Top Free Dictionary Apps

Top Free "Dictionary Apps" for students

"Every time I have to look up a word in the dictionary, I am delighted. "        -Vivienne Westwood

Dictionary Apps are the world's best online source for English definitions, synonyms, word origins, etymologies, audio pronunciations, example sentences.

It's almost impossible to spend your academic career without a heavy physical Dictionary book. Nowadays, people prefer dictionary apps over heavy physical dictionary books. There are so many digital dictionary apps available to decode the difficult words that you are not even heard of.

There are plenty of dictionary apps available in Google Playstore, Apple App Store and many other platforms. 

But which one to select and which is worth downloading. Let me highlight the top 5 most popular free dictionary apps for students.

1.Oxford English Dictionary

The best feature of this app is that it allows you to look up definitions of words you don’t know, even as you’re reading things in other apps on your device. Simply highlight the word, and tap the “look up” button. This opens the app, which will take you directly to the word’s meaning. The benefit of this app over others is that you can sort your saved words into folders or categories.

There are some drawbacks as well as there is no thesaurus or offline dictionary. There is an option to listen to how a word is pronounced – if you’re willing to shell out real money for the premium version. There are also plenty of adverts, and the in-app word scanner isn’t all that great or effective, either.

2. Dictionary.com

What you see is what you get with this app, and we love it. The interface is clean and simple, and the word explainers range from simple to very detailed. The app has plenty of functions, including a dictionary, a thesaurus, a “Learners” function, and an “Origins” page. The “Learners” function is very useful for students of the language, as it provides info on how the meaning of a word can change in different contexts, or with other words.

The app also contains quizzes, articles about how language is used, word trends, and literature – and a “Word of the Day” section on the app’s homepage.

3. U-Dictionary

Beginners can look up translations of a word in their mother tongue, while more advanced speakers can learn different ways to speak English like a native. The app also has a fast and accurate word scanner – scan a word with your phone’s camera and the definition will pop up.

U-Dictionary provides a word’s synonyms and antonyms, and will also suggest ways that you can combine it with others to form terms and phrases. The app also contains quizzes, and listening and writing exercises to help you master English.

If you accept all permissions for the app to access your phone, you can also see saved vocabulary on your phone’s lock screen, too. This will help you to keep all your newly learned words and their meanings fresh in your mind.

4. Merriam Webster

This Dictionary works with or without data on your device.You can easily look back over previously searched-for words by swiping left, and the layout of the app means you’ll always be able to see the simplest definition of any given word at the top of the page. There is also an option to toggle between dictionary and thesaurus mode. Sadly, because this app has so much to offer, the drawback is a few adverts, which pop up occasionally.

5. Dictionary- WordWeb

WordWeb is a comprehensive international English thesaurus and dictionary, with definitions, synonyms and many related words. It includes pronunciations and usage examples, and has helpful spelling and sounds-like links. Wordweb does much more than a paper dictionary or thesaurus: WordWeb is truly a Word Web - each definition is linked to sets other related words. Just click on a word to explore the network of meanings.

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