Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

Word of the Day

Word of the day

finagle

[ fi-ney-guhl ] [ fɪˈneɪ gəl ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

verb

to get or achieve something by guile, trickery, or manipulation.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose finagle

More about finagle

  • Finagle is an Americanism that was first recorded in 1925–30.
  • Finagle comes from a variant of fainaigue, which means “to shirk” or “to break a rule when playing cards.”
  • The –le ending on a verb means it refers to a frequent repeated action, also used in dazzle or twinkle.

EXAMPLES OF FINAGLE

  • With his charming smile and persuasive words, he was able to finagle a raise from his boss.
  • She managed to finagle her way into the VIP section of the concert, despite not having a ticket.
quiz icon
WHAT'S YOUR WORD IQ?
Think you're a word wizard? Try our word quiz, and prove it!
TAKE THE QUIZ
arrows pointing up and down
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
Double your word knowledge with the Synonym of the Day!
SEE TODAY'S SYNONYM
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

bombastic

[ bom-bas-tik ] [ bɒmˈbæs tɪk ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

adjective

(of speech, writing, etc.) high-sounding; high-flown; pretentious.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose bombastic

More about bombastic

  • Bombastic was first recorded in 1695–1705.
  • Bombastic comes from the noun bombast, which means “pompous speech; pretentious words.”
  • Bombast came into English from Middle French around 1560.
  • Bombast originally referred to a type of padding from the bombax family of trees, to which the silk-cotton tree genus belongs.

EXAMPLES OF BOMBASTIC

  • The politician’s bombastic claims fell flat in the face of evidence to the contrary.
  • The professor’s bombastic language in class left their students feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from the material.
Word of the Day Calendar

Word of the day

wakame

[ wuh-kah-mee ] [ wəˈkɑ mi ] Show IPA Phonetic Respelling

noun

a brown seaweed of coastal Japan, Korea, and other areas, usually dried for use in soups, salads, and side dishes.

learn about the english language

Why Dictionary.com chose wakame

More about wakame

  • Wakame was first recorded in English in 1950–55.
  • Wakame comes from the Japanese word, wakame.
  • Wakame, in Japanese, is composed of the elements waka, meaning “young,” and me, a kind of edible seaweed.

EXAMPLES OF WAKAME

  • The miso soup was enhanced with a sprinkle of dried wakame, adding a delightful oceanic flavor to the dish.
  • The seaweed salad was adorned with strips of savory wakame, giving it a vibrant and refreshing taste.
Word of the Day Calendar
Word of the Day Calendar