Merriam-Webster Embraces Modern Culture with 5,000 New Dictionary Entries

The business of words has never been stronger. Merriam-Webster, a trusted name in language for nearly two centuries, continues to thrive in the digital era. According to the company, its website draws nearly one billion visits annually, positioning Merriam-Webster as a global leader in online word resources. Over the past decade, revenue has skyrocketed by nearly 500 percent thanks to its expanding digital ecosystem, which includes the popular online dictionary, thesaurus, mobile apps, and word games.

Print, however, is far from obsolete. Physical dictionaries remain culturally significant, cherished as meaningful gifts, household references, and essential tools in classrooms where cellphone bans are in place. Beyond practical use, printed editions have long symbolized the legitimacy and preservation of language. Among Merriam-Webster’s top sellers at Barnes & Noble are the iconic Collegiate Dictionary, first designed for college students, and the general-interest Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which currently outsells its specialized counterpart. In fact, dictionary sales for the chain are already up in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

While phonebooks have vanished into history, dictionaries remain relevant and Merriam-Webster is proving why. The company announced a bold move: a fully revised and reimagined edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. This updated version introduces more than 5,000 new words that reflect evolving culture, technology, and everyday speech. Additions include “petrichor,” “teraflop,” “dumbphone,” and “ghost kitchen,” as well as trend-driven terms like “cold brew,” “farm to table,” “rizz,” “dad bod,” “hard pass,” “adulting,” and “cancel culture.” The update also features “beast mode,” “dashcam,” “doomscroll,” “WFH,” and “side eye.”

Beyond new vocabulary, the latest Collegiate edition enhances top lookups and adds more than 20,000 new usage examples, offering readers a richer understanding of modern English. While every new word has already been accessible on Merriam-Webster.com, this print release reinforces the company’s ongoing role in documenting language as it grows and shifts.

Merriam-Webster’s blend of digital innovation and print tradition shows that dictionaries are not relics of the past but essential tools for both today’s learners and tomorrow’s culture. With its latest updates, the company proves that language, like business itself, continues to evolve, adapt, and expand