Word Matters

If Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day gives you a daily espresso shot of vocabulary, Word Matters is the full sit-down meal. Hosted by Merriam-Webster editors Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, Peter Sokolowski, and Neil Serven, this podcast lets the people who literally write the dictionary talk shop. And they turn out to be genuinely funny, opinionated people who disagree with each other about English in ways that feel refreshingly honest. The topics are the kind of things dictionary editors argue about in the office. Should "irregardless" be in the dictionary? (Yes, and they'll explain why that doesn't mean they endorse it.) What's the difference between "nauseous" and "nauseated"? Is the Oxford comma actually important, or just a tribal marker? Each episode runs 30 to 50 minutes and usually covers two or three related questions, giving the hosts room to trace word histories, challenge common grammar myths, and occasionally get into good-natured arguments. The show has a remarkable 4.9-star rating from nearly 500 reviews, which is almost unheard of for an educational podcast. Production by New England Public Media gives it a polished public radio feel. The pace is conversational rather than lecturing -- you feel like you're eavesdropping on smart people who love their jobs. After a hiatus, the show returned in 2025, so the catalog is still growing.