# Merriam-Webster API: Get Merriam-Webster Word of the Day

> Gets Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for today or a past archive date, with its meaning, example, pronunciation and background note. Dates without a published entry are unavailable.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Merriam-Webster.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/merriam-webster.com/get-word-of-the-day
- Method: `merriam-webster.com/get_word_of_the_day`, version 1
- Website: merriam-webster.com
- Returns: date, word, part of speech, pronunciation, definition, example sentence, did you know note, link
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `date` | string | no |  | Day to look up (YYYY-MM-DD), such as 2025-02-15. Omit for today. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 31, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "date": "2026-09-28",
  "link": "https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/fungible-2026-09-28",
  "word": "fungible",
  "definition": "Fungible describes things, such as currency, goods, and commodities, that can be exchanged for something else of the same kind or value. In broader usage, fungible can also mean “interchangeable,” as well as “readily changeable to adapt to new situations.”",
  "did_you_know": "Before expectations about the origins of fungible mushroom into mycological fantasy: no, fungible has no relation to the noun fungus and its plural fungi. The fungi in fungible is there because of the Latin verb fungi, meaning “to perform,” ancestor of both fungible and function. Fungible is conside…",
  "pronunciation": "FUN-juh-bul",
  "part_of_speech": "adjective",
  "example_sentence": "A dollar bill is considered fungible because it can easily and acceptably be traded for ten dimes, four quarters, twenty nickels, or one hundred pennies, as well as any other dollar bill."
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"merriam-webster.com/get_word_of_the_day","input":{}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- What's today's word of the day on Merriam-Webster? I'd like the definition and an example sentence.
- Look up the word of the day from March 3, 2024, including its pronunciation and the background note.
- I missed the dictionary's featured word on 2023-11-18. What was it and what does it mean?
- Merriam-Webster word of the day for Christmas Day 2022: give me the part of speech and the 'did you know' blurb.
- Fetch today's featured vocabulary word with how to pronounce it and a link to the full entry.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "date": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Day to look up (YYYY-MM-DD), such as 2025-02-15. Omit for today."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "date",
    "word",
    "part_of_speech",
    "pronunciation",
    "definition",
    "example_sentence",
    "did_you_know",
    "link"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "date": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Publication date."
    },
    "link": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Word of the Day page link."
    },
    "word": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Word of the Day."
    },
    "definition": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Meaning in plain text."
    },
    "did_you_know": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Did You Know? note in plain text."
    },
    "pronunciation": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Pronunciation shown on the page."
    },
    "part_of_speech": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Part of speech shown on the page."
    },
    "example_sentence": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Usage example in plain text."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [Merriam-Webster API: Define word](https://fous.com/methods/merriam-webster.com/define-word.md): Looks up a word or phrase in Merriam-Webster's dictionary and returns its pronunciation, definitions, examples and word history.
- [Merriam-Webster API: Get synonyms](https://fous.com/methods/merriam-webster.com/get-synonyms.md): Looks up a word on its public Merriam-Webster thesaurus page and returns each meaning with its example, synonyms, antonyms and related words.
- [Dictionary.com API: Define word](https://fous.com/methods/dictionary.com/define-word.md): Looks up an English word on Dictionary.com and returns its pronunciation, audio link, numbered definitions per dialect with examples, word origin and first recorded use.
- [Etymonline API: Get word origin](https://fous.com/methods/etymonline.com/get-word-origin.md): Looks up an English word on Etymonline and returns its origin entries, one per part of speech, with the first date mentioned and cross-referenced words.
- [Dictionary.com API: Get synonyms](https://fous.com/methods/dictionary.com/get-synonyms.md): Gets a word's Thesaurus.com meanings in site order, with part of speech, short meaning, synonyms and antonyms ranked strongest, strong or weak.
- [Cambridge University Press API: Define word](https://fous.com/methods/dictionary.cambridge.org/define-word.md): Looks up a word or phrase on Cambridge Dictionary and returns its ordered meanings, example sentences, grammar labels and UK and US pronunciations.
- [Urban Dictionary API: List words of the day](https://fous.com/methods/urbandictionary.com/list-words-of-the-day.md): Lists Urban Dictionary's Words of the Day, newest first. Each word comes with its featured date, definition, example, votes and definition link.
- [Bible Gateway API: Get Verse of the Day](https://fous.com/methods/biblegateway.com/get-verse-of-the-day.md): Gets Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day in the requested translation (NIV by default). The date is the one Bible Gateway assigns, which may differ from the local date.
- [All Merriam-Webster methods](https://fous.com/methods/merriam-webster.com.md)