Report updated Apr 17, 2026
SCRABBLE Dictionary
For competitive SCRABBLE players, tournament participants, and serious word game enthusiasts looking for an official and reliable reference tool.
SCRABBLE Dictionary is a challenged reference app that is a paid app. With a 2.9/5 rating from 127 reviews, it faces significant user friction. Users particularly appreciate utility for word games, though outdated dictionary/word list remains a common concern.
What is SCRABBLE Dictionary?
Current Momentum
v2.0 · 91mo ago
ZombieThe app last received a content update in October 2018 with the addition of new words to the dictionary.
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
What Are The Key Features?
Includes over 150,000 playable two- to fifteen-letter words, endorsed by NASPA.
Tool to discover all possible words that can be created from a set of tiles.
Exclusive access to the full Tournament Word List for NASPA members.
How much does it cost?
- One-time purchase of $4.99
Premium, one-time purchase model targeting serious players who value an official, ad-free, and authoritative reference tool.
Who Built It?
Merriam-Webster
Providing authoritative English language reference and vocabulary tools for students, educators, and word enthusiasts.
Portfolio
7
Apps
What other apps does Merriam-Webster make?
Merriam-Webster Dictionary+
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Learner's Dictionary - English
Quizzitive – A Merriam-Webster Word Game
Learner's Dictionary - English HD
RhymeZone
Explore the full Merriam-Webster report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by Merriam-Webster.
What do users think recently?
High confidence · Latest 100 of 127 total reviews analyzed · Based on 127 reviews. Signal may be noisy.
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a frustrated sentiment. Users appreciate utility for word games, but report outdated dictionary/word list and lack of maintenance/updates.
What Users Love
What Frustrates Users
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for SCRABBLE Dictionary?
Where is it available?
Localized markets (1)
How's The Reference Market?
How does it evolve in the Reference market?
Rank progression
2 active rankings tracked — 30-day window
The rivals identified
The outtake for SCRABBLE Dictionary
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Exclusive NASPA endorsement
- Access to official Tournament Word List
- Strong brand authority (Merriam-Webster)
- Ad-free premium model
Critical Frictions
- No updates since 2018 (technical neglect)
- Database is two editions behind (5th vs 7th)
- Non-standard keyboard layout (lacks QWERTY)
- Poor multitasking/state retention
Growth Levers
- Update database to 7th Edition to regain market trust
- Modernize UI/UX to meet current iOS/Android standards
- Expand to include international WESPA lists to compete with Collins
Market Threats
- Collins Scrabble Checker (Nemesis) offers better maintenance and global standards
- Third-party 'cheat' apps provide faster, more modern search experiences
- Falling App Store rankings (↓23) reduce organic discovery
What are the next best moves?
Immediate Database Update to 7th Edition
The #1 complaint theme is that the app is two editions behind, causing users to view the 'Official' tool as 'garbage' for missing current words.
Implement QWERTY Keyboard Layout
Users explicitly cited the non-QWERTY keyboard as a major UX friction point in sentiment data.
Resolve App State Retention Issues
Users report the app loses input when switching between the dictionary and the Scrabble game, a critical failure for a companion utility.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- International WESPA (CSW) word list support (available in Collins Scrabble Checker)
- Modern UI/UX aesthetic (available in Word Checker for Scrabble)
- High-performance search optimized for tournament speed (available in WordGame Dictionary)
Key Takeaways
The SCRABBLE Dictionary is currently coasting on its NASPA endorsement while failing its core users through total product neglect. If Merriam-Webster does not update the word list to the 7th edition and modernize the UI, they will lose the serious player market to more agile third-party utilities and the Collins international alternative.
Where Is It Heading?
Declining
Last updated Oct 2018 — product is in maintenance mode with no active feature expansion.
Ranked #74 Paid (↓23) — significant drop in category standing and sales momentum.
Upset user base reporting missing words (e.g., 'aa') due to outdated 5th edition database.