Free Dictionary
Retrieve word definitions, phonetics, pronunciations, parts of speech, examples, and synonyms.
Read docs Updated 2026-06-17
What is Free Dictionary?
This API supplies structured dictionary information for individual words, covering phonetic transcription, audio pronunciation links, grammatical categories, example sentences, and synonym lists.
It is suitable for developers integrating dictionary lookup into language tools, educational applications, or NLP pipelines that require reliable word-level metadata.
What you can build with Free Dictionary
Vocabulary builder app
Fetch definitions, phonetic spellings, and usage examples to power flashcards and spaced-repetition exercises for language learners.
Writing assistant plugin
Provide instant synonyms, parts of speech, and example sentences inside text editors or browser extensions to help users improve word choice.
Word game backend
Supply lexical data for crossword, anagram, or definition-guessing games without needing to maintain a local dictionary database.
Get started with Free Dictionary
- 1Open the Free Dictionary API documentation
- 2Pick the word lookup endpoint
- 3Send an HTTPS GET request with the desired word
- 4Parse the JSON response to extract definitions, phonetics, and synonyms
- 5Cache results locally to reduce repeated calls
Free Dictionary: pros & cons
Pros
- +No API key or authentication needed
- +HTTPS-only with rich lexical fields
- +Includes usage examples and synonyms
- +Simple REST interface
Cons
- –English only
- –No official rate-limit documentation
- –Coverage gaps for rare or technical terms
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Frequently asked questions
A free HTTPS service that returns definitions, pronunciations, parts of speech, examples, and synonyms for English words.
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