Comparison

Dictionary. 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.

Access a comprehensive dictionary, thesaurus, and translation tool with millions of definitions and synonyms. Explore specialty dictionaries, learn new words daily, and play word games. This app offers offline access and integrates seamlessly with other applications.

Highlights
  • Offline dictionary and thesaurus
  • Millions of definitions and synonyms
  • Word of the Day and Idiom of the Day
  • Specialty dictionaries (medical, legal, etc.)
  • Translations into 40+ languages
  • Word games (Spelling Bee, Hangman)
  • In-app word lookup via sharing
Features
Read full description

The only Dictionary and Thesaurus with every word you search for. Plus Word of the Day, free offline dictionary access, and millions of definitions and synonyms from top sources, including: Webster's Dictionary Roget's Thesaurus The American Heritage Dictionary Plus FREE access to: English Offline Dictionary English Offline Thesaurus with synonyms and more Medical Dictionary English Idioms and Slang Dictionary Translations of English into 40+ languages Dozens of other translation options + Much more! The Free Dictionary is like getting 100+ apps in one easy-to-use interface. Rated #1 app in the App Store in the free reference category in 114 countries 2011–2019. (Source: https://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/app/379450383/app-ranking/#device=ipad&type=best-ranks) Here's what you can do with The Free Dictionary app: * Find every word you search for. Clear, accurate definitions from top dictionaries—online and offline. * Find synonyms fast. Free Thesaurus with simple interface makes it easy to find the perfect word. Browse synonyms, antonyms, and related words. * Learn something new every day. Word of the Day Idiom of the Day + Other daily content * Build your vocabulary. Don't just look up words—learn how to use them! Featuring: Audio pronunciations Example sentences Etymologies + More! The perfect dictionary app for word lovers and learners of all levels. * Explore topics in-depth. Multiple specialty dictionaries and encyclopedias: Medical dictionary Legal dictionary Science dictionary Financial dictionary Idioms and Slang dictionary Acronyms and Abbreviations + More! * Play word games. Spelling Bee, Hangman, and more. * See idioms in action. Watch idioms videos inside the app! Featuring animations of words and phrases from the idioms and slang dictionary. * Access dictionaries in 13 other languages. Spanish dictionary and thesaurus French dictionary and thesaurus German dictionary and thesaurus + Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and more! * Translate English into Spanish, French, and 40+ languages. Or translate other languages into English. Access dozens of other translation options. * Access dictionaries and encyclopedias from these top publishers with just one search: McGraw-Hill Houghton Mifflin HarperCollins Random House Cambridge University Press + More! Here's why The Free Dictionary is the most user-friendly dictionary app: * Instantly look up words in apps or webpages! Just highlight the word you want to look up, tap "Share," then tap "More" in the bottom menu and turn on the "Define" option. You will then see a "Define" icon in the menu. Tap it to see the definition of the highlighted word! * Voice search. Look up a word just by saying it. * Advanced Search options. * Look up the definition of any word on the page. Just highlight and tap "Definition." * Save bookmarks with one tap and sync them to all your devices. * Customize your homepage: Move, add, or remove articles, games, even local weather. * Jump to Definition, Thesaurus, or Translations with one button. * Navigate the app in more than a dozen languages with the multilingual interface. * Adjust font size. * Share your favorite words via social networks, email, or text. EXCLUSIVE * Earn meals for hungry children through The Free Dictionary's partnership with the World Food Program—just by using the app! This is not a trial version—you get everything free and forever. Additional offline dictionaries in other languages are available in the Pro version. Seem too good to be true? The Free Dictionary app has been downloaded tens of millions times across multiple platforms, with top ratings after hundreds of thousands of reviews. Read reviews from real users to see why they say The Free Dictionary is the best dictionary app they've ever used. * For app developers: The Free Dictionary app can be accessed by other apps with API calls (Contact Farlex for instructions).

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.4 screens
Merriam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Merriam at 328K against Dictionary.'s 15K. Merriam also leads on chart position (#36 vs unranked). Dictionary.'s advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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. against 4.8 for Merriam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 328K ratings behind it against 15K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Dictionary.'s written reviews are positive against 83% of Merriam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Dictionary. versus Merriam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDictionary.Merriam
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (15K ratings)4.8 (328K ratings)
Positive reviews90.7% of reviews — better83.2% of reviews
Number of ratings15K328K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#36 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB255 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperFarlex, Inc.Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Customer experience

Dictionary.

All ratings14,555 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews2,164 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative6.6%

Merriam

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

User reviews

Dictionary.

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Comprehensive and detailed definitions
  • 👍 Helpful thesaurus and translation features
  • 🎮 Fun word games and activities
  • 📚 Vast amount of information beyond just definitions
  • 🔍 Easy to use and navigate

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Cluttered interface with too many ads
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific settings or features
  • 🔋 Drains battery life quickly

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.

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent login issues and lost user data
  • Inconsistent performance across devices
  • Incorrect or missing definitions for some words

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to create and organize custom word lists
  • More advanced vocabulary-building tools
  • Improved audio pronunciation quality
  • Offline access to full dictionary content

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

1 purchases

Dictionary.

One-time1
  • Ad-free upgrade$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. free?
Dictionary. 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. or Merriam?
Dictionary. and Merriam are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 15K and 328K ratings respectively.
Do Dictionary. or Merriam have ads?
Both Dictionary. and Merriam show ads.
Which is updated more often, Dictionary. or Merriam?
Dictionary. ships an update every 3 months, and Merriam every 3 months. Most recently, Dictionary. was updated on September 24, 2026 and Merriam on September 24, 2026.

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