Summary

The Merriam-Webster Twitter account is celebrated for its engaging and informative content that brings joy and education to its followers amidst the often negative environment of social media.

Abstract

Merriam-Webster's Twitter presence stands out as a source of positivity and knowledge on a platform often dominated by negativity and misinformation. The account's ability to comment on current events with humor and accuracy, while also providing insight into language evolution, makes it a unique and valuable follow. The author shares a personal anecdote about being mocked for their love of words, which contrasts with the appreciation they now have for the dictionary's social media presence. The account is praised for its role in demystifying language, highlighting new words, and reflecting the changing linguistic landscape, thus appealing not only to word enthusiasts but also to the generally curious public.

Opinions

The author holds a deep fascination for language and its evolution, appreciating the nuances and complexities of words.
The Merriam-Webster Twitter account is seen as a beacon of truth and a refreshing change from the typical Twitter experience, which is often described as a "hellsite."
The account's use of humor and timing in defining words is recognized as a way to educate and comment on societal issues without being overtly political.
Dictionaries, particularly Merriam-Webster, are defended against their staid reputation, being described as dynamic and integral to understanding the cultural and political climate through language.
The author believes that the Merriam-Webster Twitter account serves a broader audience beyond word lovers, including those interested in current events and those seeking a reprieve from the negativity online.
The account's approach to language as a living, changing entity is highly regarded, as it reflects an understanding of language as a communal and evolving tool.

Twitter Teardowns

Merriam-Webster’s Twitter Account Is the Sunshine I Didn’t Know I Needed

How a dictionary account brings me joy and life every day

Photo by Ike Louie Natividad from Pexels

Let me set the scene for you so you can understand the kind of person I am.

When I was twelve, I was headed onto the school bus to go home one afternoon. A boy, unprompted, mocked me by asking me if I was going home to read my dictionary. (I had a bit of a reputation as a bookworm at school.)

I, clueless and naive, responded that I didn’t read the dictionary for fun because obviously, it didn’t have a story. Confused, I replied that I only used it when I needed to look a word up, or when I wanted to know if a word had alternate definitions.

The boy and his pack of pals burst into laughter. They repeated alternate definitions to each other in loud, nasal voices and hopped onto my bus. Ashamed but not really knowing why, I gripped my backpack a little tighter — it was heavy from all the books I was lugging home — and settled down in a seat near the front of the bus. There, I cracked open my latest book and started to read.

Language Has Always Fascinated Me

I love words. I love the way they fit together, I love that synonyms don’t all mean quite the same thing. I love that words that look the same can mean completely different things. I love the fact that there are words in other languages that don’t have a translation in ours.

Gemütlichkeit — German, conveys the idea of a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. Includes coziness, peace of mind, and a sense of belonging and well-being springing from social acceptance.

Sobremesa — the Spanish tradition of relaxing at the table after a meal. It begins after dessert is served, and typically lasts between thirty minutes to an hour. During this break, there is a focus on enjoyable conversation with no physical activity.

I love that language changes over time, that words shift meaning organically and freely. I love the idea of language as an alive thing, used by all of us together. The unspoken agreement that certain syllables in conjunction with others mean something we all understand is so remarkable to me.

Twitter Is a Hellscape of Abuse and Bots. A Dictionary Account Stands Out

As a person who loves words, I consume them in various formats. I read a lot of articles online, I absolutely devour books of any description, and I scroll — a lot — on Twitter.

The people I follow are awe-inspiring. They’re strong, powerful, and well-spoken with opinions on a wide variety of topics. I often get my news updates from Twitter.

Merriam-Webster is one of the surprising sources of truth, a beacon of light shining in our post-fact era. Simply by defining the right word at the right time, they can deftly comment on the current political landscape, they can lighten up a heavy topic, and they can even use humor to educate.

On a website described by its users as a hellsite, an account offering nuance, humor, and information is as rare as it is valuable. Much like the Museum of English Rural Life, the Merriam-Webster twitter account relies on a combination of niche, millennial-esque humor combined with a fatalistic turn for finding exactly the right word to describe the current state of the world. Which is usually garbage.

What I like so much about the Merriam-Webster Twitter account is that they don’t simply tweet out definitions. They use the power they hold as gatekeepers of our language, historians of our words, to inform the populace about what’s happening today, whether it’s a funny dad joke on Father’s Day, or commenting on the trends of people’s word searches.

Dictionaries Have a Bad Reputation

When I was in school, words were weapons used against me. Dictionaries were uncool. They’re seen as stolid, boring, and unchanging. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I believe our language reflects our political landscape, changing fluidly to be an imperfect mirror of our times. New words are invented all the time. Dictionaries can choose to exclude them or move with the times and educate others about them.

Our dictionaries are the gatekeepers of that change, and a dictionary like Merriam-Webster that makes itself not only accessible but friendly, self-aware, and proactive about education is rare and valuable.

By wielding definitions like a veritable weapon, they highlight, enlighten, and delight us. Not just the nerdy lovers of words, but also the everyday curious folks who just want to know a bit more about why things are said the way they are.

I Love the Merriam-Webster Twitter Account

A dictionary account may seem like an odd choice to follow, but I’ve never had cause to regret it. Every time I’m scrolling on Twitter, inundated with negativity, hate, and bots, the Merriam-Webster dictionary will be there with a helpful tweet defining the right word at the right time, with just a dash of humor.

I love words, yes, but the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Twitter account is not for nerds like me alone. It’s for anyone who is curious about what’s happening in our world, anyone who’s interested in what other people are interested in, or anyone who just wants a little bit of sunshine spilling onto their timeline.

Dictionaries play an increasingly important role in telling us why things are the way they are now, using unbiased history and facts. I can think of no dictionary that does a better job than the Merriam-Webster.