Merriam-Webster releases first print dictionary in 20 years to combat AI misinformation

Merriam-Webster has published the 12th edition of its Collegiate Dictionary, the first update in more than 20 years, positioning the physical book as a trustworthy alternative to AI-generated content. The release comes as a direct response to growing concerns about AI hallucinations and misinformation, with the company marketing the dictionary as “actual intelligence” versus artificial intelligence that “never hallucinates” and requires no electricity.

The big picture: This marks a surprising return to print publishing in an industry that went digital-first decades ago, with the move serving as both a marketing statement against AI and a nostalgic appeal to traditional authority.

• Dictionary sales had been declining for years, with the American Heritage Dictionary questioning in 2011 whether it would be “the last print dictionary ever made.”
• The number of full-time lexicographers in America has plummeted from around 200 to fewer than 50 over the past two decades.

Marketing strategy: Merriam-Webster launched the dictionary with a clever parody of Silicon Valley AI announcements, calling it a “NEW Large Language Model.”

• The 35-second promotional video mimics tech company rollouts, claiming the dictionary has “over 217,000 rigorously defined parameters” and “never hallucinates.”
• The tagline contrasts “artificial intelligence” with “actual intelligence,” positioning the physical book as more reliable than AI-generated content.

What’s included: The 12th edition contains more than 5,000 new words, though most are already available on Merriam-Webster’s free online site.

• New entries include contemporary terms like “cold brew” and “farm-to-table.”
• The physical book features a red linen cover, gentle fonts, and traditional thumb notches designed to offer “a sense of reassurance.”

The irony: Despite criticizing AI, Merriam-Webster itself uses artificial intelligence for new products, including a chatbot “grounded in Merriam-Webster’s scholarship and expertise.”

• Google’s AI Overview has worsened traffic problems for dictionary websites by placing AI-generated definitions at the top of search results.
• When searching for “authoritarian,” Google’s AI-generated content and Oxford Languages definitions appear before Merriam-Webster’s entry.

Why this matters: The dictionary’s publication represents a broader struggle between traditional authorities and AI-generated content in an era of increasing misinformation.

• As one Bluesky commenter noted: “It’s weirdly comforting to see a hard-bound version of words having real, defined meanings in the current moment. I’m so tired of lies, bullshit, and straight up gaslighting.”
• The move positions the print dictionary as “retro cool, like Air Jordans or vinyl records,” appealing to consumers seeking reliable information sources.

Historical context: The Merriam-Webster brand has maintained authority since acquiring Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary rights, with the company historically hiring Yale scholars and advertising itself as “the SUPREME authority.”

• The Collegiate Dictionary, first published in 1898, became an “aspirational accessory of the American dream” and sold more copies than any American hardcover except the Bible.
• The tradition of updating the Collegiate once a decade had quietly died after the 11th edition in 2003 due to declining revenues and uncertain market demand.