# WordBook (Universal) — user reviews > 170 indexed App Store user reviews of WordBook (Universal) by TranCreative Software, rated 4.70/5 from 271 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordbook-universal/id364030280/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordbook-universal/id364030280.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 224 · 4★ 29 · 3★ 8 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of WordBook (Universal)? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Comprehensive dictionary with detailed definitions - 🚀 Fast and efficient lookup - 💡 Helpful thesaurus and word origin features - 👍 Customizable web links for additional reference - 👍 Useful for crosswords and puzzles - 👍 Reliable and dependable app **Cons** - 🐛 Some words missing or inaccurate definitions - 🔇 Pronunciation issues or missing audio - 🚫 Lack of updates and new features - 🚫 Limited vocabulary compared to other dictionaries - 🚫 Censored words and features **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes and freezes, especially on newer devices - Compatibility issues with recent iOS versions - Anagram solver not working as expected **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - More comprehensive vocabulary - Improved pronunciation and audio support - Regular updates and new features - Better optimization for iPad and split-screen use ## Newest reviews (14 of 170) ### 3/5 — words censored *2024-06-03, version 5.2* some words are censored and the voice will not read them out loud. a dictionary as an education resource should not be censored. ### 3/5 — George *2024-04-09, version 5.2* About time you updated your vocabulary Half the words I look up ain’t there,so please improve. ### 4/5 — Solid dictionary app just one thing. *2024-02-28, version 5.2* Great definitions and I really enjoy that you can recursively click any word and hop into it’s own word definition. I do wish the root origins of a word were more elaborate though. ### 4/5 — Was Excellent *2023-06-21, version 5.2* Was my best dictionary and spelling checker. Now it occasionally freezes up, and the volume control is glitchy. Also needs word update. ### 3/5 — Maddening *2023-04-16, version 5.2* Free version for iPhone is better that paid on iPad Air5. For instance full functionality is available only in landscape. The Puzzle Solver and other function icons are most often obscured by the Keypad. MADDENING! I’d like my $2.99 back and then use the free version. ### 3/5 — Led is a word *2020-07-01, version 5.2* Why is the past tense of lead not in this dictionary? Searching for it brings you to the initialism for a light emitting diode. But “led” is not to be found. We get this for “lead” (verb): ”tend to or result in • This remark lead to further arguments among the guests” ??? I guess we don’t have “initialism” either. Disappointing. ### 5/5 — Good choice *2020-05-15, version 5.2* Excellent, easy to use app Absolutely would recommend it ### 5/5 — Enjoy using this app *2020-02-09, version 5.2* I like it a lot and have been using this application for years. Looks amazing on my iPad Pro 12.9. Fits the screen well. None of that iPhone ran app on iPad stuff. Scaled to fit the iPad Pro 12.9 inch perfectly. ### 3/5 — Not helpful for spelling bee *2020-01-23, version 5.2* I bought this app to help my kid study for the spelling bee only to find that many of the words on his lists are not included here. Disappointed. ### 5/5 — Word Book *2019-09-13, version 5.2* Word Book good. Many words. ### 5/5 — Weird sound problem *2019-08-27* I love and use this app a lot. But I am seeing a weird bug. When I tap the icon for the pronunciation of a word, the sound volume is first lowered to level 3 before it speaks and after the audio finishes the app sets the sound volume to 0. I was hoping that with the next update this would be fixed but the last update of WordBook was more than a year ago. I wonder if this app has been abandoned? ### 5/5 — HuskersBob *2019-06-26, version 5.2* Very handy dictionary & really appreciate the Thesaurus feature. It’s helped my writing efforts & expanded my vocabulary of words. ### 5/5 — A great dictionary app! *2019-06-05* I have been using WordBook Dictionary for a long while now, and because it’s great in giving me several definitions as well as the pronunciation of the word, I have not had to look for any other dictionary app since then. I appreciate the work the creators have done for this app. I hope to continue using it for years to come! I am satisfied with this app! ### 5/5 — THE BEST DICTIONARY. *2019-04-20* I have tried 5 or 6 dictionaries and WordBook consistently has applicable definitions. Recently, I tried a new Oxford English Dictionary to add a few British words and definitions but even they couldn’t compare. It seems like WordBook is constantly learning and adding new words. Rarely, will they be lacking a word, like a historical term, from the Victorian era. Or a current word like one used for texting or colloquially. But that is rarely, the norm is you type in a word and there’s a definition. There is a word of the day, bookmark and history and customizing in the settings. If you’re looking for a dictionary that has many more words and definitions than the rest, with a very wide variety to choose from, WordBook’s the one. It’s the best dictionary. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Definitions are not dictionary accurate *2025-02-16, version 5.2* Find a different app even if it costs more. I wanted to be able to get definitions offline, however the definitions in this app tend to be inaccurate with the wrong connotation which results in me having to search the web to get a correct definition. ### 1/5 — Some Words Not Listed *2023-08-19* Used the free version for a couple years, then found that some common words are not listed, so purchased the ‘newer’ version and Dang! There are still missing words. Look up the word ‘TART’. I should have listed the others but this is the last word and the last time. Paying for something that is no better than the previous free version. ### 1/5 — Please update for iPad, keeps crashing *2022-07-09, version 5.2* Using the latest iPad pro and the app is just not very optimized for this iPad and keeps crashing and very buggy. Fix please! ### 1/5 — Sorry I bought this *2022-06-19, version 5.2* Just be a dictionary!! When I search for a word it always comes in third position in the list even when I intentionally write the whole word, why? I don’t want to systematically see whatever previous search!! Why can’t I change that behavior?! Etc. ### 1/5 — No support *2020-01-08, version 5.2* No support, no updates. ### 1/5 — Not good. *2018-06-28, version 5.2* I still have to google words. This app is lousy ### 1/5 — App has crashed *2015-05-21, version 5.0* Both of these apps crashed on the last update and have not worked since then ### 1/5 — Word-anagrams! *2015-05-20, version 5.0* What's happened to the anagram bit- it won't work at all suddenly. Shocking.. ### 2/5 — Never updated, and some definitions appear made up *2019-12-26, version 5.2* As one example, No sources are given for the second-listed meaning of “sincere,” which is contrary to the real meaning listed, and other reliable dictionaries. ### 2/5 — Does poorly with anagrams *2016-12-07, version 5.1* I'm not sure why but this application returns only a partial list of results when trying to solve an anagram. 🙁 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Why WordBook is worth the money *2025-03-11, version 5.2* The annotations following so many of the definitions is a feature which gives this dictionary a special quality. ### 5/5 — Love this! *2024-10-03* I’ve used the paid version of this app for 9 years and have never had any problems— I use it all the time. The thesaurus is super helpful. I don’t think there’s ever been a word I haven’t been able to find (but it’s been 9 years so I could be wrong). ### 5/5 — The best *2024-03-22, version 5.2* This is the best word tool - I use it all the time ### 5/5 — Update coming? *2023-09-29, version 5.2* Seems a shame this excellent app hasn’t been updated in many years. ### 5/5 — Simply Fantastic *2022-05-21, version 5.2* As far as minimalist dictionaries go, this is by far the best. I especially like the customized URLs option, so you can add a dictionary website of your choosing. ### 5/5 — Dark Mode Please *2022-05-12* Other than lack of Dark mode excellent ap I have used for years. Personal preference, I use this app at night and my eyes scream even at lowest screen brightness. ### 5/5 — Etymologies! 👏 *2021-05-19, version 5.2* The etymologies included beneath the definitions are historical and way more detailed than any other dictionary I’ve used. ### 5/5 — The Best *2020-12-30, version 5.2* Love this dictionary, it’s thesaurus and other features. I keep the app open to Search so I can quickly look up a word. If I’m not sure of the spelling, I just dictate the word. If I’m not sure how to pronounce the word, I have the app pronounce it for me. I have had this app for at least 5 years and stopped using others a long time ago. ### 5/5 — It just does what it does - what I need *2020-11-14* This was one of the first apps I purchased. It’s the go-to. No network connection needed for lookups. I especially like the bookmark function, which I use to keep track of new words I’ve come across and which turns out to be really interesting to review once a year or so! ### 5/5 — Review *2020-08-22, version 5.2* Excellent dictionary --- *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 2026-09-07.*