Merriam Webster Collegiate: Dictionary 12th Edition

: It remains the official dictionary for the Associated Press Stylebook . Why the 22-Year Wait?

For example, look up literally . The 12th edition includes the controversial secondary definition: "in effect : virtually —used in an exaggerated way to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true or possible." This drove purists crazy, but it represents actual usage. merriam webster collegiate dictionary 12th edition

Merriam-Webster. (2025). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary (12th ed.). Merriam-Webster. : It remains the official dictionary for the

, marking the first full hard-copy revision of this iconic reference in over 20 years. This update is significant as the previous 11th edition had remained the standard since 2003. Key Features of the 12th Edition Massive Word Expansion : Includes over 5,000 new words 000 new words