Overview
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary API provides authoritative English dictionary and thesaurus data from one of the most trusted publishers in the United States. It returns definitions, pronunciations, etymology, and example sentences in structured JSON. A free API key is available after registration, making it a solid choice for language learning apps and writing tools.
Beginner Tip
Register at dictionaryapi.com and select the "Collegiate Dictionary" for general English definitions. Each API key is tied to a specific dictionary product, so make sure you use the key that matches the endpoint you are calling.
Available Data
The kind of data this API exposes, based on its documentation. We could not call the endpoint to confirm the exact field names.
Example Response
Illustrative shape only — we were not able to call this endpoint (it requires credentials or exposes no public sample URL), so the fields below show the kind of data this API returns rather than a recorded response.
{
"word": "serendipity",
"phonetic": "/ˌsɛr.ənˈdɪp.ɪ.ti/",
"meanings": [
{
"partOfSpeech": "noun",
"definition": "The occurrence of events by chance in a happy way"
}
],
"synonyms": [
"luck",
"fortune",
"chance"
]
} Field Reference
meta.id Unique identifier for the dictionary entry, typically the headword. fl Functional label indicating the part of speech (e.g., noun, verb). shortdef Array of short definition strings, ideal for quick display. def Full definition array with sense divisions, verbal illustrations, and usage notes. hwi.prs Pronunciation objects containing IPA transcription and audio file reference. et Etymology information showing the origin and history of the word. Implementation Example
Calls a real endpoint of this API. Replace any placeholder credentials with your own key.
const url = "https://www.dictionaryapi.com/api/v3/references/collegiate/json/hello?key=YOUR_API_KEY";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
headers: {
"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
}
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data); What Can You Build?
Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.
Common Errors & Troubleshooting
Generated guidance based on this API's documentation, not observed by us. Treat it as a starting point and check against the provider's own error reference.
Metadata Score Breakdown
Estimated from metadata — endpoint not independently tested
Metadata estimate · endpoint not independently tested
Technical Specifications
Related Tags
Similar APIs
View All →Collins
Collins Dictionary API gives developers access to comprehensive bilingual dictionary and thesaurus data for multiple language pairs, including English, Spanish, French, and more.
Lingua Robot
⭐ Beginner's PickLingua Robot is a dictionary API that provides word definitions, pronunciations, synonyms, antonyms, and related forms for English words via a clean JSON REST interface.
Oxford
The Oxford Dictionaries API provides access to the Oxford English Dictionary's extensive lexical data, including definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, and usage examples.
Synonyms
Synonyms.com API provides synonym, antonym, and thesaurus data for English words, making it useful for writing assistants, word games, and vocabulary tools.
Free Dictionary
Free Dictionary provides programmatic access to definitions, phonetics, pronounciations, parts of speech, examples, synonyms via REST API.