--- title: "Elon Musk Brutally Owned by Merriam-Webster Dictionary" description: "While Twitter waits for owner Elon Musk's next decree, the geniuses behind the Merriam-Webster dictionary account have provided some comedic relief. " date: "2023-03-31" modified: "2023-03-31" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/merriam-webster-elon-musk" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "humor" - "the digest" - "twitter" --- # Elon Musk Brutally Owned by Merriam-Webster Dictionary ![While Twitter waits for owner Elon Musk's next decree, the geniuses behind the Merriam-Webster dictionary account have provided some comedic relief. ]() *\Image: Matt Cardy via Getty / Futurism\* ## Definition of Burn While the Twitter world waits for owner Elon Musk's next controversial decree, the trolling geniuses behind the Merriam-Webster dictionary's social presence have provided some much-needed comedic relief. "People who subscribe to Merriam-Webster Red™ will get exclusive access to the real definitions," [the famous dictionary's account tweeted]() — a clear dunk on Twitter Blue, the infamous subscription service that may soon be the sole determinator as to whether someone can get a blue verification checkmark. Musk's Twitter Blue gambit once again made headlines this week after the [site owner announced]() that soon, only those who subscribe to the paid service will be able to be featured in the social network's "For You" suggestions and vote in polls (after near-universal condemnation, he [walked it back slightly]()). Earlier this month, [Twitter announced]() that the site will begin removing verification from "legacy" verified accounts, or those who got their blue checkmarks from the [admittedly fraught system]() that was in place before Musk took over the site. ## Future Tense As you can imagine, both of these announcements have been met with [serious pushback](), and perhaps as a half-baked prophecy, Merriam-Webster also joked about a rollback of its own, too. "It has been brought to our attention that we've been giving everyone the real definitions since 1828," [the follow-up tweet read](). "Merriam-Webster Red™ has been discontinued." The jokes didn't stop there, though. When someone asked [whether they'd get their $8 back](), the account [responded with]() the Merriam-Webster dictionary link to the word "NO" — a clear dig at Musk's mercurial and cash-grabby management strategy. This is, of course, far from the first time Merriam-Webster's social media manager has [garnered]() [press]() for being hilarious — but we must admit, this one was particularly tickling. **More on Musk:** [*Elon Musk Reportedly Tried to Take Over OpenAI Several Years Ago, But Failed*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()