Free Dictionary API
Dictionary definitions, phonetics, synonyms, and audio pronunciation for English words (plus 12 other languages). Community-run wrapper over Wiktionary data.
🟢 Online · 26 ms
100%
Unlimited (fair use), no key, no credit card
No key required
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Compare Free Dictionary API with…
- Free Dictionary API vs ipify — Unlimited, no key, no credit card
- Free Dictionary API vs DiceBear Avatars — Unlimited (fair use), no key, no credit card
- Free Dictionary API vs JSONPlaceholder — Unlimited (fair use), no key, no credit card
Paid alternatives
- Merriam-Webster API — free non-commercial, commercial custom
- Wordnik — from $5/mo
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Free Dictionary API require an API key?
No, Free Dictionary API is freely accessible without registration or an API key.
What is Free Dictionary API's free tier?
Unlimited (fair use), no key, no credit card
Is Free Dictionary API currently online?
We check Free Dictionary API every hour. The current status is shown at the top of this page. You can also see the 30-day uptime history in the chart above.
Implementation notes
When to use Free Dictionary API
The Free Dictionary API is the only no-key dictionary endpoint worth using in 2026. Feed it an English word, get definitions grouped by part of speech, phonetic transcriptions, audio pronunciation URLs, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences — sourced from Wiktionary. Use it for vocabulary apps, word games (validating that a word exists), reading tools with tap-to-define, and language-learning side projects. Twelve other languages are supported with thinner coverage.
Common pitfalls
- A word not found returns HTTP 404 with a JSON error body — not an empty array. Word-game code checking 'is this a valid word' should treat 404 as 'no' rather than as an infrastructure error, and anything else non-200 as a retry case.
- Audio pronunciation URLs are present for common words but frequently missing or empty-string for less common ones. Always guard `phonetics[].audio` before rendering a play button.
- This is a community-run project without an SLA, running on donated infrastructure. It has had multi-hour outages in the past. Cache aggressively (definitions never change — cache forever) and degrade gracefully.
- Coverage is Wiktionary's coverage: excellent for standard English, patchy for slang, technical jargon, and very recent coinages. Don't use it as an authority for word-game dictionaries where money is at stake — use a licensed word list.
Quick start (bash)
curl "https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/serendipity"Embed this badge
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