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Word definitions, word pronunciations and synonyms and antonyms

Dictionary.com provides definitions, pronunciations, audio, examples, and word origins, plus ranked synonyms and antonyms for public Thesaurus.com entries; some word details may be unavailable.

Define word

Get an English word’s pronunciations, audio, numbered definitions, examples, and origin from Dictionary.com. First recorded use and some pronunciation details may be unavailable for some words.

Your information

Word

The English word to define, for example serendipity.

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The same inputs also work from your code or an AI assistant. See For developers.

Example results

serendipity

/ ˌsɛr ənˈdɪp ɪ ti /

[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]

Hear pronunciation View on Dictionary.com

noun

1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. accidental discovery, or an instance of this.
- Alton’s premiere novel was a serendipity that affected my thinking in the most positive way.
3. good fortune; luck.
- What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!

Word origin

Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def. ) for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lanka

About the Dictionary.com tool

Dictionary.com’s Define word method returns pronunciations, audio, definitions, examples, and word origins for an English word you provide.

Its Get synonyms method returns meanings, parts of speech, and ranked synonyms and antonyms for a word you provide.

Built from dictionary.com and thesaurus.com. Last checked Sep 29, 2026.

Actions

Define word

1 credit

Get an English word’s pronunciations, audio, numbered definitions, examples, and origin from Dictionary.com. First recorded use and some pronunciation details may be unavailable for some words.

What you provide

Field	Type	Required	Description
Word`word`	Text	Required	The English word to define, for example serendipity.Example: Serendipity

What you get

Field	Type	Description
Word`word`	Text	The headword on the page.Example: Serendipity
Meanings`meanings`	List
Dialect`meanings[].dialect`	Text	American or British entry.Example: American
Definitions`meanings[].definitions`	List
Part of Speech`meanings[].part_of_speech`	Text	Example: Noun
Page Link`page_link`	Text	Example: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/serendipity
Audio Link`audio_link`	Text	Link to the spoken pronunciation.Example: https://audio.dictionary.com/tts/s/serendipity/serendipity-DyKtdD.mp3
Word Origin`word_origin`	Text	Etymology as plain text.Example: Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def. )…
Pronunciation`pronunciation`	Details
Ipa`pronunciation.ipa`	Text	Example: / ˌsɛr ənˈdɪp ɪ ti /
Phonetic Spelling`pronunciation.phonetic_spelling`	Text	Example: [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]
First Recorded Use`first_recorded_use`	Text	First recorded date or period as shown.Example: 1805–15

Example result

For Word: Serendipity

JSON

{
  "word": "serendipity",
  "meanings": [
    {
      "dialect": "American",
      "definitions": [
        {
          "number": 1,
          "definition": "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.",
          "example_sentences": []
        },
        {
          "number": 2,
          "definition": "accidental discovery, or an instance of this.",
          "example_sentences": [
            "Alton’s premiere novel was a serendipity that affected my thinking in the most positive way."
          ]
        },
        {
          "number": 3,
          "definition": "good fortune; luck.",
          "example_sentences": [
            "What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "part_of_speech": "noun"
    },
    {
      "dialect": "British",
      "definitions": [
        {
          "number": 1,
          "definition": "the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident",
          "example_sentences": []
        }
      ],
      "part_of_speech": "noun"
    }
  ],
  "page_link": "https://www.dictionary.com/browse/serendipity",
  "audio_link": "https://audio.dictionary.com/tts/s/serendipity/serendipity-DyKtdD.mp3",
  "word_origin": "Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def. ) for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lan…",
  "pronunciation": {
    "ipa": "/ ˌsɛr ənˈdɪp ɪ ti /",
    "phonetic_spelling": "[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]"
  },
  "first_recorded_use": null
}

Get synonyms

1 credit

Get a word’s Thesaurus.com meanings in site order, with part of speech, short meaning, synonyms and antonyms ranked strongest, strong or weak. Public entries only.

Uses thesaurus.com.

What you provide

Field	Type	Required	Description
Word`word`	Text	Required	Word to look up, for example "happy".Example: Happy

What you get

Field	Type	Description
Meanings`meanings`	List	Meanings in the order shown on Thesaurus.com.
Meaning`meanings[].meaning`	Text	Short meaning of the word.Example: in high spirits; delighted
Antonyms`meanings[].antonyms`	List
Synonyms`meanings[].synonyms`	List
Page Link`meanings[].page_link`	Text	The word’s Thesaurus.com page.Example: https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/happy
Part of Speech`meanings[].part_of_speech`	Text	Part of speech for this meaning.Example: Adjective

Example result

For Word: Happy

JSON

{
  "meanings": [
    {
      "meaning": "in high spirits; delighted",
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "depressed",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "disappointed",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "disturbed",
          "strength": "strongest"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "cheerful",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "delighted",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "ecstatic",
          "strength": "strongest"
        }
      ],
      "page_link": "https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/happy",
      "part_of_speech": "adjective"
    },
    {
      "meaning": "favored by fortune",
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "unfortunate",
          "strength": "weak"
        },
        {
          "word": "unlucky",
          "strength": "weak"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "fortunate",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "lucky",
          "strength": "strongest"
        },
        {
          "word": "apt",
          "strength": "strong"
        }
      ],
      "page_link": "https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/happy",
      "part_of_speech": "adjective"
    }
  ]
}

For developers

Call it from your code with one request. Change the values in input to run it on new data. To get an API key, open Developers at the bottom of Studio, turn on Developer mode and go to API keys.

cURL

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@dictionary-com",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "define_word",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "word": "serendipity"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'

What you can do with it

Check definitions and examples for words in English-language content
Review pronunciation and audio for an English word
Explore a word’s origin and first recorded use
Find ranked synonyms and antonyms for a word
Group word meanings by part of speech

Questions about Dictionary.com

Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

Can I call this Dictionary.com tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

Do I need a Dictionary.com account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from dictionary.com when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.