# American Heritage Dictionary 5 — user reviews > 165 indexed App Store user reviews of American Heritage Dictionary 5 by Enfour, Inc., rated 4.50/5 from 420 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-heritage-dictionary-5/id475661641/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-heritage-dictionary-5/id475661641.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 332 · 4★ 35 · 3★ 12 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 38 ## What do users think of American Heritage Dictionary 5? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 💎 Excellent dictionary content - 🔍 Quick reference and search - 🔊 Good pronunciation support - 📚 Comprehensive word information **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs - 💰 Forced in-app purchases - 🔄 Unreliable updates and support - 🤖 Outdated and clunky interface **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes on startup - Inability to access full dictionary - Bookmarks and history issues - Compatibility problems with OS updates **Most requested features** - Improved search and navigation - Better integration with other apps - More sample sentences and usage examples - Ability to sync across devices ## Newest reviews (15 of 165) ### 4/5 — The Greatest Dictionary, a Pretty Good App *2026-08-21* I recognize the virtues of other dictionaries and own many hard copies of different publishers, but I really believe the American Heritage is the best. So, I would have none other than the AH as my dictionary app. The app works perfectly, but hardly achieves its potential for the year 2026. It neither needs an absurd list of new, hi-tech features nor can it be said to completely satisfy basic requirements. Relatedly, I'm not sure this app has offline access, which means it's significantly less useful than it ought to be. Especially for the current price. For those who must have the AH, only this app will do. Others should consider another provider (Collins? Chambers?) whose app is more well considered. ### 2/5 — DEVIL *2025-11-10* DEMON ### 2/5 — 音声が聴き取りにくい *2025-08-10* 内容は問題なくインターフェースも使いやすいのですが、音声の声が低すぎてとても聴き取りづらく、2,200円払いましたが別の時点を利用することにしました。 ### 3/5 — New search interface is homely and hard to read *2025-04-09, version 15.3* The new edition of the app interface is not an improvement. The layout and ease of use seems to come from circa 1994. It feels like they did research on how best to make it difficult to read. ### 3/5 — It tends to crash *2024-12-26, version 15.0.1* I like that I can look words up quickly. I do not like that it is buggy and crashes when I am looking up several words in a row. ### 4/5 — Outdated and clunky UI *2024-10-20* AHD is an excellent resource for everyone. However, the app needs a major update, as it continues to crash on my iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 18.0.1 and, overall, is not very pleasant to use. I would prefer to pay a yearly subscription fee if it meant receiving updates. Thank you. ### 1/5 — Download is Free ! *2024-09-15, version 15.0.1* Download is free, however after downloading the first screen you are greeted with is a "Pay Me" Screen. I believe it should be stated on the page before the download. In App purchase is Ok but not for the base product. ### 1/5 — Unusable - Crashes every time *2024-08-07, version 15.3* I can’t get past the first screen. Before I tap OK the app crashes. It’s not even in the App Switcher and I have to actually reopen the app from the Home Screen to try again. ### 1/5 — App no longer works at all *2024-07-22, version 15.3* I have enjoyed using the American Heritage Dictionary app daily for many years and suddenly it does not work at all. It disappears when I tap on it. I've deleted it and restored it and nothing changes. ### 1/5 — Broken in iOS 17.5.1 *2024-06-23, version 15.3* Longtime user but now it doesn’t work Reloaded from App Store. Still broken Can’t input word. Doesn’t get that far. Loads screen to warn of in app purchase and then crashes. Let’s get it fixed please. ### 1/5 — Unusable due to constant crashing *2024-04-22, version 15.0.1* The app was great until it started crashing each time I use the search function. Now it's unusable. ### 1/5 — crash on startup *2024-03-21, version 15.0.1* the app keeps crashing on startup, just unusable ### 4/5 — Sentences Define *2024-02-24* I’d like to see more in-depth definitions, with sample sentences that employ the meaning of the word being researched. Antonyms could be listed at the bottom of each completed entry as well…with more sample sentences, as well. I miss the old-school dictionaries, (American Heritage, Oxford), that employed this expanded format. Allow the nuances of words to be understood. **Developer response:** This app has all the text the book has. Antonyms are in the optional thesaurus. We will have a feature coming soon that may interest you, though. ### 1/5 — NOT Free! *2024-01-17, version 15.0.1* Not free. An "in-house purchase for $13 is required before use. ### 1/5 — In-App Purchase Flow Is Dumb *2023-12-26, version 15.0.1* I don't think this developer understands the concept behind in-app purchases. If you literally can't do anything without an in-app purchase then just make the app paid instead. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Formatting Broken *2026-06-07* With the upgrade to macOS Tahoe 26.5 The dictionary lost its formatting. ### 1/5 — Literally no support *2025-11-13, version 16.0.1* I purchased this app a few years ago and after updating my phone it didn’t work and asked to purchase it again. I don’t know how many times I have emailed the support team to solve this issue but an automated email is sent to me every time. Literally no answer or support. It’s disappointing that this team has no respect for the customer 👎🏻 ### 1/5 — Worse with each upgrade. *2025-10-07, version 16.0.1* Why must perfectly apps be broken? ### 1/5 — Request payment after installation *2025-08-25* This app requires payment after installation to work. It's a trap! ### 1/5 — Crashes on Opening *2025-07-21, version 15.3* I cannot get to the step of paying the in app purchase before the app crashes. ### 1/5 — Crashes Before I Can Activate *2025-01-18* App crashes before I can do anything with it. Will stay open for about 6-8 seconds and then close. Tried deleting, repowering the phone, doing both, reloading the app, etc. using the latest iPhone model, and fully up-to-date on the operating system. Will check back later and see if you get any updates that will keep the app open long enough to be able to activate it. ### 1/5 — Can’t even open app *2025-01-09* The app crashes a few seconds after opening and I can’t even read through a full screen without having to reopen it. Apparently the app can’t even be used unless you buy their service too. I deleted this a few minutes after the download since I can’t seem to get through the login and set up without it crashing. ### 1/5 — Freezes *2024-11-13, version 15.0.1* This app is unreliable. It always freezes then I have to force quit out of the app. It is way more hassle and less of a useful tool. ### 1/5 — American Heritage Dictionary *2024-11-02, version 15.3* They’ve forced an upgrade and are demanding nearly $14.00 to access it, even if you’re already bought the app. There’s a free version online that works just fine for anything most people would want. ### 1/5 — Crashes *2024-10-21, version 15.3* Crashes about 7 seconds after opening. Every. Single. Time. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Still the best! *2024-09-23, version 15.0.1* At the age of 21 in 1971, I bought my first American Heritage Dictionary. It was huge and very heavy in its original paper format. But I loved its derivations, including its Indo-European roots, which were a unique feature. I am now 74, and the AHD has been a constant companion in my life’s journey of the pursuit of knowledge, albeit the second-hand knowledge of others related through their words. Language is the symbolization of effort, and knowing the respective meanings of those symbols has made all the difference! ### 5/5 — 物超所值 *2024-04-22* 内购98元，值这个钱。 ### 5/5 — Content *2024-01-17* Excellent, quick reference speed for all research needs. Quality excellent. Use many times for daily research on word background information. ### 5/5 — 辞書 *2023-11-20* 辞書の内容、検索の豊富さ共に大変良い。多くの辞書を使っているが、このソフトを多く使っている。 ### 5/5 — This is the gold standard *2023-11-14* I thoroughly enjoy and use this dictionary almost daily. I prefer off-line dictionaries for the specific reason that they are off-line. It’s available to me all the time. This dictionary is the best one that is available and provides me with all the details that I want. When I look up the word, I don’t want to just know the meaning I want to know a bit about it. This dictionary goes above and beyond. The company is strongly supporting it, which makes me very happy. Recently, there was a problem that turned out to be a bug in the operating system. The company and Apple fix it very quickly and so now I have my Dictionary back. As I want to be writer, this is one of the best tools I have. **Developer response:** There is a bug in 17.2 beta. We have reported it to Apple and also released a work-around (although it took ages to find the problem) in version 15. Please download it. That is what happens when you use beta software. ### 5/5 — App developers are on the ball—thanks Enfour! *2023-11-14* I was on the 17 beta, but dropped back to the regular iOS17 to see if maybe it was 17 beta breaking it. AHeD was still broken. Maybe my resetting my iOS to non-beta didn’t really take. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway, I got a reply from the developer today (blaming my problems for being on the beta iOS)… 🙄 But I discovered that they actually fixed it for both iOS17 and iOS17beta!! Yay!! 👍 Good job, Enfour! Thanks! ———————————————————— Old review: As usual, Apple made 10,000 changes to iOS, undoubtedly for more twattokbook crap, that broke everything else; and the developer of the best dictionary software ever made can’t be bothered to download the developer preview iOS, and recompile its software so that it Just Works. The program still runs, it lets you type in a word, but then the screen goes blank. No definitions. Also, all my bookmarks are invisible too. At least they’re not *gone*! But come on enfour! Recompile this program, so it works properly under iOS 17!!😩 **Developer response:** There is a bug in 17.2 beta. We have reported it to Apple and also released a work-around (although it took ages to find the problem) in version 15. Please download it. That is what happens when you use beta software. ### 5/5 — Stellar! *2023-11-13* For every word you think you know (but do not, so you sort of ‘skim over’ them every time you encounter them), this is the definitive pocket app. Equally important is that it provides the word’s origin, answering the question “how did that ever come to mean that?” I find it indispensable, and use it every single day, without exaggeration. ### 5/5 — Why did you remove all Longman dictionaries *2023-10-20* Why? No warning no explanation ### 5/5 — Thanks *2023-08-13* Thanks for the development of this dictionary. I just use it occasionary. It is very helpful. I don't usually respond to serveys. Not enough hours in a day! But thanks for the development of this outstanding dictionary. ### 5/5 — use it daily *2023-07-31* I have had this for years. I prefer having a separate app as a dictionary rather than google searching. Along with great list of dictionary specific features that you would see in the printed 2000 page printed version, there are a number of features the app gives that enhances the dictionary’s use: wildcard lookup, save favorites, bookmarks & notation, usable without an internet connection, audio pronunciation, internal hyperlinks, it connects to outside meanings of esoteric and archaic words and current slang. The more I use this the more I enjoy it. **Developer response:** Thank you --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-12.*