Help

Welcome to our new English language site

We’ve updated our sites in order to provide a faster and more user-friendly experience, focused on highlighting the most relevant content for users of our different dictionaries. 

We will continue to improve our sites following this update and apologize for any site issues experienced during this time; if you have any problems using the sites or spot any issues please do get in touch.

FAQ

New site

My account login isn’t working – how do I sign in? 
A small number of users may not be able to use their previous account login. We will have notified you via email if this affects you and we apologize for any inconvenience. You can create a new site account here

The site isn’t working – what can I do?
You may experience temporary issues with the site experience as we make updates and fixes following this update. We apologize for any inconvenience and if you experience any problems on the site you can contact us

Has the site content changed as part of this update?
This site gives free access to our updated English and American English dictionaries as well as our English Thesaurus, and grammar and language articles.
Please note that not all features available on the former site are included as part of this update but we will continue to improve our sites to meet the needs of our users. If you have any problems using the sites or spot any issues please do get in touch

Where is my subscriber content?
Subscribers can access their premium content at premium.oxforddictionaries.com. If you have problems accessing your content you can find help here

How do I access the Spanish dictionary?
Our free Spanish language resources now have their own dedicated site at es.oxforddictionaries.com. You can find our premium Spanish content at premium.oxforddictionaries.com

Where can I find the other language dictionaries?
Our Spanish language resources can be found on their own dedicated site at es.oxforddictionaries.com.
Our premium subscriptions for English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian can be found at premium.oxforddictionaries.com

A full list of languages included in our Oxford Global Languages program can be found here.

Account

How do I sign in? 
To sign in to your free account click on “Sign in” at the top right of the page and enter your credentials here when prompted or use a social network account to sign in. If you don’t have an account you can register here.
If you are a subscriber please visit premium.oxforddictionaries.com to access your content. 

I have forgotten my password or username. How do I reset this? 
Visit our password reset page and an email will be sent to your email address confirming your username and supplying a link to update your password. 

How do I create an account?
Register here to create a new free account.
To purchase a subscription to our premium dictionaries please visit premium.oxforddictionaries.com

Does my company / library have an Oxford Dictionaries subscription? 
Please visit premium.oxforddictionaries.com where you can check whether your company or institution has a subscription. 

Using the site 

How do I switch between the British and American English dictionaries? 
The dictionary you see as default will reflect your location. For example, a user in London will automatically see the British & World English dictionary in the search bar.
You can switch dictionaries using the dropdown menu on the left of the search bar.

How do I access the thesaurus?
You can select Thesaurus in the search bar dropdown or select Thesaurus in the navigation at the top of the page. 

How do I move between the different language sites? 
If you choose 'OxfordDictionaries.com' under “More from Oxford Dictionaries” in the footer you will be directed to oxforddictionaries.com. You can travel to any of the dictionary sites using the  "Select your Dictionary" tool at the top right of the page. 

How do I insert special characters?
You can copy and paste special characters into the search bar or select them from the virtual keyboard dropdown present in the search bar itself. Mobile devices contain in-built special character keyboards. 

How do I share an entry?
To share a dictionary entry on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, or LinkedIn click on the social icons at the top of a dictionary entry. 

Do you show IPA pronunciation information?
IPA is shown in a dedicated Pronunciation section on English dictionary entry pages. You can also use our key to pronunciation to understand more about our IPA, which is also linked via a '?' symbol in all entries that use IPA.

Content

You can find more FAQ about Oxford Dictionaries content here.

What dictionaries are used on this site? 
This site contains the expanded and updated Oxford Dictionary of English, New Oxford American Dictionary, and Oxford Thesaurus of English

Where are the premium language and writing resources?
These resources can be found on premium.oxforddictionaries.com.
This includes:
New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Fowlers Modern English Usage
Garners Modern Legal Usage
Garners Modern American Usage
Hart’s Rules 

What other dictionary products are offered by OUP?
You can see a full list of our products here

Do you have an app?
You can see a full list of our apps here.