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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Pandemic: Merriam-Webster’s 2020 word of the year

The Merriam-Webster dictionary has selected “pandemic” as 2020’s word of the year. COVID-19 has dominated the news and conversations since March, and it has transformed in-person interactions.

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By Madeleine Brand • Dec 2, 2020 • 1 min read

The Merriam-Webster dictionary has selected “pandemic” as 2020’s word of the year. COVID-19 has dominated the news and conversations since March, and it has transformed in-person interactions. Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer shares thoughts on 2020’s word of the year, and how the pandemic has affected communication.

“The company says searches for the word on its website jumped 115,000% from last year,” says Dreyer.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Madeleine Brand

    Host, 'Press Play'

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    Sarah Sweeney

    Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

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    Michell Eloy

    Line Editor, Press Play

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Amy Ta

    Digital News & Culture Editor

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    Benjamin Dreyer

    Random House copy chief, and author of “Dreyer’s English”

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