Comparison

Chambers Thesaurus vs Merriam

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

Head to head
About

Chambers Thesaurus

This offline English thesaurus offers a vast collection of synonyms and antonyms for writers and language enthusiasts. It features intelligent word entry with spelling suggestions and advanced search capabilities, all accessible without an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Nearly 40,000 indexed words
  • 400,000 synonyms and antonyms
  • Intelligent spelling suggestions
  • Sounds-like and confused word suggestions
  • Fast pattern-matching search
  • Cross-reference to dictionaries
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

The Chambers Thesaurus is the perfect reference for writers and word game enthusiasts, while all lovers of language will find it a pleasure to browse through. There are nearly 40 000 distinct indexed words, and a total of about 400 000 synonyms and antonyms. The intelligent word entry suggests possible correct spellings as you type, as well as listing words that sound the same or are often confused. Search features include: - Alphabetical listing - Spelling suggestions - Sounds-like and often-confused - Fast pattern-matching search - Cross-reference to offline and online dictionaries There are also standard bookmark, recent word and random word features. On newer iPads it supports Split View and Slide Over for easily viewing with other apps. With iOS 13+ it supports dark mode. No Internet connection is required. The Chambers Dictionary is also available as a separate app, and can easily be cross-referenced using the X-Ref button. Our WordWeb, Chambers and Oxford dictionaries are also available separately for Windows and Mac desktop (Collins coming soon).

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

Chambers Thesaurus4 screens
Merriam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Merriam at Free against Chambers Thesaurus's $4.99. Merriam also leads on ratings volume (331K vs 11) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). Chambers Thesaurus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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

Merriam is free to download; Chambers Thesaurus costs $4.99 up front. Merriam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.79 per month. Chambers Thesaurus asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Chambers Thesaurus against 4.8 for Merriam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 331K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Chambers Thesaurus's written reviews are positive against 83% of Merriam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chambers Thesaurus ships an update every 8 months, Merriam every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Chambers Thesaurus versus Merriam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChambers ThesaurusMerriam
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (11 ratings) — better4.8 (331K ratings)
Positive reviews76.7% of reviews83.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11331K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#50 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB255 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAntony LewisMerriam-Webster, Inc.

Customer experience

Chambers Thesaurus

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews86 reviews
Positive76.7%
Neutral4.7%
Negative18.6%

Merriam

All ratings327,751 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews2,579 reviews
Positive83.2%
Neutral4.8%
Negative12.0%

User reviews

Chambers Thesaurus

From 11 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent tool overall
  • 📚 Comprehensive vocabulary
  • ✍️ Great for writers
  • crossword Perfect for crosswords
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • ❓ Incomplete vocabulary (missing common words)
  • 🔗 Faulty linking between words
  • 🐛 App crashes after updates
  • 💻 Not working on newer OS versions
  • 🖱️ Faulty interface (search field not immediate)

Merriam

From 331K 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

Chambers Thesaurus

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes when opening after update
  • App no longer works on older OS versions
  • Search field not immediately available
  • Latest update prevents download on iPhone
  • Index broken, making it less useful
Show 1 more
  • Search only for headwords, not synonyms or sub-collections

Requested features

8 requests
  • Switch between purchased dictionaries/thesauruses in tabs
  • Sell other desktop dictionaries on mobile
  • Consistent spacing and text placement across tabs
  • Use MacOS built-in support for graphics card acceleration
  • Display identifying headings ('Thesaurus'/'Dictionary')
Show 3 more
  • Allow changing background and text color for dyslexia
  • Update to the 3rd edition thesaurus
  • Visibly differentiate words with links

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

None

Chambers Thesaurus

No in-app purchases

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 Chambers Thesaurus free?
Chambers Thesaurus costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Merriam free?
Merriam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chambers Thesaurus or Merriam?
Chambers Thesaurus is rated higher. Chambers Thesaurus averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 331K ratings.
Do Chambers Thesaurus or Merriam have ads?
Merriam shows ads; Chambers Thesaurus does not.
Which is updated more often, Chambers Thesaurus or Merriam?
Chambers Thesaurus ships an update every 8 months, and Merriam every 3 months. Most recently, Chambers Thesaurus was updated on November 6, 2026 and Merriam on November 6, 2026.

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