Wordbay guide
Word of the day: how Wordbay picks it
Wordbay gives everyone the same Word of the day, chosen by the date. Open the app and it is the first card: the word said aloud in a British or American voice, an easy respelling and IPA, a plain meaning, two example sentences you can hear, and where the word comes from. It is free every day, with no account.
How the word is chosen
The Word of the day comes from a fixed schedule that started on 7 November 2026 and runs through all 1,006 words in Wordbay, one a day, before it begins again. The order mixes the topics and levels, so a gentle word like arid can follow a hard one like teleology. A date never changes its word, so two people opening the app on the same day see the same one, and the date is your own: the word turns over at midnight where you are.
The words were chosen for adults who already read well, not for beginners: 360 Everyday words you have seen but rarely use, 408 Well-read words and 238 Advanced ones. Every one has its own page here, from the A to Z list.
What you get with each word
- The word said aloud, in a British or an American voice (your choice in Settings), with a slow button
- An easy respelling such as am-BIV-uh-lunt, and the IPA
- A plain meaning, and a second where the word has two
- Two example sentences, each read aloud when you tap it
- Similar words and opposites, and a note for words that are often confused or misused
- A one-line origin
More than one word a day
When you start, Wordbay asks how many new words you want each day (one to ten; five unless you change it) and which of the 24 topics you like. The Word of the day always comes first, whatever your topics or level; the rest come from your choices. A minute of practice then brings words back on a spaced schedule (the next day, after three days, a week, two weeks, a month), and a word only counts as mastered once you have recalled it, not just recognised it.
Everyday words are free with full practice. Wordbay Pro adds the Well-read and Advanced levels, every theme and more, but the Word of the day is free even on the days it is a Pro word.
Topics to start with
- Emotions
- Character
- Arguing & persuading
- Work & business
- Money
- Politics & society
- Science & thinking
- Nature & weather
- Body & health
- Food & drink
- Art & music
- Books & writing
- Time
- Talking & language
- Law & order
- Travel & places
- Love & friendship
- Humour & insults
- Philosophy & belief
- Old & rare words
- Borrowed words
- Words you didn’t know
- Commonly confused
- Often misused
Questions
What is today’s word of the day?
Open Wordbay and it is the first card of the day. The word changes at midnight where you are, and everyone on the same date gets the same word.
Is the word of the day free?
Yes. It is free every day, even when it comes from the Well-read or Advanced levels that are otherwise part of Wordbay Pro. There is no account.
Does the word of the day repeat?
Not for a long time: the schedule runs through all 1,006 words, one a day from 7 November 2026, before it starts again, and a past date always keeps its word.
Can I get more than one word a day?
Yes. Choose between one and ten new words a day; the Word of the day comes first and the rest are picked from your levels and topics. After those, the feed keeps going if you want more.
Can I get it as a notification or widget?
Not from the web app: browsers can’t show reliable daily reminders. Add Wordbay to your Home Screen so it opens like an app, and open it each morning.