MerriamWebster Collegiate print dictionary update.

Webster's New International Dictionary 2nd unabridged edition from 1948 is displayed for sale at Powell's Books on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Hard pass. Cold brew. Dad bod. Merriam-Webster adds over 5,000 words to ‘Collegiate’ dictionary

Merriam-Webster has fully revised its popular “Collegiate” dictionary with over 5,000 new words. They include “petrichor,” “dumbphone” and “ghost kitchen.” Also “cold brew,” “rizz,” “dad bod,” “hard pass,” “cancel culture” and more. The 12th edition is the first update in 22 years. It will be released Nov. 18. The company removed outdated geographical and biographical sections to make room for new content. Merriam-Webster’s president, Greg Barlow, says the goal is to make the dictionary more useful and engaging. Despite declining dictionary revenue among sellers overall, Merriam-Webster remains committed to its print editions. It sells about 1.5 million dictionaries a year but makes most of its money through digital content. The company’s website logs a billion visits annually.

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