Dictionary apps are always a handy tool – whether you are learning languages for the first time, or simply wanting to check the meaning of a few words you didn’t understand in class, at work, or at a gathering with friends, it’s always useful to have a dictionary in hand.
The English language contains millions of words, but the average speaker only uses a small fraction of the current terms and phrases. Besides learning new words, a dictionary app can help expand your English vocabulary.
For children, dictionaries are an invaluable learning tool. For many kids, a dictionary is their first introduction to resource material and a dictionary can help them learn new words and expand their vocabularies.
Looking for a dictionary app? Check the list of best dictionary apps for Android and iOS devices that will help teachers and students.
Best Dictionary Apps
Merriam-Webster dictionary app is one of the most powerful dictionary apps out there. This app includes features such as voice search, audio pronunciation, example sentence of the word, word of the day and an integrated thesaurus including synonyms and antonyms.
Brought to you by the brains behind America’s most popular and widely respected dictionary, Merriam-Webster, this multifaceted dictionary app packs all the features required for a wide range of educational purposes, with self-education not being an exception. Whether you’re a copywriter with English as your second language striving to build your vocabulary or you’re an enthusiastic beginner, Merriam-Webster will not let you down.
Vocabulary-building quizzes, “Word of the Day”, Voice Search, an integrated thesaurus equipped with synonyms and antonyms, quick definitions, and example sentences are just a few of Merriam-Webster’s tremendously handy educational tools.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
If we missed any of the Best English Dictionary App for Students and Teachers, tell us about them!
Dictionary.com is one of the popular free English dictionary app. It does not require internet connection as it works offline. Dictionary.com has a humongous database containing more than 2 million words, definitions, antonyms and synonyms, and has all the tools you need for constantly boosting your English knowledge. It lets you save words, customize your recently searched word list so you never forget the newest words you’ve learned.
Dictionary.com app is suitable for older elementary students and adults alike. There’s audio pronunciation for each word, translations for over 30 languages, detailed word origin descriptions in case you are into etymology, a plethora of language blogs, and an advanced learner’s dictionary, to name just a few.
With the “Word of the Day”, "Word Puzzle", "Wordplay" features, you can learn a new word to your vocabulary every day and at the same time, keep your brain in top shape. If you’re still hungry for more, you can get access to several advanced features via in-app purchases including a slang dictionary, an immense collection of idioms and phrases, example sentences, and medical, science, and rhyming dictionaries.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
Oxford Dictionary of English is one of the more well-known dictionary apps out there. It is the flagship British English dictionary from Oxford. It offers the most comprehensive coverage of English from around the world in any one volume dictionary.
It is completely revised and updated to include the very latest vocabulary, with over 350,000 words, phrases, and meanings. While it’s used for understanding the basic meaning of words, this English dictionary app provides you with immediate translations, definitions, and several other features.
Additionally, the app offers offline functionality, allowing you to access the dictionary even without an internet connection.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: iOS and Android
The Advanced English Dictionary and Thesaurus is a good dictionary app that comes with a variety of useful features. With over 1.4 million words, it offers a range of synonyms, antonyms, hypernyms, hyponyms, and meronyms, among other word options.
The app also has offline support as well as a tool that defines words when you copy them from another dictionary apps. This is useful for understanding the exact meaning of a word, and also for choosing the exact right word to use in a sentence.
The dictionary offers a rich search experience by using various search methods to find or anticipate what you are looking for. Camera search identifies words on the camera screen and shows results quickly.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
The Dictionary is one of the best free dictionary app that features a black-and-white page full of content, from a word of the day to horoscopes, daily quotes, and lots of word games. The app pulls dictionary and encyclopedic content -- including legal, medical, financial -- from numerous respected sources such as McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin, HarperCollins, the Farlex clip-art collection copyright Princeton University, and Wikipedia and provides citations for each search.
This app is commonly know as the world’s most comprehensive dictionary. This English dictionary app can serve as dictionary, thesaurus, translation tool and encyclopaedia. Brought to you by Farlex, the minds behind the ever-popular The Free Dictionary, Dictionary. is a multifaceted, all-in-one dictionary app perfect for students, translators, writers, and copywriters.
Dictionary by Farlex provides access to dozens of dictionaries including a Medical Dictionary, an English Idioms and Slang Dictionary, an English Offline Thesaurus, and many more, so if you can’t find a word or expression, it probably doesn’t exist.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
English Dictionary is another one of the better free dictionary apps for Android users. It boasts a word base of 426000 words. Its interface is basic: a search box at the top and space below for word definitions to appear. It’s free and handy for looking up definitions. This English dictionary app has American and British spellings. So if you’re looking for a British dictionary, this is a good one.
This dictionary works with Moon+ Reader, FBReader and other apps through the share option. You can customize font size, line spacing and screen orientation.
Price: Free
Devices: Android
If you're looking for a rhyme, near rhyme, synonym, antonym, homophone, similar sounding words, words with the same consonant pattern, or other related words such as generalizations, specializations, and words that appear in the same context, then RhymeZone is the powerful rhyming dictionary and thesaurus to help you find the right word.
RhymeZone has a database of over 100,000 words which can be accessed even if your mobile device is not connected to the Internet. Although you need not be connected to find rhymes, being connected via WiFi or 3G means that the RhymeZone English dictionary app will be connected to RhymeZone.com and provide you with definitions and other functions aside from the rhyme.
Price: Paid
Devices: iOS and Android
8. Dict Box: Universal Dictionary
(Android, iPhone, iPad)
Dict Box is a comprehensive offline dictionary and translator app for over 50 languages, all in one place. Each word comes with a detailed definition, synonyms and example sentences.
Some of the features include an inbuilt thesaurus, voice pronunciation, origin of some words and sentence examples. This is the best pick for newbies since it is easy to use and is a light-weight app. It is available for both Android and iOS devices.
With a Premium account, you get access to their urban dictionary for slang words, a picture dictionary for visual learners, the ability to back up and sync word lists across devices and an ad-free experience in the app.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
Kids Picture Dictionary is a great dictionary app for preschoolers and toddlers. This kids dictionary app features over 650 high quality images with text and voiceovers. Parents or kids can repeat the sentences or make their own sentences by using the fun self-record tool. Complexity of words is perfect for ages 3 to 6 so two or more young siblings can play together and even teach each other!
Word Central is an educational site that offers a full children's dictionary, word games, and daily buzzwords. The exercises included on this site give kids an opportunity to better their vocabulary and to learn about the origin of language. A "Build Your Own Dictionary" section allows users to create their own words, parts of speech, and definitions.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android and iOS
The Urban Dictionary app is a crowdsourced slang dictionary that records new words and their meanings. Part of Urban Dictionary’s app is its informal approach, which allows both definitions and descriptions of slang and non slang words.
The app offers a simple interface. Search on a word or phrase that you’ve heard, but don’t understand. Or, for the most fun, press the Random or Daily, as in “word of the day,” buttons. Shaking your phone also activates the Random feature.
Price: Free
Devices: iOS
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of the best dictionary app?
Merriam-Webster is a well-known and highly trusted dictionary. Their app provides quality definitions, audio pronunciations and usage examples in an on-the-go format available offline. It lets you save favorites, has a word of the day and keeps track of your recent searches.
What is the best free dictionary app to download?
Dictionary.com app is the best free dictionary app to download for Android and iOS devices. In addition to letting you browse offline, it comes with a wide variety of supplementary features like “Word of the Day,” quizzes, medical, science, rhyming, slang dictionaries, and more. There are audio pronunciations as well, and it houses over 2,000,000 definitions and synonyms.
What is the best offline dictionary?
If you want an offline dictionary app, then “English Dictionary – Offline,” is the app for you. “English Dictionary – Offline” is capable of syncing your data, such as bookmarks and notes, across devices.
So, have you found your new favorite dictionary app? Download one of these awesome apps and try it out. From now on, you’ll always have the meaning of a new word…right in your pocket!
You may also like:
Trending Topics
