Comparison

Dictionary.com vs Merriam

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dictionary.com

Access over 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms for English words. Enhance your vocabulary with daily new words, example sentences, and audio pronunciations. This app provides grammar tips and editorial content to deepen your understanding of the English language.

Highlights
  • 2 million+ definitions and synonyms
  • Word of the Day
  • Example sentences
  • Audio pronunciations
  • Grammar tips
  • Search history
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Download the #1 free dictionary app! With more than 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms, this English dictionary and thesaurus app for iPhone is optimized for your mobile device. Improve your English vocabulary, whether you're just starting your learning journey or you're already a word wizard. Install the app for access to definitions and synonyms whenever and wherever you need them — no bulky books necessary. Flip to dark mode to give your eyes a break, or stick to the traditional set-up. In addition to the trusted reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com, this education app includes: Word of the Day ► Learn a new word each day and expand your vocabulary. Example Sentences ► Browse real-world example sentences to see how words are used. Idioms ► Explore how words can gain new meanings. Rhymes ► Finish every verse. Audio Pronunciations ► Never mispronounce another word. Grammar ► Get grammar tips, word usage, and more to improve your writing. Editorial Articles ► Explore editorial content for features on words, the origins of the English language, and the nuances that make English so complicated and unique. Search History ► Customize your recently searched word list, and never forget the newest words you’ve learned. Dictionary Shuffle ► Think you know ALL the definitions? Prove it with Dictionary Shuffle, which chooses a word at random and brings you to the definition. A-Z Dictionary ► What’s more exciting than ... wait for it … browsing the Dictionary?! We’ve now made it even easier, with the A–Z Dictionary.

About

Merriam

Access America's most respected dictionary, updated with new words and meanings. This app offers offline access, voice search, daily vocabulary challenges, and a thesaurus. It's designed for English language reference, education, and vocabulary enhancement.

Highlights
  • Offline dictionary access
  • Voice search for words
  • Daily Word of the Day
  • Vocabulary word games
  • Integrated thesaurus
  • Audio pronunciations
Features
Read full description

Get America's most useful and respected dictionary, optimized for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Continuously updated with the newest words and meanings, this is the premier iOS app for English language reference, education, and vocabulary building. Key Features: * Offline access: Complete access to definitions and synonyms whether or not you're connected * Voice Search: look up a word without having to spell it * Word of the Day: learn a new word every day * Word Games: fun, fast quizzes to test your vocabulary * Favorite Words and Search History: keep track of the words that are most important to you * Favorite Word Syncing Through iCloud: share your favorites between devices and on the Web * In-app purchase: an ad-free experience + access to Kids, Medical, and Legal dictionaries * For Tablets: browse the entire dictionary with a scrolling index * Apple Watch Extension: see the Word of the Day and find watch-sized definitions with voice search Expert Word Guidance: * Integrated Thesaurus: more than 200,000 word choices with examples of their use * Example Sentences: understand how a word is used in context * Audio Pronunciations: voiced by real English speakers, not text-to-speech robots Terms of Use: https://www.merriam-webster.com/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Dictionary.com4 screens
Merriam4 screens

Verdict

The call

Dictionary.com and Merriam both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Merriam's written reviews are positive against 26% of Dictionary.com's. Merriam also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and chart position (#36 vs #111). Dictionary.com's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Merriam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.79 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dictionary.com against 4.8 for Merriam. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 328K and 328K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Dictionary.com's written reviews are positive against 83% of Merriam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dictionary.com ships an update monthly, Merriam every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Dictionary.com versus Merriam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDictionary.comMerriam
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (328K ratings)4.8 (328K ratings)
Positive reviews25.8% of reviews83.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings328K — better328K
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#111#36 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB255 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperCuriosity MediaMerriam-Webster, Inc.

Customer experience

Dictionary.com

All ratings327,783 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews1,378 reviews
Positive25.8%
Neutral9.2%
Negative64.9%

Merriam

All ratings327,751 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews2,510 reviews
Positive83.2%
Neutral4.8%
Negative12.0%

User reviews

Dictionary.com

From 328K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Robust dictionary and thesaurus
  • 🤓 Helpful resources like blogs and articles
  • 💡 Useful word games and puzzles
  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate
  • 🤩 Great for expanding vocabulary

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent search results and missing definitions
  • 💸 Aggressive ads even after paid upgrades
  • 🤯 Frequent crashes and performance issues
  • 🤔 Confusing layout changes and UI issues
  • 🤷‍♀️ Paid features not always working as expected

Merriam

From 328K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Comprehensive definitions
  • 👍 Helpful thesaurus
  • 🚀 Offline access
  • 👍 Word of the day feature

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Ads can be intrusive
  • 🐛 Difficulty closing ads
  • 🐛 Repetitive game questions
  • 🐛 Missing words in dictionary
  • 🐛 Unreasonable level progression in games

Bugs and requests

Dictionary.com

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Notifications not working as expected
  • Inconsistent behavior when tapping on words
  • Offline dictionary not downloading properly
  • Frequent crashes and freezes on various devices
  • Paid features not unlocking or resetting unexpectedly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dedicated section to display all forms of a word
  • Ability to create and manage custom word lists
  • Improved offline mode with more functionality
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More language support beyond just English

Merriam

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when searching for certain words
  • Widget does not update daily word
  • Scribble feature is buggy
  • Inconsistent ad behavior

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add spelling correction suggestions
  • Improve word game timer and scoring
  • Expand etymology information
  • Add more languages beyond English
  • Improve widget functionality

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Dictionary.com

One-time9
  • Rhyming Dictionary$1.99
  • Grammar & Tips$1.99
  • Idioms & Phrases$1.99
Show 6 more
  • Example Sentences$2.99
  • Science Dictionary$2.99
  • Encyclopedia$2.99
  • Offline Dictionary$2.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
  • Power Pack$5.99
4 purchases

Merriam

Subscriptions4
  • Premium Monthly$1.791 Month
  • Remove Ads$2.991 Year
  • All References + Remove Ads7 Days trial$5.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium Annual7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Dictionary.com free?
Dictionary.com is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Merriam free?
Merriam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dictionary.com or Merriam?
Dictionary.com and Merriam are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 328K and 328K ratings respectively.
Do Dictionary.com or Merriam have ads?
Both Dictionary.com and Merriam show ads.
Which is updated more often, Dictionary.com or Merriam?
Dictionary.com ships an update monthly, and Merriam every 3 months. Most recently, Dictionary.com was updated on September 24, 2026 and Merriam on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Dictionary.com or Merriam?
Dictionary.com currently peaks at #111 in the App Store charts, and Merriam at #36. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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