Merriam-Webster Slayed With Plenty of Tweeted Debate Shade

By Kristy Puchko | Politics | October 20, 2016 |

By Kristy Puchko | Politics | October 20, 2016 |

You might think of Merriam-Webster as a dusty old dictionary. But that’s just because you haven’t been following its on-brand and deliciously snarky Twitter account. Here’s how the editors at Merriam-Webster Dictionary live-tweeted the third Presidential Debate:

Top 3 lookups right now: quid pro quo, trumpery, culture (culture is always up there & may not be #debatenight related). Won't be long now.

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

'Substantive' is the top word looked up @MerriamWebster as the candidates are introduced. https://t.co/geV5z9qJBM

— Peter Sokolowski (@PeterSokolowski) October 20, 2016

Citizens United reference right at the beginning. https://t.co/P6RdahaycG

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

This is the Heller decision. #debatenight #debate https://t.co/ncpU4HvEAU

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

We're seeing a spike for both 'ombre' and 'hombre'. Not the same thing. https://t.co/O2o9C3gTja #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

hombre:🚶 a man
ombré: 🌈 having colors or tones that shade into each other #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

@MerriamWebster Maybe Mr. Trump said "bad ombres" tonight https://t.co/LZZNeJc3Yu

— Andrés Almeida (@andresdavid) October 20, 2016

Bad ombres pic.twitter.com/1iiHOtg8yi

— Andrés Almeida (@andresdavid) October 20, 2016

Smaller spike for 'umbre' too, actually. #debatenight https://t.co/DfmZSs5h38 https://t.co/CWX3ys7pFH

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

So apparently we're doing this again. Cheers. 🍻 https://t.co/zHTNNl1XAE #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Nuclear weapon: a weapon whose destructive power derives from an uncontrolled nuclear reaction https://t.co/Cn8QvUOfa4 #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Incidentally, the election may be altering the meaning of the phrase "go nuclear." #debatenight https://t.co/xZSDKhn0hF

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Now spiking: 'regime', after Trump used the word to describe the Obama administration. https://t.co/NXzPxD9jnj #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Sexual assault is illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent. #debatenight https://t.co/4EYVBbbSAC

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Aaaand "debunk" heading uplist @MerriamWebster now. Used by both Clinton and Trump in quick succession. https://t.co/1jKyLlkrQ4 #debatenight

— Kory Stamper (@KoryStamper) October 20, 2016

'Rig' spiking from Trump's comments. #debatenight https://t.co/s0OgVwGZKc

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Both 'sleezy' & 'sleazy' (the more common spelling) are spiking. We're seeing more lookups for 'sleezy'.#debatenight https://t.co/2ye07lFBmH

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Why is this happening again? Did this tweet go viral for nothing? https://t.co/VYQ8tL0oYB

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

"Sad" traces back to an Old English word meaning "sated": https://t.co/R5jv98pMqW #debatenight

— Emily Brewster (@eabrewster) October 20, 2016

Top lookups right now: big(ly), hombre, entitlement, ombre, regime #debatenight

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

📈 'Swatch' spiking after Trump's "vast swatches/swaths of land" remark. #debatenight https://t.co/UZdNl4fmeA

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Somehow, this night ends with us writing an hombre/ombre/ombré explainer. Of course it does. #debatenight https://t.co/AZCuU8OohO

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Good night, and good luck. https://t.co/7PQpWPBNhr

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) October 20, 2016

Kristy Puchko worries a dictionary is cooler than her.