Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries vs Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries9.1Visit Merriam-Webster Dictionary9.0Visit

Higher score Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries #4 in Online Dictionaries 9.1/10 Free plan · 3-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit site

vs

Merriam-Webster Dictionary #5 in Online Dictionaries 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Dictionary

• Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries fits best

  English learners and exam-focused students

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary fits best

  English definition and thesaurus users

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Side by side

Feature	Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Merriam-Webster Dictionary 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	9.0
Ranking	#4 in Online Dictionaries	#5 in Online Dictionaries
Best for	English learners and exam-focused students	English definition and thesaurus users
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	3 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Desktop	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, macOS	Web, iOS, Android
Features Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries 4/4 · Merriam-Webster Dictionary 4/4
Audio pronunciation	✓	✓
Usage examples	✓	✓
Translation lookup	✓	✓
Offline access	✓	✓
Specs
Mobile apps	Ios_android	Ios_android
Languages covered	Not checked yet	1
Our review
Pros	Free access to complete Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary content British and American pronunciation audio with contextual examples CEFR vocabulary, grammar exercises and offline mobile access	Free definitions, audio pronunciations, examples, and thesaurus content Offline definitions and synonyms are available in the mobile apps Voice search, quizzes, games, favorites, and search history support learning
Cons	Some learning tools require premium app access Offline dictionary access is limited to the mobile app Bilingual lookup is specified for German-English only	The primary dictionary experience is focused on English Premium access is required for an ad-free experience Medical, legal, and kids dictionaries require additional purchases
Our verdict	Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries combines reference material and English-learning resources for learners, teachers and exam-focused students. Its free online access includes the complete A–Z Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, with… Read the review →	Merriam-Webster Dictionary is an online English-language reference service for definitions, pronunciations, synonyms, usage examples, word histories, and related language information. It suits students, writers, learners, and anyone who… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — where it wins

  • Free access to complete Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary content
  • British and American pronunciation audio with contextual examples
  • CEFR vocabulary, grammar exercises and offline mobile access

  Where it doesn't

  • Some learning tools require premium app access
  • Offline dictionary access is limited to the mobile app
  • Bilingual lookup is specified for German-English only

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary — where it wins

  • Free definitions, audio pronunciations, examples, and thesaurus content
  • Offline definitions and synonyms are available in the mobile apps
  • Voice search, quizzes, games, favorites, and search history support learning

  Where it doesn't

  • The primary dictionary experience is focused on English
  • Premium access is required for an ad-free experience
  • Medical, legal, and kids dictionaries require additional purchases

• Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries9.1/10 · Free plan · 3-day trial

  A broad English-learning dictionary with strong pronunciation, usage and study tools.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary9.0/10 · Free plan

  A strong free English reference with audio, examples, thesaurus tools, and mobile lookup.

  Visit DictionaryFull verdict →