of stars over time. Even without outright missteps, artists often find themselves scrutinized by the masses for reasons entirely unrelated to their work. More often than not, this pressure either drives them to prove their worth to a finicky fanbase—one that will jump ship the second something else catches their attention—or pushes them back into obscurity." — Aron A., HotNewHipHop.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Did you know? If you're a reader of a certain age (say, a Boomer, Gen Xer, or even a Xennial) you may remember cheeky television commercials featuring Morris, a finicky housecat who only eats a certain brand of cat food. (Morris is still featured on product labels.) Morris's tastes in cuisine are not only very particular, but very fine as well, and that's appropriate given the origin of finicky. The word came about in the early 19th century as an alteration of finicking, itself a 17th century alteration of another adjective, finical, which in turn is a late 16th century coinage likely derived from the adjective fine.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 7, 2025 is: candor • KAN-der • noun Candor refers to the quality of being open, sincere, and honest. // During the interview, the comedian spoke with candor about the nervousness she feels every time she takes the stage. See the entry > Examples: “When Malika Andrews sat down to chat with ESSENCE, she was seated in her car. There was no rush in her voice, just an ease that showed how thoughtful and open she was to the experience. That balance of composure and candor is exactly what's made her one of the most respected names in sports journalism.” — Diona Ballard, Essence, 7 Aug. 2025 Did you know? The Latin verb candēre, meaning “to shine or glow,” has illuminated the English lexicon for centuries. It's given us familiar words such as candle, candid, and candidate, as well as less common terms like candela (a unit of luminous intensity) and candescent (“glowing or dazzling from or as if from great heat”). Candor, another candēre descendant, arrived in English in the 14th century. Its earliest uses referred to brightness or unstained purity and innocence; today, you're most likely to encounter candor as a word for unquestionably honest expression.

I read new words that were added to the Oxford (online) Dictionary in March of 2025, specifically from bombil to camera roll.Use my special link https://zen.ai/thedictionary to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastrTheme music from Tom Maslowskihttps://zestysol.com/Merchandising!https://www.teepublic.com/user/spejampar"The Dictionary - Letter A" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter B" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter C" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter D" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter E" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter F" on YouTubeFeatured in a Top 10 Dictionary Podcasts list!https://blog.feedspot.com/dictionary_podcasts/Backwards Talking on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmIujMwEDbgZUexyR90jaTEEVmAYcCzuqhttps://linktr.ee/spejampardictionarypod@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/thedictionarypod/https://www.threads.net/@dictionarypodhttps://twitter.com/dictionarypodhttps://www.instagram.com/dictionarypod/https://www.patreon.com/spejamparhttps://www.tiktok.com/@spejampar917-727-5757

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 6, 2025 is: embarrass • im-BAIR-us • verb To embarrass someone is to make them feel confused and foolish in front of other people. // Unexpected laughter embarrassed the speaker. See the entry > Examples: “Going public creates accountability and makes backing out harder. Every creator wishes they'd started sooner. Don't let future-you have the same regret. Get okay with the idea that in the future, your past work will embarrass you. This means growth.” — Jodie Cook, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 Did you know? If you've ever felt frozen, unable to move, or like a deer in the proverbial headlights when embarrassed by something, then the origins of the verb embarrass will make a great deal of sense. When embarrass first entered English from French in the late 16th century, it was used for the action of hampering or impeding the progress of someone or something—figuratively tying them up. No wonder then that embarrass comes ultimately from the Portuguese verb embaraçar, which adds the prefix em- to the noun baraça, meaning “noose” or “rope.” This “hampering” sense of embarrass, and others related to restricting, impairing, or burdening of one sort or other, are still in use today, but they're less common than the “to make someone feel confused and foolish in front of other people” sense is.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 5, 2025 is: sonorous • SAH-nuh-rus • adjective Sonorous is an adjective used in formal speech and writing to describe something that has a deep, loud, and pleasant sound. Sonorous can also mean “producing sound (when struck)” and “imposing or impressive in effect or style.” // The baritone's deep, sonorous voice cut through the din of the crowd, the voices immediately halting their conversations to listen more intently. See the entry > Examples: “The sonorous notes of a modern pipe organ were the soundtrack to my tour, enhancing the sense of reverence the cathedral inspires.” — Tracey Teo, The Chicago Tribune, 11 Sept. 2024 Did you know? If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, is it sonorous? Don't be thrown off by the subtle tweak in this classic conundrum—which usually ends with “does it make a sound?”—it's still the same question. Sonorous, in its oldest sense, simply describes things that make a sound when struck (the word's Latin ancestor, sonorus, is related to sonus, meaning “sound”). By this definition, felled firs, windblown willows, etc., are all sonorous. A desktop tapped by a pencil eraser wouldn't normally be described as sonorous, however. The word is usually reserved for things that make a deep, loud, booming, or echoing sound—think timpanis (or toppling timber), not tables. Sonorous is also frequently used to describe sounds themselves, as well as voices, that are deep, loud, and pleasant. And as sonorous sounds often cause one to sit up and take notice, sonorous can also mean “imposing or impressive in effect or style,” as when describing particularly affecting speech or prose.

O niemożności bycia w wielu miejscach na raz, momencie grozy przy kasie, oraz o zapomnianym Jajku Niespodziance. Książka, o której wspominam w odcinku to "Dictionary of obscure sorrows" Johna Koeniga 

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 4, 2025 is: repertoire • REP-er-twahr • noun Repertoire typically refers to a list or supply of plays, songs, dances, etc. that a company or person is prepared to perform,. Repertoire may also refer to a supply of skills or devices, or more broadly to an amount or supply. // The band's repertoire includes both classic and modern jazz. // The couple enrolled in a cooking class to expand their culinary repertoire. // His fashion repertoire includes a rotation of vibrant floral tops. See the entry > Examples: "[Rebecca] Roudman is best known as the frontwoman for Dirty Cello, a hard-working band that has honed a rollicking repertoire of rock anthems, bluegrass standards and Americana originals." — Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News (San Jose, California), 21 Aug. 2025 Did you know? The Late Latin noun repertorium, meaning "list," has given English two words related to the broad range of things that someone or something can do. One is repertory, perhaps most commonly known as a word for a company that presents several different plays, operas, or other works at one theater, as well as the theater where such works are performed. Repertoire, which comes from repertorium via French, once meant the same thing as repertory but later came to refer to the works a company performs, or, in extended use, to a range of skills that a person has, such as the different pitches a baseball pitcher can throw or the particular dishes that are a chef's specialty.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 3, 2025 is: gibbous • JIB-us • adjective Gibbous is most often used to describe the moon or a planet when it is seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated. // The waxing gibbous moon provided the perfect lighting for a night of spooky storytelling around the campfire. See the entry > Examples: “At 3:30 a.m. the gibbous moon is high in the south and Perseus is nearly overhead. Set up a comfortable lawn chair facing away from any bright lights, ideally looking toward the northeast with the moon to your back. Have insect repellent handy along with hot chocolate, tea or coffee and enjoy the show.” — Tim Hunter, The Arizona Daily Star, 7 Aug. 2025 Did you know? The adjective gibbous has its origins in the Latin noun gibbus, meaning “hump.” It was adopted into Middle English to describe rounded, convex things. While it has been used to describe the rounded body parts of humans and animals (such as the back of a camel) and to describe the shape of certain flowers (such as snapdragons), the term is most often used to describe the moon: a gibbous moon is one that is between half full and full.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 3, 2025 is: gibbous • JIB-us • adjective Gibbous is most often used to describe the moon or a planet when it is seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated. // The waxing gibbous moon provided the perfect lighting for a night of spooky storytelling around the campfire. See the entry > Examples: “At 3:30 a.m. the gibbous moon is high in the south and Perseus is nearly overhead. Set up a comfortable lawn chair facing away from any bright lights, ideally looking toward the northeast with the moon to your back. Have insect repellent handy along with hot chocolate, tea or coffee and enjoy the show.” — Tim Hunter, The Arizona Daily Star, 7 Aug. 2025 Did you know? The adjective gibbous has its origins in the Latin noun gibbus, meaning “hump.” It was adopted into Middle English to describe rounded, convex things. While it has been used to describe the rounded body parts of humans and animals (such as the back of a camel) and to describe the shape of certain flowers (such as snapdragons), the term is most often used to describe the moon: a gibbous moon is one that is between half full and full.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 2, 2025 is: atone • uh-TOHN • verb To atone for something is to make amends for it—that is, to do something good as a way of showing that you are sorry about, or have remorse for, a mistake, bad behavior, etc. // The novel opens with an act of cruelty and then traces the thoughts and actions of those responsible as they try to atone for it. See the entry > Examples: “... the catcher atoned for his earlier miscue by hitting a game-tying solo homer to straightaway center field.” — Mac Cerullo, The Boston Herald, 24 July 2025 Did you know? Atone has its roots in the idea of reconciliation and harmony. It grew out of the Middle English phrase at on meaning “in harmony,” a phrase echoed in current expressions like “feeling at one with nature.” When atone joined modern English in the 16th century, it meant “to reconcile,” and suggested the restoration of a peaceful and harmonious state between people or groups. Today, atone specifically implies addressing the damage—or disharmony—caused by one's own behavior.

Bath bun. Bobbinet. Poor basket. Vanity-bait. These are just a few of the words the Oxford English Dictionary credits Jane Austen with using for the first time in print—and almost all are words related to domestic and everyday life. In this episode, we sit down with scholar Charlotte Brewer to explore the Dictionary's 19th-century origins, its reliance on volunteer readers, its ongoing digital evolution, and the literary biases that shaped whose words were recorded. A must-listen for word nerds! Charlotte Brewer is Emerita Fellow in English at Hertford College, Oxford. She began her career as a medievalist, subsequently turning to the history of the English language and in particular its record in the Oxford English Dictionary. Her publications include studies of Jane Austen and Shakespeare in the OED, and she is currently working on the Murray Scriptorium, a co-edited edition of the letters of James Murray, the first chief editor of the OED.For a transcript and show notes, visit https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep28/.*********Visit our website: www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe to the podcast on our YouTube channelEmail: podcast@jasna.org

Show #2508 Show Notes: Stay Awake America: https://www.stayawakeamerica.com/ Coach video: https://x.com/4everAYoung17/status/1973421784277066069 LAN: https://thelibertyactionnetwork.com/event/ekklesia-bible-study-3/ Tyler Robinson: https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/tyler-robinson-was-cia/ Seth Gruber on Charlie Kirk: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sRBHzdNXsQU Matthew 11:12 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2011%3A12&version=KJV ‘Violate’: https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/violate Definition of Humanism: https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/definition-of-humanism/ Gov Education is Unconstitutional: https://www.freedomproject.com/2025/01/16/tnr20250116/ Faith in the White House: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/faith-current-administration-most-openly-christian-administration-200/ Your Tax Dollars support on demand abortions in Israel: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1125225122792580 Grace Scharra: https://ouramazinggrace.net/home Video by Ray LeBlanc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXfaRqVcH-E Revelation 20:13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rev%2020%3A13&version=KJV

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 1, 2025 is: preternatural • pree-ter-NATCH-uh-rul • adjective Preternatural is a formal adjective used to describe things that are very unusual in a way that does not seem natural. // He has a preternatural knack for imitating birdcalls. // There was an eerie, preternatural quiet in the house. See the entry > Examples: "Beyond his physical and mental attributes, [Jayden] Daniels has a preternatural calm in the most pivotal moments of a drive, a game, and a season that makes you wonder if he's somehow been in the NFL for 10 years." — Doug Farrar, The Guardian (London), 21 Jan. 2025 Did you know? Preternatural comes from the Latin phrase praeter naturam, meaning "beyond nature." Medieval Latin scholars rendered this as praeternaturalis, and that form inspired the modern English word. Things beyond nature—i.e., very unusual things—can be alarming, and in its earliest documented uses in the late 1500s, preternatural was applied to strange, ominous, or abnormal phenomena, from works of God to signs of illness and disease. But by the 1800s things were looking up for preternatural, with the word describing remarkable abilities of exceptional humans, as it most often does today.

I read new words that were added to the Oxford (online) Dictionary in March of 2025, specifically from alamak to bomba.Use my special link https://zen.ai/thedictionary to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastrTheme music from Jonah Krauthttps://jonahkraut.bandcamp.com/Merchandising!https://www.teepublic.com/user/spejampar"The Dictionary - Letter A" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter B" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter C" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter D" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter E" on YouTube"The Dictionary - Letter F" on YouTubeFeatured in a Top 10 Dictionary Podcasts list!https://blog.feedspot.com/dictionary_podcasts/Backwards Talking on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmIujMwEDbgZUexyR90jaTEEVmAYcCzuqhttps://linktr.ee/spejampardictionarypod@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/thedictionarypod/https://www.threads.net/@dictionarypodhttps://twitter.com/dictionarypodhttps://www.instagram.com/dictionarypod/https://www.patreon.com/spejamparhttps://www.tiktok.com/@spejampar917-727-5757

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 30, 2025 is: impetuous • im-PECH-uh-wus • adjective Impetuous is a synonym of impulsive that describes a person who is acting without thought, or an action that is done without thought. // That impetuous decision could've cost us everything we worked so hard for. See the entry > Examples: “She takes off, impetuous and alone, for a cross-country trip, seeking some kind of self-understanding as she ultimately lands in the forests of California's redwood country, finding both a sanctuary and, whether she knows it or not, a bucket-list tribute to her late son.” — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2025 Did you know? Impetuous types make impetuous decisions: they leap before they look, put carts before horses, count their chickens before even the tiniest of cracks appear on the eggs. In other words, they're impulsive. The etymology of impetuous is also impulsive but in a literal way: it traces back to the Latin word impetus, meaning “impulse, driving force,” as well as “assault.” English impetus, also meaning “impulse, driving force” (among other things), has the same source.

“The stories aren't about violence—they're about the preciousness of life. Each one is a reminder that this could happen to anyone.” — Jude Berman Jude Berman grew up surrounded by books and cultural diversity, thanks to her refugee parents. After a career in academic research and running independent presses, she turned her attention to her own writing. In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Jude rejoins me to discuss her latest work, Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost, a collection of 26 short stories exploring the human toll of gun violence. Together, we explore her unique publishing journey, the role of age and experience in writing, and the power of fiction to build empathy and spark conversation.   Key Themes Writing vs. Publishing Journeys: Jude explains the difference between building a life as a writer and actually getting published. Many of her books began in a drawer before finally seeing the light of day. Age as a Strength: Jude emphasizes that writers often improve with age, bringing lived experience, wisdom, and deeper perspective to their work. Breaking the Catch-22: The publishing industry favors young, “malleable” voices, but often at the expense of stronger writing that emerges later in life. The Making of Shot: The 26 stories, one for each letter of the alphabet, “came through” her almost like a download, highlighting the role of intuition and channeling in the creative process. On Gun Violence: While tackling a heavy topic, Jude frames her stories as celebrations of life, not gratuitous violence. Her goal: to remind readers that gun violence can touch anyone, anywhere. The Empathy Factor: Fiction can serve as a powerful tool for building empathy, allowing readers to experience perspectives without having to live them firsthand. The Twist Ending: Without spoilers, Jude shares that the final story in Shot points toward hope and change, setting it apart from the rest of the collection.  Buy Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mhLS28 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647429287 Connect with Jude Website: https://judeberman.com/ Substack: https://judeberman.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judebermanauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jude.berman/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/judeberman.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judeberman Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jude.berman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@judeberman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@judeberman-author Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #WritingCommunity, #AmWriting, #AuthorLife, #WritersOfInstagram, #Storytelling, #BookLovers, #ReadersOfInstagram, #Bookstagram, #IndieAuthor#NewRelease #GunViolenceAwareness, #EmpathyThroughFiction, #LifeExperienceMatters, #WritingAtAnyAge, #VoicesThatMatter. #PodcastInterview, #AuthorInterview, #ListenAndLearn, #PodcastersOfInstagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 29, 2025 is: obliterate • uh-BLIT-uh-rayt • verb To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left, to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it. It can also mean "to remove utterly from recognition or memory." // The wave completely obliterated our sandcastles. // The October snowstorm obliterated our hopes for a mild autumn. See the entry > Examples: "A day or two after the fire, I happened to be passing when the demolition crew got around to clearing away the debris. ... Most of the books were singed but readable, with titles outlined in charcoal and price conveniently obliterated. They cost nothing more than the effort to dig them out." — Peter Wortsman, LitHub.com, 14 July 2025 Did you know? Obliterate has been preserved in our language for centuries, and that's not nothing! The earliest evidence in our files traces obliterate back to the mid-16th century as a word for removing something from memory. Soon after, English speakers began to use it for the specific act of blotting out or obscuring anything written, and eventually its meaning was generalized to removing anything from existence. In the meantime, physicians began using obliterate for the surgical act of filling or closing up a vessel, cavity, or passage with tissue, which would then cause the bodily part to collapse or disappear. Today obliterate thrives in the English lexicon with the various senses it has acquired over the years, including its final stamp on the language: "to cancel (something, especially a postage stamp)."

On this episode of Bounced From The Roadhouse:Special Guests in 4B: Ria from Solid WasteFamily Diamond Trash DiggersGood NewsMerriam WebsterRH5: 5 Words to get Rid ofRia Solid Waste Oct 4th Unsolicited AdviceBJs New Phone Don't Knock til ya try it!That's a Great QuestionLil MikeStolen Man HolesStolen SandbagsQuestions? Comments? Leave us a message! 605-343-6161Don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review and some stars Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show #2505 Show Notes: Jude: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude%201&version=KJV ‘Lasciviousness’: https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/lasciviousness Psalm 78: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2078&version=KJV Charlie Kirk in the way forward: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1338360801136075 Isaiah 59:19 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2059%3A19&version=KJV Daniel 2:21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel%202%3A21&version=KJV Christian Massacre: https://rumble.com/v6zm93c-christian-massacre-across-babylon-earth.html Kirk on Courage: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16sbG3wZN2/?mibextid=wwXIfr Lyle Rapacki article: https://lylejrapackiphd.substack.com/p/americas-remnant-being-built?r=1n4fdy&triedRedirect=true

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 28, 2025 is: kerfuffle • ker-FUFF-ul • noun Kerfuffle is an informal word that refers to a disturbance or fuss typically caused by a dispute or conflict. // The reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet caused quite a kerfuffle among astronomy lovers. See the entry > Examples: “I find it fascinating that the media landscape and the world of storytelling has so many examples of Tony Sopranos and Walter Whites and Don Drapers, and I am hard pressed to think of as many characters who are women who are given the opportunity to be ... terrible people and to still get their story told. I think that because people are unaccustomed to that, it's a little bit more shocking, and it's clearly having an impact on the fandom. I've taken a step back from Reddit and social media, but enough of it gets through to me that I am at least aware that there is some kerfuffle happening on this front.” — Ashley Lyle, quoted in Teen Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025 Did you know? Fuffle is an old Scottish verb that means “to muss” or “to throw into disarray”—in other words, to (literally) ruffle someone's (figurative) feathers. The addition of car-, possibly from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning “wrong” or “awkward,” didn't change its meaning much. In the 19th century carfuffle, with its variant curfuffle, became a noun, which in the 20th century was embraced by a broader population of English speakers and standardized to kerfuffle, referring to a more figurative feather-ruffling. There is some kerfuffle among language historians over how the altered spelling came to be favored. One theory holds that it might have been influenced by onomatopoeic words like kerplunk that imitate the sound of a falling object hitting a surface.

We explore Ireland's journey through science, engineering, technology and mathematics over the last four centuries.Featuring Dr Eoin Kinsella, managing editor of the Dictionary of Irish Biography; Prof Jane Grimson, a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and past president of Engineers Ireland and of the Irish Academy of Engineering; and Turlough O'Riordan, online and digital editor of the Dictionary of Irish Biography.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 27, 2025 is: vociferous • voh-SIF-uh-rus • adjective Vociferous describes people who express their feelings or opinions loudly and insistently. It is also applied to things, such as objections, that are expressed in such a way. // We were vociferous in our support of the proposal. // The decision was made over their vociferous objections. See the entry > Examples: "Earlier, there was talk of building a sports complex with playing fields in Highlands Ranch's 202-acre Wildcat Regional Park, which is owned by the county. But that plan was met with vociferous opposition from residents last year. " — John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Hear ye! Hear ye! To vociferate is to cry out loudly and insistently. Those who vociferate qualify as vociferous, especially when they loudly or insistently show their support for or displeasure in something by hootin' and hollerin'. Both vociferate and vociferous come from the Latin verb vociferari, a combining of vox, meaning "voice," with ferre, meaning "to carry." In addition to describing loud and insistent individuals and groups—critics, crowds, fans, et al.—vociferous can be used for anything characterized by loud insistence, as in "vociferous complaints," "a vociferous defense," and "vociferous support."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 26, 2025 is: gesundheit • guh-ZOONT-hyte • interjection Gesundheit is an interjection used to wish good health to one who has just sneezed. // I sneezed three times in a row, and my coworker called "gesundheit!" from the next cubicle. See the entry > Examples: "Personally, I did not like my husband's sneezing into his hand, so I stopped saying 'gesundheit' whenever he did that. He now almost always sneezes into his elbow." — The Toronto Star, 27 Jan. 2024 Did you know? When English speakers hear "achoo," they usually respond with either "gesundheit" or "God bless you." Gesundheit was borrowed in the early 20th century from German, where it literally means "health"; it was formed from gesund ("healthy") and -heit ("-hood"). Wishing a person good health when they sneeze was historically believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends. "God bless you" had a similar purpose, albeit with more divine weight to the well-wishing. Gesundheit at one time also served as a toast when drinking (much like its English counterpart, "to your health"), but this use is now largely obsolete.

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Story of the Week (DR):Disney brings back Jimmy Kimmel's show after backlash spurred massive boycott while some conservatives blasted FCCSinclair says it won't air Jimmy Kimmel on its stations after Disney announced his returnFCC Chair Brendan Carr defends ABC affiliate that's not showing 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' despite his reinstatementNexstar joins Sinclair, says it will continue not to air Jimmy KimmelDisney investors demand internal records on Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, say the board may have breached dutiesDisney investors say handling of Jimmy Kimmel suspension put politics over shareholders, demand recordsDisney boss Bob Iger has gone from woke warrior to liberal lightning rod MAGA furious at Disney and ABC over Jimmy Kimmel's return: ‘They let the woke mob get to them' Disney decides it hasn't angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikes'There's no way we can afford $100,000': Small firms scramble over H-1B visa feesTalent Drain: Skilled Immigrants Choose Canada Over U.S.Indian IT Firms Recalibrate U.S. Strategy After Visa ShockJPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon expresses surprise and concernDimon said the hike “came out of the blue” and stressed that the U.S. still needs access to global talent. He has indicated the banking/finance sector may challenge or negotiate around the policyReed Hastings (Netflix) praises the policyHastings called the $100,000 fee a “great solution,” especially because he sees it as helping ensure that the H-1B program is used for “very high value jobs,” reducing reliance on a lottery system.Silicon Valley leaders cautiously support the feeNvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised the measure in terms of potentially simplifying the visa system and merit-based immigrationAltman: "We need to get the smartest people in the country, and streamlining that process and also sort of aligning financial incentives seems good to me"Royal Bank of Canada's CEO Dave McKay said the US President's move to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas is a win for Canada.The 20 financial firms that could be hardest hit from Trump's new H-1B fee — from Goldman Sachs to CitiTylenol maker Kenvue battles fresh storm as Donald Trump links it to autism MMTrump's unfounded claims heap new stress on household brand name TylenolTrump, RFK Jr. distort facts on autism, Tylenol and vaccines, scientists say: "Sick to my stomach"OB-GYN group calls Trump's remarks on acetaminophen 'irresponsible'Kenvue Stock Recoups Losses After Trump Links Tylenol to AutismResearch tying Tylenol to autism lost in court. Then it won Trump's earTrump's 'tough it out' advice to expectant moms is the latest example of men opining on women's painThe President and RFK Jr.'s dangerous war on science and mothersThe Shameful Spectacle of Trump and Kennedy Blaming Mothers for AutismAutism Science Foundation: 'Shocking' move takes us 'straight back to when moms were blamed for autism''Acet…Aceto…': Trump Struggles To Say Medicine's Name, Links Autism To PainkillerAnti-vaccine groups melt down over RFK Jr. linking autism to Tylenol"We didn't wait 20 years for Bobby to finally speak and then get served Tylenol as an answer," anti-vaccine group Georgia Coalition for Vaccine Choice wroteChildren's Health Defense (CHD) - the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy - retweeting a post on Monday: "THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY TYLENOL."Oracle names two CEOs in rare leadership shift after Catz exitLord Emperor Larry Ellison (65% influence and 42% voting power): he still gets $8.3M in pay despite owning ~$378B in Oracle stock. Is this even possible? He got security-related costs and expenses of $2,999,264 for his primary residence. Board chairFormer CEO and now Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz. She's staying on the board.221,974: (i) Company matching contributions under our 401(k) Plan of $5,100, (ii) flexible credits used towards covering the premiums for cafeteria-style benefit plans in the amount of $14,860, (iii) security-related costs and expenses to augment the existing security system at Ms. Catz's primary residence, (iv) legal counsel fees and (v) aggregate incremental costs to Oracle of $200,086 for Ms. Catz's use of Oracle's private aircraft for non-business travel. This leaves $1,928 for legal fees and security: for a Larry:Safra We Love Him More Security Ratio of: ~3114:1Catz still got $6.5M despite owning $2.8B of company stockNew co-CEO and director Clayton Magouyrk: joined Oracle in 2014, is 39Mr. Magouyrk will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $250M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of performance-based stock options (“PSOs”).New co-CEO and director Michael Sicilia: joined Oracle in 2009, is 54Mr. Sicilia will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $100M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of PSOs.Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: MacKenzie Scott gives $70 million to UNCF to financially strengthen HBCUs DRUNCF, as the nation's largest private provider of scholarships to minority students works to raise $1 billion to strengthen all 37 of its historically Black colleges and universitiesMM: Trump claims ‘sabotage' at UN from escalator, teleprompter and micTurns Out Trump's Own Team Messed Up U.N. Escalator and TeleprompterAssholiest of the Week (MM):American oligarchsMurdoch's TikTok? Trump offers allies another lever of media controlLarry Ellison's Oracle set to spearhead U.S. oversight of TikTok algorithmElon Musk just sold Grok to U.S. government for 42 cents – and signals warmer ties with TrumpMark Zuckerberg showed Google how to make Republicans happyIN: Zuck, Musk, Ellison, MurdochOUT: Satya Nadella (too Indian), Tim Cook (too gay), Sundar Pichai (too Indian), Bezos (too bald), Jensen Huang (too Asian), women, blacksSee? TikTok deal won't include 'golden share' or equity for U.S., Trump administration says - he only takes a golden share or voting stake when the CEO is Japanese (Nippon Steel) or Chinese (Intel)Disney - now everyone hates you!Conservatives: MAGA furious at Disney and ABC over Jimmy Kimmel's return: ‘They let the woke mob get to them'Liberals: Disney boss Bob Iger has gone from woke warrior to liberal lightning rodAffiliates: Nexstar joins Sinclair, says it will continue not to air Jimmy KimmelIRONY ALERT: In statement, Nexstar cited “diversity” as a reason why Kimmel is still off the air: “On Wednesday, Nexstar said it continues to evaluate the show and is speaking with Disney ‘with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve.'”Trump: Trump threatens to sue Disney-owned ABC over Jimmy Kimmel's return to TVInvestors: Disney investors demand internal records on Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, say the board may have breached dutiesEveryone: Disney decides it hasn't angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikesStay in your place on the manufacturing line MMFirst they say college is for losers, now they say so is being alive - just eat your cheap fatty protein adjacent meal and go to workEx-Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: competing with China's grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balancePalantir CEO says Gen Z can either have a social life at age 20 or be successful—but they can't do bothCharlie Kirk had a message for the over 2 million unemployed Gen Z NEET men: You don't need college to make your dreams happenBlackRock CEO Larry Fink said America could dodge a ‘retirement crisis' by encouraging people to work longerDon't try to be funny at work unless you want to risk your job and any chance of ever getting promoted, management professors sayMcDonald's is supersizing its value menu to win back average Americans — could it be a sign of trouble ahead?Girls, STOP APOLOGIZING for doing your jobsCracker Barrel CEO apologizes for logo, store changesWe conducted extensive research to inform our strategic plan. Well, what cannot be captured in data is how much our guests see themselves and their own story in the Cracker Barrel experience, which is what's led to such a strong response to these changes.Translation: we had no idea how racist you all areAt least she didn't apologize for everything that's ever happened in the last hundred years like Vanessa Hudson apologizing for the boys behavior at QantasLook how it worked for her: Qantas cutting CEO pay signals new era of cyber accountability - has a dude EVERY HAD PAY CUT FOR ANYTHINGHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Real American Beer collaborates with WWE for special Hulk Hogan collectible can: 'Hulkamania forever'Hulk:In leaked recordings Hogan was heard making homophobic remarks, using the N-word, making racist remarks, and openly admitting to being racistWWE terminated their relationship with him temporarily, removed him from their website/Hall of Fame, following public backlash. Eventually, some reinstatement occurred.Hogan's ex-wife made public emotional abuse allegations and accusations of an affair with their daughter's friendDuring the WWF / Vince McMahon-related trial over steroids in wrestling, Hogan testified under immunity and admitted past steroid use back to 1976He admitted to actively working against efforts to unionize professional wrestlersTwo divorcesMichelob Ultra overtakes Modelo Especial as best-selling beer in the U.S.American subsidiary Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLCWoke CEO Brendan Whitworth was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and then as an operations officer for the CIA's counterterrorism center. Woke!Their leadership page of 15 executives also has a woke DEI hire! Chief People Officer Lindsay KingBelgian parent Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)They are even worse than their American counterparts: of their 18 executive leaders, they have TWO DEI WOMEN: Chief Communications Officer Donna Lorensen and General Counsel Katherine Barrett. DEI gone crazy!Both Michelob ULTRA and Bud Light are made by Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev.DR: Palantir CEO says Gen Z can either have a social life at age 20 or be successful—but they can't do both & Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: competing with China's grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance MM: Tesla 'The Biggest Meme Stock' Ever? Expert Says 'Too Much Emphasis On The Magic Wand Of Musk'Sharing thoughts on Musk's new compensation package, Yale School of Management Senior Associate Dean Jeff Sonnenfeld didn't hold back with the meme stock analogy.THE SAME WIZARD IGER SONNENFELDMM: ‘Black Swan' author Nassim Taleb says your city's new bike lane is the reason the economy sucksTrump's tariffs force resources into lower-margin activities, Taleb said, likening the policy to “asking a brain surgeon to do some gardening two days a week to avoid being ‘ripped off' by professional gardeners.”Who Won the Week?DR: I-boo-proff-in, oh no, it's not American!MM: Jimmy Kimmel's YouTube channel PredictionsDR: Jimmy Kimmel takes Tylenol on air causing all remaining ABC affiliates to replace him with family-appropriate TV: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit which covers sex-based crimes (i.e. violence against women, now with commercials!)MM: Victoria's Secret ditches woke rebrand and vows to return to 'unapologetically sexy' roots - after reading this headline, Webster's Dictionary finally changes its definition of “woke” from “politically liberal or progressive (as in matters of racial and social justice) especially in a way that is considered unreasonable or extreme” to “anything including fat chicks, uggos, black people, and gays.”

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Wow! The Dictionary added all of these “New Terms”

Popular words and phrases have been added to the dictionary!

Hard pass. Cold brew. Dad bod. Merriam-Webster adds over 5,000 words to ‘Collegiate’ dictionary Please Subscribe + Rate & Review Philip Teresi on KMJ wherever you listen! --- KMJ’s Philip Teresi is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever else you listen. --- Philip Teresi, Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific News/Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ DriveKMJ.com | Podcast | Facebook | X | Instagram --- Everything KMJ: kmjnow.com | Streaming | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Webster's adding outdated slang to the dictionary HR 4 full 2421 Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:34:53 +0000 Hiaw1RM0yoMqzqRpYRDCWdaKNZJ9g622 news MIDDAY with JAYME & WIER news Webster's adding outdated slang to the dictionary HR 4 From local news & politics, to what's trending, sports & personal stories...MIDDAY with JAYME & WIER will get you through the middle of your day! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 25, 2025 is: anomaly • uh-NAH-muh-lee • noun Anomaly is a somewhat formal word that refers to something that is remarkable in its deviation from what is usual or expected. // Last summer's storm was an anomaly for this area. // We were unable to explain the anomalies in the test results. See the entry > Examples: “Magic realism usually makes no attempt to explain or justify the anomaly behind the magical event. Its justification lies in the conceptual possibilities it allows for in the narrative, pleasure it provides, and feeling of strangeness that comes from a familiar world being tweaked.” — Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Not Here, Not Now: Speculative Thought, Impossibility, and the Design Imagination, 2025 Did you know? You might be familiar with the Greek word homos, which means “same.” It is from this word that we get words like homonym, homogeneous, and homophone, all of which have to do with sameness or similarity. What does this have to do with anomaly? Although it's not obvious, homos is a part of the etymology of anomaly, too. Anomaly is a descendant—by way of Latin and Middle French—of the Greek word anṓmalos, which means “uneven” or “irregular.” Anṓmalos comes from the prefix a- (meaning “not”) and the word homalόs (meaning “even”)—and homalόs comes from homos.

D&P Highlight: New words in the Dictionary and Scott can't pronounce any of them. full 365 Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:56:00 +0000 KU2wfFPu7arUDDtHKVbC4XP9msclkEuh news The Dana & Parks Podcast news D&P Highlight: New words in the Dictionary and Scott can't pronounce any of them. You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://pla

AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on new words added to a much-used dictionary.

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Show #2503 Show Notes: Coach Dave on the Hagmann Report: https://x.com/HagmannReport/status/1971016551416672384 Galatians 3: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galations%203&version=KJV Charlie on Doing Good: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMOMsAChm_p/ Refiner’s Fire: https://refinersfire2025.com ‘Bewitched’: https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/bewitched LAN links: https://thelibertyactionnetwork.com/taking-the-field-against-the-demonic-ritualistic-super-bowl-half-time-show/ https://thelibertyactionnetwork.com/healing-of-the-water/ 1 Samuel 22: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20sam%2022&version=KJV

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 24, 2025 is: brandish • BRAN-dish • verb To brandish something, such as a weapon, is to wave or swing it in a threatening or excited manner. // Squeals of laughter erupted as three children brandishing squirt guns rounded the corner of the house. See the entry > Examples: “The dancers are young men from the neighborhoods dressed in dark robes accented by bright yellow, red and blue accessories and tall, maroon hats called Tkoumbout adorned with silver jewelry. The men's dances and women's chants have been passed down through generations. Children participate in the festivities by mimicking the older performers. Boys brandish miniature swords and scarves in their small hands and girls stand with the female drummers.” — Audrey Thibert, The Associated Press, 1 July 2025 Did you know? The word brandish is often paired with a word for a weapon, such as knife or handgun. The link between brandish and weaponry is present in the word's etymology: brandish comes ultimately from a Germanic word meaning “sword.” Since the word's 14th century introduction to the English language (by way of Anglo-French) weapons have commonly been the things brandished, but also extensive is the use of brandish with things that are wielded to defeat in other ways, such as banners and placards used in the war of ideas. One can even brandish something that isn't physical, such as a law or one's intellect. In that case, you are figuratively waving the thing in someone's face so that it cannot be ignored.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 23, 2025 is: nonpareil • nahn-puh-REL • adjective Nonpareil describes that which has no equal because it is better than any other. // To this day, the band's debut album is still considered nonpareil, raising the bar for every rock group to follow. See the entry > Examples: "The Crew's soccer operations have been nonpareil during this latest golden era of their history." — Michael Arace, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, 24 Feb. 2025 Did you know? Trace nonpareil back to its Middle French origins and you'll find that it comes from a term meaning "not equal." Pareil itself comes from the Latin word par, which means "equal," and non- is a common prefix meaning "not." In addition to its adjectival use, nonpareil also functions as a noun referring to an individual of unequaled excellence (as in "the nonpareil of cellists") as well as to a chocolate candy disk covered with small sugar pellets. A full exploration of the word's history, and its current functions in French, can be found here.

Show #2501  Show Notes: Everson v. the Board of Education: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/330us1 Zoom Prayer Vigil: Topic: SEPTEMBER ONLINE PRAYER AND COMMUNIONTime: Sep 24, 2025 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89903898721?pwd=QydHyJHOCsLCzzj4gKmvLaP2QgnccL.1  ‘Religion’: https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/religion Charlie Kirk on Doing Good: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMOMsAChm_p/?igsh=b2lrNGJkenExb2xr Refiners Fire: https://refinersfire2025.com/ Is Humanism a Religion: https://www.quora.com/Is-humanism-a-religion Tucker on Charlie Kirk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUwocghazRc

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 22, 2025 is: catch-22 • KATCH-twen-tee-TOO • noun Catch-22 typically refers to a difficult situation for which there is no easy or possible solution. In the narrowest use of the term, it refers to a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule. // I'm in a catch-22: to get the job I need experience, but how do I get experience if I can't get the job? See the entry > Examples: “… Liverpool is famed for its nightlife, but I'm getting the impression it could do with some help. … In December 2023, the ECHO spoke to people in Liverpool's late-night economy, and the prevailing view was it had become a struggle. … Prices don't help—drinks and tickets are more expensive than they've ever been, but venues are stuck in a Catch-22 situation, caught between having to cover huge operating costs and wanting to get people through the doors.” — Dan Haygarth, The Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England), 23 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Catch-22 originated as the title of a 1961 novel by Joseph Heller. (Heller had originally planned to title his novel Catch-18, but the publication of Leon Uris's Mila 18 persuaded him to change the number.) The catch-22 in Catch-22 involves a mysterious Army Air Forces regulation which asserts that a man is considered mentally unsound if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions but that if he makes the necessary formal request to be relieved of such missions, the very act of making the request proves that he is sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved. Catch-22 soon entered the language as a label for any irrational, circular, and impossible situation.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 21, 2025 is: lugubrious • loo-GOO-bree-us • adjective Lugubrious is a formal word used chiefly to describe something that is very sad especially in an exaggerated or insincere way. The word can also describe something that shows or expresses gloom. // The movie's stunning cinematography could not make up for the lugubrious and plodding plot. // The lugubrious mood of the room shifted when the voices of children playing erupted outside the window. See the entry > Examples: “On opening night, the audience at St. Petersburg's Alexandrinsky Theatre were mystified by The Seagull's neither wholly comic nor wholly tragic tone, hissing and heckling throughout, with Chekhov fleeing from the gallery after the second act. It was only two years later, when Konstantin Stanislavski staged a more lugubrious take on The Seagull at Moscow Art Theatre, that it came to be recognized as a work of pure genius.” — Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025 Did you know? Everybody hurts, as the classic R.E.M. song goes, and when your day is long and the night is yours alone, lugubrious is a perfect word for describing such sorrowful feelings, or that which inspires them (a lugubrious song, perhaps). That said, if lugubrious strikes you as a tad unusual, no, no, no, you're not alone. Lugubrious is the sole surviving English offspring of the Latin verb lugēre, meaning “to mourn.” Its closest kin, luctual, an adjective meaning “sad” or “sorrowful,” was laid to rest centuries ago.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 20, 2025 is: enmity • EN-muh-tee • noun Enmity is a formal word that refers to a very deep unfriendly feeling, such as hatred or ill will, that is often felt mutually. // Having to collaborate on the project only increased the bitter enmity between the two coworkers, who had never gotten along. See the entry > Examples: "Paul Monreal is a fourth-great-grandchild of Catherine and Patrick O'Leary, who endured the enmity of Chicagoans after they were wrongfully accused of starting the Great Chicago Fire, which legend said was started by a jittery dairy cow named Daisy." — William Lee, The Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025 Did you know? The resemblance between enmity and enemy is no coincidence: both words come from the Anglo-French word enemi, which literally translates to "enemy." And when you feel enmity for a particular person—that is, deep-seated dislike or ill will—"enemy" may very well be an apt descriptor for them. While it is possible to feel enmity for someone who does not share or return one's animosity, enmity is typically used for mutual hatred or antagonism between people (or groups, factions, etc.), as when Edgar Allan Poe wrote of the families of Berlifitzing and Metzengerstein in his first published short story: "Never before were two houses so illustrious, mutually embittered by hostility so deadly. The origin of this enmity seems to be found in the words of an ancient prophecy—'A lofty name shall have a fearful fall ...'"

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 19, 2025 is: succumb • suh-KUM • verb Succumbing is about yielding to something: someone who succumbs to a pressure or emotion stops trying to resist that pressure or emotion, and someone who succumbs to an injury or disease dies because of that injury or disease. The word is often followed by to. // The program aims to help kids develop the strength of character required to avoid succumbing to peer pressure. // Many patients diagnosed with the disease live healthy lives for years before succumbing to it. See the entry > Examples: “Occasionally, Dope Girls does succumb to style over substance, as if it doesn't quite have the confidence to let its big, bold narrative unfold without any bells and whistles.” — Jon O'Brien, The Daily Beast, 8 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Picture yourself serenely succumbing to sleep. Chances are that in the mental image you've just formed, you are in a recumbent position—that is, lying down. The position is baked into the etymology: both succumb and recumbent trace back to cumbere, a Latin verb meaning “to lie down.” While recumbency is typically literal, succumbing is about figuratively lying down before something—yielding to it, ceasing to resist it. The word is most often used with regard to faults and foibles and demise—people succumb to temptation, plants succumb to blight—but the word can be applied in happier contexts too, as when one succumbs to sleep in a quiet spot on a sunny afternoon.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 18, 2025 is: rationale • rash-uh-NAL • noun Rationale refers to an explanation or reason for something said or done. It is often used with for, behind, or of. // City council members who oppose the zoning change should be ready to explain their rationale for voting against it. // She's explained the rationale behind her early retirement. See the entry > Examples: “There is a rationale for commercializing seagrass production, but ecologically sustainable production needs to be at the heart of that business model, and the numbers for doing that simply don't add up at the moment.” — Richard Lilley, quoted in Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024 Did you know? If someone asserts that the word rationale refers to a ration of ale, they are wrong, but that doesn't mean they don't have an actual rationale (a reason, explanation, or basis) for such a claim. “Rationale looks like the words ration and ale jammed together,” they could offer, and while that is true you'd be justified in responding: “Appearances can be deceiving.” Rationale is a direct borrowing of the Latin word rationale, with which it shares the meaning “an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena.” The Latin rationale comes from a form of the adjective rationalis (“rational”), which traces back to the noun ratio, meaning “reason.” While the Latin ratio is also the forebear of the English noun ration, referring to a share of something, rationale has nothing to do with a tankard (or stein, or even a pony) of beer.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 17, 2025 is: jovial • JOH-vee-ul • adjective Jovial describes people as well as moods, attitudes, etc., that are cheerful and jolly.  // The audience was in a jovial mood as the headlining comedian walked onto the stage. See the entry > Examples: "Transport yourself to a sumptuous hidden garden somewhere in Europe, where the meats are plentiful and the specials oh so tantalizing. The rustic communal tables and jovial service will make you feel like you're hanging out with your extended family in the old country." — Briony Smith, The Toronto Star, 29 Mar. 2025 Did you know? In ancient Roman astrology, people were thought to share the personality traits of the god whose planet was rising when they were born. The largest planet was named after the chief Roman god Jupiter, also called Jove. Jove was a sky god and a bringer of light, as well as a great protector who kept heroes focused on being loyal to the gods, the state, and family. Ancient mythology is full of stories of Jupiter (Zeus in the Greek myths) behaving badly, but jovial points only to the joy and happiness of a supremely powerful god: it describes the cheerful and jolly among us. (Jovian is the adjective that describes what is simply related to Jove/Jupiter.) Jovial has historically been contrasted with saturnine, which describes those with a gloomy or surly disposition. Sad Saturn was the father of Jupiter and his siblings, and he was exiled (understandably) for swallowing them all.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 16, 2025 is: debunk • dee-BUNK • verb To debunk something (such as a belief or theory) is to show that it is not true. // The influencer remained enormously popular despite having the bulk of their health claims thoroughly debunked. See the entry > Examples: “Conspiracy theorists (and those of us who argue with them have the scars to show for it) often maintain that the ones debunking the conspiracies are allied with the conspirators.” — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025 Did you know? To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being nonsense. (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 15, 2025 is: askance • uh-SKANSS • adverb Askance means "in a way that shows a lack of trust or approval" or "with a side-glance."   // I couldn't help but look askance at the dealer's assurances that the car had never been in an accident. // Several people eyed them askance when they walked into the room. See the entry > Examples: "In other cultures they might look askance at such a gnarly, leggy thing wedged into a loaf. But we know that a whole fried soft shell crab is one of the gifts of southeast Louisiana's robust seafood heritage." — Ian McNulty, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate Online, 1 May 2025 Did you know? As with the similar word side-eye, writers over the years have used askance literally when someone is looking with a side-glance and figuratively when such a glance is conveying disapproval or distrust. Back in the days of Middle English you could use askaunce and a-skans and a-skaunces to mean “in such a way that,” “as if to say,” and “artificially, deceptively.” It's likely that askance developed from these forms, with some help from asqwynt meaning “obliquely, askew.” Askance was first used in the 16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance.”