Here's the links to the stories from Roger Merriam's "The Last 35" series that highlighted the accomplishments of area high schools in sports from December of 1984 up through when the series ran in 2020 ARLINGTON: The Last 35: Notable athletes, teams have produced plenty of memorable moments for Arlington BRITTON-HECLA: The Last 35: Braves have enjoyed their fair share of athletic success CASTLEWOOD: The Last 35: Warriors' accomplishments include one football, four state basketball titles CLARK-WILLOW LAKE: The Last 35: Comets, Pirates and Cyclones have enjoyed success in many different sports De SMET: The Last 35: Yes basketball is king, but the Bulldogs have shined off the court too DEUBROOK AREA: The Last 35: The Dophins have enjoyed first-time state titles and a recent run of dominance in girls' sports DEUEL (CLEAR LAKE): The Last 35 — Cardinals' success includes two three-peats in gymnastics and back-to-back state boys' golf titles DOLAND-CONDE: The Last 35: Chargers' accomplishments include state track title, runner-up finish in football and other trips to state ESTELLINE: The Last 35: Redmen have produced a state runner-up finish in football, five state basketball trips and cross country success FLORENCE-HENRY: The Last 35: Two trips to state basketball and other solid performances for Owls, Flyers and Falcons GRANT-DEUEL: The Last 35: Wildcats played in three state football championship games and also tasted success in basketball, volleyball GREAT PLAINS LUTHERAN: The Last 35: State boys golf title, cross country and track success highlight Panthers' history HAMLIN: The Last 35: Five football, four golf and two girls basketball state titles for Chargers LAKE PRESTON: The Last 35: Back-to-back state girls' track titles, runner-up finish in Class 9B football headline Divers' accomplishments LANGFORD AREA: The Last 35: Football and boys-girls basketball take center stage for Lions MILBANK GIRLS PAGE 1: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/25929620-wpo-0601-2020-b001/?embed=1 MILBANK GIRLS PAGE 2: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25929621-wpo-0601-2020-b002/ MILBANK BOYS: The Last 35: Bulldog boys have garnered four state golf titles and one each in basketball, football, wrestling and track ROSHOLT,VEBLEN,NEW EFFINGTON,TRI-STATE: The Last 35: Track/cross country, football and basketball success for Rams, Cardinals, Tigers, Raiders and again, Tigers ROSLYN: The Last 35: Vikings' success includes state football title, two state-tourney trips in boys basketball and close calls in girls basketball SIOUX VALLEY: The Last 35: Cheer dominance, a Hail Mary to remember, one state track title plus basketball and volleyball success for Cossacks SISSETON BOYS: The Last 35: Redmen boys have enjoyed basketball, football and golf success SISSETON GIRLS: The Last 35: Five state girls basketball titles, along with volleyball and golf success for Redmen girls SUMMIT, WAUBAY, DAKOTA HILLS: The Last 35: A ton of basketball success along with two state girls' cross country titles for Eagles, Dragons, Mustangs and Grizzlies TIOSPA ZINA: The Last 35: Basketball has provided most of the highlights for the Wambdi WAVERLY-SOUTH SHORE: The Last 35: Perfect seasons that ended in state girls basketball, football championships spearhead accomplishments for Coyotes, Comets and Woodchucks WEBSTER AREA GIRLS: The Last 35: Successful streaks in volleyball and basketball top list of highlights for Bearcats WEBSTER AREA BOYS: The Last 35: State wrestling, football and track championships as well as "The Next Big Thing" for the Bearcats WILMOT: The Last 35: Two trips to the State B boys basketball tournament and close calls in football, girls basketball and volleyball top highlights for Wolves WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA: The Last 35: West central Minnesota athletes, teams have also made their mark WATERTOWN CROSS COUNTRY: The Last 35: Highlights for Arrow runners include one state title, five runner-up finishes, 10 ESD championships and three individual state champs WATERTOWN WRESTLING: The Last 35: Accomplishments include six titles and six runner-up finishes in state, 14 ESD championships and numerous individual state champions for Arrow grapplers WATERTOWN CHEER & DANCE: The Last 35: Two state championships highlight history for Arrow spirit squads WATERTOWN GOLF: The Last 35: Arrow golf highlights include three state runner-up finishes, six ESD titles and three individual state champions WATERTOWN GIRLS BASKETBALL: The Last 35: 15 trips to Class AA tourney have resulted in 3 state championships for Arrow girls WATERTOWN TENNIS: The Last 35: Four state boys' championships highlight impressive run for Arrow tennis squads WATERTOWN TRACK PAGE 1: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25929643-wpo-0901-2020-b001/ WATERTOWN TRACK PAGE 2: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25929644-wpo-0901-2020-b003/ WATERTOWN VOLLEYBALL: The Last 35: Two state championships, one runner-up finish, six ESD titles highlight first 30 years of WHS volleyball WATERTOWN GYMNASTICS: The Last 35: Seven state championships, six runner-up finishes and 13 ESD titles highlight meteoric rise of Arrows' gymnastics program WATERTOWN BOYS BASKETBALL: The Last 35: Highlights for Arrow cagers include Sutherland Mania, a bomb threat and three state titles — two for Norberg WATERTOWN SOCCER: The Last 35: No high school state championships, but Arrow squads have come a long way WATERTOWN FOOTBALL: The Last 35: Arrows have produced two state championships, two runner-up finishes, seven ESD titles and 22 winning seasons since 1985 WAT BASEBALL SOFTBALL HOCKEY SWIMMING: The Last 35: Plenty of accomplishments for Arrow athletes in baseball, softball, hockey and swimming COLUMN: The Last 35: A very enjoyable project Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMERRIAM (KCTV) - A dump truck driver was seriously injured after he hydroplaned on I-35 near Merriam’s Ikea during a rainy Friday in the metro The Kansas Highway Patrol indicates that just before 12:40 p.m emergency crews were called to the area of I-35 and Johnson Dr had been driving a 1990 Freightliner dump truck north on the interstate coupled with the speed at which Hayes had been traveling caused him to be unable to slow for traffic ahead of him Troopers said Hayes hydroplaned as he applied the brakes lost control of the dump truck and collided with the barrier wall He was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center with suspected serious injuries Investigators noted that Hayes was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash Merriam of Wellesley MA died of Parkinson’s Disease on January 23 2025 with his “two girls,” wife Joan and daughter Kelsey He spent his childhood in Vermont and New Hampshire where he first learned to love and steward nature’s beauty Bob’s love of the outdoors was matched by his passion for sports He was a skilled athlete and avid fan of all sports He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1968 Upon graduation he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army and was sent to Vietnam He was stationed in Da Nang and Quy Nhon and served a total of two years of active duty The VA acknowledges that Bob’s Parkinson’s like that of many veterans and many more Vietnamese citizens was “more likely than not,” caused by exposure to Agent Orange.  Bob was the best ‘“girl dad” and and talked about everything - big and small Summer weeks were spent at a family cottage on Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester with countless walks to “the Rocks.”  a profession that benefited from his patience He was a trusted and respected colleague to many he earned an MBA from Babson College and in 2017 retired as a Senior Consultant from Insight Performance Management.  Bob was diagnosed with PD; throughout this long battle he remained positive and approached every challenge with courage. Above all things Bob will be remembered for his strength of character He was a true gentleman who held himself to the highest moral standard He is predeceased by his father Philip Merriam He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years Joan Archer his cherished daughter Kelsey Archer Merriam (Jess Wilcoxson) his sister Barabara Renaud (Euclide Renaud) A Memorial Service will be held at Eaton Funeral Home in Needham on Saturday Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10:00-11:30 A scholarship fund has been established in his name at the Fairbanks Museum in St This fund will help children attend camp at the Museum Donations in his honor can be mailed to the Fairbanks Museum (1302 Main Street 05819) with the memo: Robert Fairbanks Merriam Scholarship Fund. For questions regarding how to donate PLEASE NOTE: Bob's Memorial Service will be live streamed via harborview.live 2024 4:00 AM ESTSharp divides have seemed to define America lately—and Merriam-Webster just made it official The famous American dictionary publisher on Monday announced that “polarization”—defined as “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes”—is its Word of the Year for 2024 Read More: ‘Brain Rot’ Is the 2024 Word of the Year, According to Oxford University Press including “far left” and “far right” as well as “MAGA”—the shorthand for President-elect Donald Trump’s highly-polarizing Make America Great Again movement “it’s something that actually everyone agrees on.” But Merriam-Webster didn’t just pick one word for 2024 It also highlighted nine others that the dictionary publisher said “stood out” in search volume on its website this year: Defined as “the phase of an eclipse during which it is total,” the word “totality” garnered much interest surrounding the total solar eclipse that occurred in April 2024—a rare astronomical event that inspired intrigue and travel The word “demure,” was popularized this year by TikTok creator Jools Lebron, who started an Internet trend centered around the phrase “very demure very mindful.” According to Merriam-Webster: “In its earliest use in the 14th century demure described people who avoid drawing attention to themselves it has also come to describe those whose shyness is a bit of an act.” “It remains to be seen whether Swift’s use of the term will lead to its wider adoption in American English,” said the dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster thinks the word “resonate,” defined as “to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way,” saw an increase in searches because it is one of ChatGPT’s favorite words in its  AI-generated writing The dictionary publisher also said the word appeared often in news stories about “political positions and issues resonating with voters.” The word “allision” emerged following the crash of a cargo ship into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March While many news outlets used the word “collision”—which Merriam-Webster says “according to some traditional definitions refers only to contact between two moving objects”—to describe the incident many maritime publications opted to use “allision”—defined as “the act or an instance of a ship striking a stationary object.”  “Weird” was weaponized by both sides of the political spectrum this presidential election Walz gained national prominence by his persistent labeling of Republicans and their platform as “weird,” while Republicans showed no hesitation lobbing the adjective (defined as “of strange or extraordinary character”) back at Democrats “Weird seemed to be directed at not only the policies of the opposing candidates,” said Merriam-Webster The word, which is defined as “government by the people,“ saw a surge in lookups throughout 2024 “across red states and blue states,” according to Merriam-Webster, “as people tried to fully understand what it means.” In a year best summed up by “polarization,” the dictionary publisher fittingly also put the spotlight back on its inaugural Word of the Year for 2003, when it began participating in the annual tradition “The word democracy never appears in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution,” Merriam-Webster concluded its announcement “but it has long been a focus of American and global attention Contact us at letters@time.com presidential election shook the nation and world unsurprisingly making Merriam-Webster’s word of the year “polarization.” Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen attend the 9/11 Memorial ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept FILE - People gather at No Studios to watch the presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris watches the presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a 97-year-old movie theater on Sept dubbed “The Football Era,” with the tail number 9H-VTD thought by online sleuths to have Taylor Swift aboard arrives at Los Angeles International Airport from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport FILE - Taylor Swift embraces Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers FILE - Rapper Kendrick Lamar appears at the MTV Video Music Awards and Canadian rapper Drake appears at the premiere of the series “Euphoria,” in Los Angeles on June 4 known as B-Girl Raygun,competes during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics holds up her medals after the women’s artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s announcement “Polarization means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center.” “It’s always been important to me that the dictionary serve as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody,” Sokolowski said “It’s a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news whatever you want to say about the value of a word’s meaning in the culture.” It’s notable that “polarization” originated in the early 1800s — and not during the Renaissance as did most words with Latin roots about science He called it a “pretty young word,” in the scheme of the English language “Polarized is a term that brings intensity to another word,” he continued “The basic job of the dictionary is to tell the truth about words,” the Merriam-Webster editor continued “We’ve had dictionaries of English for 420 years and it’s only been in the last 20 years or so that we’ve actually known which words people look up.” Even lighthearted memes — like those making fun of Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s performance — or the proliferation of look-alike contests or who counts as a nepo baby proved polarizing Merriam Webster is out with their top word of the 2024 people tend to see eye to eye on the word itself Sokolowski cited its frequent use among people across the political spectrum “and in a little bit ironic twist to the word it’s something that actually everyone agrees on.” Rounding out Merriam-Webster’s top 10 words of 2024: Taylor Swift embraces Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov Associated Press polling editor Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed reporting Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Beatrice dedicated her life to her family as a homemaker Beatrice was the beloved matriarch of her family survived by her brother Frederick Hagerty; her children Judith and Kevin; eight grandchildren; and thirteen great-grandchildren She was preceded in death by her sister Marion Hagerty her parents Beatrice (Burgess) and Frederick Hagerty Beatrice cherished the joy of family gatherings Her home was the heart of family traditions with Christmas Day being the highlight of the year marked by the beloved Merriam Christmas Open House Her earlier years were filled with the simple pleasure of roller skating with her sister Marion Beatrice found endless delight watching her electric Skylight frame eagerly awaiting new photos of her great grandchildren engaged in various sports and activities Beatrice was a member of Our Lady of the Rosary in Stoughton for many years actively participating in her church community embodying a spirit of service and fellowship Beatrice's life was a testament to the enduring love and bonds of family leaving behind a legacy of cherished memories and traditions that will continue to flourish in the hearts of those she loved incredibly sharp mind and nurturing spirit will be deeply missed Visiting Hours will be held at the Farley Funeral Home 2024 from 10 AM - 12 PM followed by a Funeral Service at 12 PM Interment will take place at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Utah; the youngest son of Roy Clyde and Jeanette Donna Woolsey Merriam Jeff’s many hobbies included Dirt Biking Camping with his grandson’s Talan & Madon; shooting guns watching Denver Bronco’s and Utes football games After his graduation he served in The United States Air Force for 8 years as a Aviation Mechanic and instructor He made his career as a technician and salesman for Fire Protection/Mountain Alarm in Ogden Utah and later as the Sales Manager in the St He was very dedicated with a strong work ethic Jeff was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints He is survived by his wife Tamara (Tammy) Ann Green Merriam residing in St Daughter Donna Marie Merriam (significant other: Donald Ruark) of Ogden 5 Great Grand Children; also including like sons Matthew Shafer (Mandy ) and Gentry Wiltshire who he raised Brother’s Roger Scott (Sherrilyn) Merriam of Springville Utah; Sister’s Rosemary (Joseph-deceased) Higgs of Roy Utah: Deborah (Arthur-deceased) Terkelson of Ogden Preceded in death by his Parents and Brother Don R Merriam A viewing will be held Friday November 1st from 9:30 AM - 11 AM followed by the funeral at 11AM in the Westridge LDS Chapel On Monday November 4th he will be laid to rest in the Manti Cemetery (US89) at 1PM The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Merriam-Webster announced its 2024 Word of the Year The dictionary and publishing company announced the word of the year and list of other top-searched words that defined the year Monday and the list definitely has a political theme The dictionary's word of the year is "polarization," which it defines as "division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes." Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world "polarization" and verb "polarize" date to the early 1800s The meaning of "polarize" — to cause to vibrate in a definite pattern — led to the political and cultural meaning that helps define the world today Political themes top list of words that ranked high in search data according to Merriam-WebsterPander: "To say or provide what someone wants or demands even though it is not proper or reasonable." The dictionary said the term spiked in searches starting in mid-October when both sides in the presidential election used it to mock the other.Weird: "Of strange or extraordinary character." In late July vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz referred to "weird people on the other side," which went viral adding to the definition of the 2024 political season or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking or remembering)." This word struck a nerve on both sides of the political aisle reports of President Joe Biden’s annual physical noted that a "cognitive test" was not part of the assessment Biden’s debate performance in July raised further concerns about his "cognitive ability." In mid-October another spike accompanied coverage of what some described as Donald Trump’s "cognitive decline." Post-election "cognitive dissonance," meaning "psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously" appeared in discussions about states that voted against restrictions on access to abortion but for President-elect Donald Trump.Democracy: Along with related searches like "representative democracy" and "democracy vs republic," democracy saw a large increase in searches throughout the year as people tried to fully understand the meaning The word received bipartisan attention across red states and blue states "Democracy" was the dictionary's word of the year in 2003 History alert: The word "democracy" never appears in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution.Moon shipwreck spur other topped searched words according to Merriam-WebsterTotality: Before April this word that rarely piqued interest became a search hot topic That's when the moon generated astronomical excitement passing in front of the sun and casting a narrow shadow across 13 U.S Totality in this case means "the phase of an eclipse during which it is total; the state of total eclipse." The event created a reason for many people to visit places along the line of totality that otherwise wouldn't have piqued their interest.Demure: In August TikToker Jools Lebron posted the first of a series of videos with a catchphrase that went viral "You see how I do my makeup for work?" she asked very mindful." The second phrase became a meme that created a surge in use with TikTokers and others posting about it "demure" described people who avoid drawing attention to themselves it has also come to describe those whose shyness is a bit of an act.Fortnight: Not to be confused with "Fortnite," the popular online video game released in 2017 This refers to Taylor Swift’s song "Fortnight," which she sang on her record-breaking Eras tour primarily British word meaning "a period of 14 days; two weeks," like all things Swift fortnight comes from the Old English term "fēowertȳne niht" or "fourteen nights," the dictionary said.Resonate: This spiked in searches thanks to ChatGPT captivate and tapestry." Defined in part as "to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way," the word also appeared frequently in news stories about political positions and issues resonating with voters.Allision: News sources referred to Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March when the container ship Dali ran into it as a "collision." However maritime publications mostly used the more accurate word "allision" instead The difference is "allision" occurs when a ship runs into a stationary object while "collision," according to some traditional definitions refers only to contact between two moving objects "we consider the use of 'collision' in this context appropriate and correct."Potato 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Merriam-Webster announced its 2024 Word of the Year: polarization Lookup volume of polarization on Merriam-Webster.com throughout 2024 reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world Polarization is defined as “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially a state in which the opinions or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.”“Polarization was widely used to describe America in 2024,” says Merriam-Webster President Greg Barlow it’s a concept that is shared by both sides of the political divide.”Other words also stood out in the dictionary’s 2024 data revealing experiences and ideas that shaped the year: Merriam-Webster has been America’s leading provider of language information and social media channels offer guidance to tens of millions of visitors our publications include Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary (among the best-selling books in American history) and books for students of all ages and abilities All Merriam-Webster products and services are backed by the largest team of dictionary editors and writers in America If you want a free alternative to NYT's Wordle and Spelling Bee I used to begin my day with a quick scroll through social media but eventually realized it's not a great idea to become filled with rage and despair before I even get out of bed in the morning now I play daily puzzles instead to jump-start my brain which means I don't become filled with rage and despair until around lunchtime First there's Blossom and after playing for a few days I think I actually prefer Blossom's version of the word puzzle It works mostly the same: you've got one central letter surrounded by six others and you have to build words from those letters always using the central letter at least once in each word But instead of guessing as many words as you can the way you do in Spelling Bee you're limited to a total of 12 guesses—which encourages finding longer words instead of simply mashing in every single word that pops into your head Each turn also highlights one letter on the blossom's petals meaning you get a five-point bonus for each use of that letter on that turn and you can find a word with a bunch of Ts in it there are pangrams—words that use every letter in the puzzle at least once—that give you an extra bonus to your score So, your Spelling Bee needs are covered. How about your Wordle fix? I didn't notice this until last week but Quordle is now a part of Merriam-Webster's puzzle arsenal Quordle was one of the early and excellent Wordle-alikes where you tackle 4 Wordle-ish puzzles all at once You have more guesses than you do in Wordle and you're gonna need 'em—Quordle is a pretty darn tricky puzzle and I fail it more often than I beat it But M-W gives you different difficulty levels that allow more or fewer guesses depending on what sort of challenge you're after Beating Quordle also unlocks a weekly challenge puzzle for a little more brainwork M-W also has something NYT doesn't: a trivia game. In Tightrope you're given nine trivia questions with multiple choice answers the tightrope breaks (though you're allowed to start over from the beginning again) The questions start easy on Monday but get progressively harder during the week M-W's daily crossword, The Missing Letter unfortunately isn't in the same class as the NYT's crossword but it's still a decent puzzle and has a couple of fun gimmicks Some clues use definitions from the Merriam-Webster dictionary each beginning with a different letter (helpful if you're stuck on one) and each puzzle features a missing letter that Not a bad motivation to finish the puzzle each day Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals It's a nice collection of games and puzzles and if you're looking for an alternative to doomscrolling or the NYT's games Christopher LivingstonSocial Links NavigationSenior EditorChris started playing PC games in the 1980s started writing about them in the early 2000s and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s Following a few years as a regular freelancer probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own reflects a year of political and celebrity division Collins dictionary went with “brat”. Oxford chose “brain rot” the US’s premier dictionary skipped the slang: Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is “polarization” The announcement comes in an election year that put the concept on display, as Kamala Harris warned of fascism under Donald Trump, while Trump resorted to name-calling and claimed his opponent was running on “destruction”. As the dictionary put it polarization “happens to be one idea that both sides of the political spectrum agree on” Merriam-Webster defines polarization as “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.” In other words, as Peter Sokolowski, the dictionary’s editor-at-large, told the Associated Press it “means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center” The dictionary’s word-of-the-year selection is based on search traffic, with 100m monthly visits to its website. Google Trends shows a small increase in searches for the word beginning last year, as the election cycle ramped up. “We’ve had dictionaries of English for 420 years and it’s only been in the last 20 years or so that we’ve actually known which words people look up,” Sokolowski told the AP. Read moreBut the word has been around since the early 1800s in a scientific context: it was used then to describe light waves, the dictionary notes before evolving to describe politics and culture One thing that’s not polarized: use of the word itself “In a little bit of an ironic twist to the word it’s something that actually everyone agrees on,” Sokolowski said Two others also related to politics: there was “pander” describing politicians’ performative behavior to win over a crowd; and “democracy” searched in red and blue states before an election in which the system’s fate was a focal point was also Merriam-Webster’s first word of the year and it remains among its most popular searches that people are checking up on it,” he said “Maybe the most hopeful thing that the curiosity of the public shows is that they’re paying attention.” The Associated Press contributed reporting Merriam-Webster has chosen its 2024 Word of the Year one that has often defined the political landscape of the United States and its candidates and it was one of the most searched words of 2024 “Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world,” the book company said on its website is "division into two sharply distinct opposites … a state in which the opinions The word was also used quite often in media reports surrounding the 2024 presidential election polarization and the verb polarize date back to the early 1800s morphed into the term’s meaning in the political and cultural spheres as we know it today other terms that were heavily searched for in 2024 include totality Outside of Merriam-Webster, Oxford also named its Word of the Year recently: "brain rot." The noun is used to describe the deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state sometimes seen a symptom of consuming too much material Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com PHOENIX SUNS Kevin Durant and Merriam-Webster react to NBA Centel reactions (Screenshot) BY HABOOB BLOG and some fun-loving NBA fans take that to silly levels For example: NBA Centel on X has taken a life of its own a volume aggregator that prioritizes speed and headline virality over context NBA Centel posts made-up quotes and stats to garner reaction to its self-created false information The ideas are usually berthed from the NBA narrative machine it attributed a quote to Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant explaining why he is apparently single: “Still rolling solo because I’m not dealing with the headache of debating ball with a woman who can’t name my MVP year or break down a pick-and-roll,” it read It was to nobody’s surprise that the haters took the quote as fact and ran with what they thought was an opportunity to criticize Durant To which Durant replied: “You got centel’d…” It is here where the internet got even weirder Because replying to Durant’s tweet was the official X account of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and its million followers — Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 14, 2024 “centel’d | verb | see above,” Merriam-Webster wrote Durant at least seems to find joy in the scary world of replies to the NBA Centel account It’s good to laugh at people taking made-up quotes as truth. At least when it comes to basketball Sometimes I wake up and look at @TheNBACentel comments just to truly see how many dummies come online thinking that they have high iq — Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 14, 2024 — Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 14, 2024 Follow @AZSports it can sometimes be challenging to keep up with new words has taken a stab at keeping itself up to date adding 200 new words and phrases to its database “Our lexicographers monitor a huge range of sources to select which words and definitions to add,” said Peter Sokolowski these give us a very thorough view of the English language.” The new additions include words from the world of science and nature, like “spotted lanternfly,” which is defined in part as “a hemipteran insect (Lycorma delicatula) of Asia and especially China (...) that has been introduced to the United States One might also find the definition for the phrase “touch grass,” which Merriam-Webster defines as: “to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions.” However after learning the definition of the spotted lanternfly one could be forgiven for a bit of hesitation around too much nature “The one constant of a vibrant living language is change,” Merriam-Webster President Gregory Barlow said “We continuously encounter new ways of describing the world around us and the dictionary is a record of those changes,” Barlow said Today's lexicon differs greatly from yesteryear's where trendy regional phrases can easily cross digital borders The new roster of words also includes several political phrases that have become commonplace in national discourse There’s the Trump-popularized “MAGA”: “a political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization.” Or you can learn what it means to be “far left,” which the online dictionary says is “the group of people whose political views are the most liberal.” You’ll be sure to hear those phrases a lot in the next month – possibly on your For You Page – as Americans prepare to take to the polls on Nov Become an NPR sponsor "(Required)" indicates required fields Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Merriam-Webster has officially added the term “jam band” to its prestigious dictionary cementing the genre’s place in the cultural lexicon The addition was part of a broader update that included 200 new words and definitions all reflecting evolving aspects of modern life From social media slang to culinary delights the new entries offer a snapshot of how language keeps pace with society’s fast-moving trends—and for the jam scene it’s a welcome acknowledgment of its deep-rooted influence in the world of music the term “jam band” refers to “a band (especially a rock band) whose performances are distinguished by frequent and often lengthy jazzlike improvisation.” The dictionary entry states that the term is “sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun” and includes the following examples of uses in context: While the word “jam band” has been used for decades by fans and critics alike its official induction into the dictionary represents a formal nod to the genre’s staying power in the music industry and to the generations of bands and fans that have (sometimes reluctantly) embraced the term remarked on the dynamic nature of language itself “The one constant of a vibrant living language is change,” Barlow said and the dictionary is a record of those changes.” Alongside “jam band,” other music-related additions include “freestyle,” defined as “an improvised performance especially of a rap.” including words like “true crime,” “beach read,” “cash grab,” “For You page (FYP),” and even newer slang terms like “touch grass,” “shadow ban,” and “nepo baby.” Meanwhile topped variation of corn) and “burrata” (a ball-shaped mozzarella casing filled with curds and cream) highlight the incorporation of foods originating in different regions into the mainstream cultural melting pot (and diet) Inclusion in the dictionary might not have been on any jam band fan’s wish list the stamp of approval from one of the most respected names in the English language offers validation of the genre as an undeniable force in modern culture—and that’s something worth appreciating Hey, Merriam-Webster, let’s do “wook” next A post shared by Merriam-Webster (@merriamwebster) Copyright © 2025 L4LM | Website by Computer Courage are an eclectic blend of ones you probably assumed already had entries and others you’re surprised to see at all Merriam-Webster recently announced its latest slate of additions to the dictionary—some 200 new words and definitions that, as usual too—likely a shock to anyone with a weather eye In the latter camp there’s IDGAF, an internet initialism that allows you to drop an f-bomb without actually spelling it out; and badassery “the state or condition of being a badass.” (Badass already had its own entry.) Merriam-Webster highlighted a couple dozen of the buzziest terms, which you can peruse with their definitions in the chart below. To learn more about each one—from its history to how it’s used—you can find its full entry on Merriam-Webster.com The state or condition of being a badass: a badass quality or character A usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance) Mozzarella formed into a ball-shaped casing that contains curds and cream A seasoned Italian pork that is cut from the neck and top shoulder that is often brined and sometimes baked or roasted The greedy pursuit of an opportunity for making money especially when done without regard for ethics A political philosophy based on the belief that freedom of the individual is paramount and that government’s role should be largely limited to protecting that freedom or cockroach) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground and is often considered unwanted or unpleasant A video game where the gameplay is primarily focused on defeating enemies while exploring a usually randomly generated labyrinthine or dungeon-like environment The group of people whose political views are the most liberal or progressive The group of people whose political views are the most conservative A social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user’s interests An improvised performance especially of a rap A value that indicates what the ambient temperature feels like to the human body and that is often derived from a calculation using air temperature and relative humidity A unit of measurement used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is A band (especially a rock band) whose performances are distinguished by frequent and often lengthy jazzlike improvisation The current stage of capitalism that began in the second half of the 20th century and that is characterized by globalization the dominance of multinational corporations A political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization and especially before the era of globalization that began in the late 20th century A person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections To cause (a user or their content) to be hidden from some or all other users usually without the user’s knowledge A hemipteran insect (Lycorma delicatula) of Asia and especially China that has grayish-brown forewings with black spots and red hind wings with black spots and that has been introduced to the United States where it is considered an invasive species and agricultural pest Grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice To participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions that depicts and examines real crime cases Containing or made primarily with highly processed ingredients including artificial additives (such as coloring and preservatives) and typically having high levels of fat © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved In the latter camp there’s IDGAF, an internet initialism that allows you to drop an f-bomb without actually spelling it out; and badassery Merriam-Webster highlighted a couple dozen of the buzziest terms, which you can peruse with their definitions in the chart below. To learn more about each one—from its history to how it’s used—you can find its full entry on Merriam-Webster.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelBurrata, Street Corn And More Food Terms Join Merriam-Webster DictionaryByMelissa Kravitz Hoeffner Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Melissa is a writer based in Brooklyn.Follow AuthorOct 01 10:20am EDTShareSaveCommentBurrata has been added to the Merriam Webster dictionary Merriam-Webster just added over 200 words to its dictionary and several of them are common American food terms “Our lexicographers monitor a huge range of sources to select which words and definitions to add,” says Peter Sokolowski these give us a very thorough view of the English language.” Every addition has demonstrated widespread use over time Food terms included in the 2024 edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary include specific foods Street corn has been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary In addition to street corn (noun grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread) additional nouns include burrata (mozzarella formed into a ball-shaped casing that contains curds and cream); and capicola (a seasoned Italian pork that is cut from the neck and top shoulder) Beer fiends can can enjoy the official definition of the International Bitterness Unit “used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is.” “The one constant of a vibrant living language is change,” explains Gregory Barlow Naturally, plenty of Gen Z slang and social media terminology also joins the English language in the dictionary this year. Nepo baby, “a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections,” cash grab, creepy-crawly, shadow ban and touch grass, “to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions,” and For You page (or FYP), “a social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user's interest” are all now official. Other contenders for Merriam-Webster’s word of 2024 included ‘demure,’ ‘weird,’ and ‘fortnight’ I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Merriam-Webster has just unveiled its word of the year for 2024 On Monday (December 9), the publisher known for its American Dictionary announced that “polarization” was the word of the year. The definition of the word describes a “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.” The word dates back to the 1800s when the verb “polarize” was first used to describe light waves; the inital definition was “to cause to vibrate in a definite pattern.” In the announcement Merriam-Webster explained that many Americans searched the word this year to help them understand the “complex state of affairs” regarding the political landscape in both the U.S The dictionary also listed examples of “polarization” being used in the media mentioning Fox News and MSNBC in terms of voters and politicians such as when Forbes wrote about “cultural polarization” in the workplace shared how the organization ended up choosing that specific word to represent the entire year “The online dictionary tells us which words are being looked up, but also in what volume. And so we try to have a data-driven list that explains what words sent people to the dictionary in the past year,” he told the Associated Press “This year was a year with an important election The elections were clearly the story of the year,” he added “And polarization is the term that has been used by everyone.” Merriam-Webster also released other words that were considered for the word of the year title. The word “demure” was in the running following the viral TikTok trend; as well as “weird,” in reference to vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s “weird people on the other side.” after it was used by Taylor Swift on her 2024 album Last week, the Oxford University Press — the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary — announced its 2024 word of the year was “brain rot.” The publishing company defined the phrase as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material considered to be trivial or unchallenging.” “Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration.” The phrase was chosen through a public vote from more than 37,000 people and six words to choose from, with “demure” also being one of the options. The number of times “brain rot” was used increased by 230 percent between 2023 and 2024. “‘Brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life and how we are using our free time,” said Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages. “It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.650018,"label":"/law govt and politics/politics"},{"score":0.641171,"label":"/art and entertainment/music/music reference"},{"score":0.630807,"label":"/family and parenting/children"},{"score":0.608087,"label":"/society"},{"score":0.604029,"label":"/art and entertainment/shows and events"},{"score":0.59365,"label":"/law govt and politics/government"},{"score":0.554935,"label":"/technology and computing/internet technology"},{"score":0.54555,"label":"/law In 2003, Merriam-Webster kicked off the annual tradition of choosing a "word of the year," based on search volume on the dictionary publisher's website which serves as an on-the-nose superlative of the current cultural landscape.  The first word chosen—"democracy"—aligned perfectly with where American heads were at during the start of the Iraq War and a George W. Bush presidency their latest pick is equally fitting when it comes to summarizing the headlines published during one of the tensest election years in history or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes," which seems about right “Polarization means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s announcement “Polarization means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center.” Compared to the "word of the year" in 2023 — "authentic" — this year's pick reflects a year that ended with American voters aligning with Donald Trump in his campaign against Kamala Harris but Sokolowski is letting the data speak for itself “It’s always been important to me that the dictionary serve as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody,” Sokolowski said “It’s a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news whatever you want to say about the value of a word’s meaning in the culture.” Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com Associated Press articles: Copyright © 2016 The Associated Press Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York crime and politics while specializing on marginalized and underrepresented communities Natalie worked with news publications including Adweek She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's in journalism either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content In a year defined by sharp political and cultural divisions it comes as no surprise that Merriam-Webster has named "polarization" as its 2024 Word of the Year "Polarization," most commonly used to mean "causing strong disagreement between opposing factions or groupings," captured the mood of a country grappling with contentious issues and a fiercely divided electorate explained the choice in an interview with The Associated Press (AP) ahead of Monday's announcement but it's a very specific kind of division," Sokolowski said "Polarization means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center." which logs 100 million pageviews a month on its site chooses its word of the year based on data and it noted a significant spike in interest of the term following the 2024 U.S while 7 in 10 of Trump voters said the same of Harris However, "polarization" also transcends politics. From contentious decisions in sports to debates in pop culture, the term has been used to describe a multitude of fissures across society. This year alone, topics ranging from singer Taylor Swift's private jet usage to the latest Olympic controversies have sparked polarized reactions "It's always been important to me that the dictionary serve as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody," Sokolowski told the AP "It's a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news whatever you want to say about the value of a word's meaning in the culture." "polarization" is a relatively "young word" in the English language Unlike many scientific terms rooted in the Renaissance its origins are distinctly American in application "Polarized is a term that brings intensity to another word," said Sokolowski "It's used by both sides and in a little bit ironic twist to the word it's something that actually everyone agrees on." Merriam-Webster also released a list of other frequently searched words that reflect the year's themes and moments: Demure: Inspired by TikToker Jools Lebron's viral makeup routine video the term surged in popularity as users explored its meaning of modesty Fortnight: A song collaboration between Swift and Post Malone led to millions searching for the term's definition Totality: The total solar eclipse captivated viewers along its path Resonate: The overuse of this term in AI-generated content sparked curiosity and critiques about its evolving role in modern writing Allision: This technical term saw a surge in searches after a ship collided with a stationary bridge in Baltimore Other notable entries included "weird," "cognitive," "pander" and "democracy," showing the breadth of societal concerns spanning politics This article includes reporting from The Associated Press Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. 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