956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative language?... more

955. This week, we're looking at the history behind "Black Friday" and other black idioms, plus what happens when the... more

954. "Irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history. And... more

953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon... more

952. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and clichés—and should we give "adulting" a break? We also trace the... more

951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost... more

950. Nowthen, a town with an odd little name, helps us understand the word "namesake," and then I have some... more

949. Topic sentences aren't just for students! We have real-life, grown-up examples to help you write better business proposals, blog... more

948. Would you believe "bully" once meant "lover" and "nice" meant "ignorant"? Join me as we explore the surprising twists... more

947. Do you wish you could think on your feet faster? Well, Stanford business professor and communication expert Matt Abrahams... more

946. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day, which brings to mind "Pirates of the Caribbean," but you can actually pronounce... more

945. What was the famous Usage Panel from the American Heritage Dictionary and how did the panel's opinions influence dictionary... more

944. Today, we untangle the often confusing web of writing styles. We'll explore the benefits of loose writing in fiction,... more

943. Join us for a fascinating romp through the evolution of phrases like "you know," "right?" and "I mean" from... more

942. We’re diving deep into the chameleon-like nature of the "a-" prefix, tracing its journey from Latin, where it often... more

941. Whether you've been betrayed by autocorrect or your own fingers, we've all made typos. But we have tricks you... more

940. Pork bacon, manual transmissions, and acoustic guitars: retronyms help us describe the original form of something that has now... more

939. When I say the word "tattoo," you probably think of body art, but "tattoo" has another meaning that's related... more

938. Love it or hate it, the exclamation point has been on the red carpet lately because we're using it... more

In this special bonus episode, I sat down with Laura Adams and Monica Reinagel, who host Money Girl and Nutrition... more

937. Never be confused about when to use "less" and "fewer" again. Plus, have you ever wondered why our thumb... more

936. Have you ever wondered about the nuanced differences between "aspirational" and "inspirational"? Today, we look at a newer, more... more

935. Ever been puzzled by the difference between "slow down" and "slow up"? Curious about how they can possibly mean... more

934. Ever wondered why "whyever" isn't as popular as "wherever," "however," or "whenever"? Join me as we delve into the... more

933. Have you ever looked at a word, and it didn't seem like a real word anymore? It's a specific... more

932. Have you ever thought it would be fun to be a fiction editor? "The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction"... more

931. Darth Vader wasn't the best father (understatement!), but his name is a wonderful jumping off point to discuss the... more

930. How YOU doin? Today we’re going to MacGyver up some fun memories and tips. And then we'll look at... more

929. While we were looking into why we use the word "score" to mean "twenty," our minds were blown by... more

928. Listen to the interview that got me playing Wordle again. Lynne Murphy shared all sorts of things you probably... more

927. Whether you're a bird brain or a wise old owl, you'll love this week's episode as we fight an... more

926. You may remember being told not to start sentences with "there are," but do you know why? We have... more

925. The existence of the manchineel tree does NOT beg the question of how many different ways a tree can... more

924. What if I told you that you actually should use "uh" and "um" when you're giving a talk? And... more

923. America's writing coach, Roy Peter Clark, shares his wisdom about the five things every writer he's ever taught wants... more

922. "A dozen of eggs" sounds weird, but why? Rabbits performing violent acts are a common scene in medieval marginalia.... more

921. Taxes, and the words for them, go back all the way to ancient Egypt. Plus, I have much more... more

920. Once you start thinking about it, it's weird that we have both "a" and "an." It gets even weirder... more

919. Rebracketing is a fascinating process that gives us more words than you might imagine, even words from French and... more

918. Since "drop" can mean both "to release" and "to cancel," it can get confusing. We look at how... more