Why Dictionary Software?

Dictionary software is a reference tool for your computer desktop that will improve your writing skills, your vocabulary and reading comprehension. Good communication skills can make or break a deal, get you that job promotion and improve the way you express yourself.

It can assist with many projects like creative writing, professional proposals, academic papers, marketing, B2B communication and fun word games.

Many of these programs are much more than a dictionary; they allow you to search words through a number of methods. You can search by definition, find rhyming words and use advanced searches to limit your search by time period, origin and more. In addition, the dictionary will interact with your word processing, email and other applications making it easy to find definitions, synonyms and spell–check.

Dictionary software can provide more than just a definition—you’ll have access to phonetic symbols, audio pronunciations, illustrations, parts of speech vocabulary exercises and more.

In this site, you’ll find articles and comprehensive reviews on dictionary software that will help you make an informed decision on which software package is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS, we do the research so you don’t have to.™

What to Look for in Dictionary Software

Dictionary software should be accessible at any time while you’re writing or reading. It ought to be easy and convenient to use and provide all of the information pertaining to words and language that you need to communicate and understand.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate dictionary software:

  • Feature Set – Dictionary software should have a number of practical features that will provide information on words and more. These features may include a thesaurus, parts of speech, audio pronunciations, illustrations and word origins.
  • Ease of Use – The programs should work along side other programs so you can quickly find definitions of the words your reading or writing. The average person should feel confident in using the software regardless of their computer knowledge.
  • Search Capabilities – The best dictionary software will search entries using a number of different methods including: by clicking or dragging a word, entering the word in the search box, browsing the entries alphabetically and more.
  • Content – The dictionary should contain a large number of entries. The largest collection of words we found was over half a million.
  • Ease of Installation – The software should be easy to install and set up, not include adware and not cause run errors on your computer.
  • Help/Support – The manufacturer of the program should provide various ways to find answers to questions you have and teach you to use the software. This support may consist of FAQs, tutorials, an online form, email address and a phone number.
To read the review on Merriam–Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus, the dictionary software that we ranked #1, click here.

 
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Dictionary Software Review 

Meliorate Your Lexicon

Meliorate - vt., vi. to make or become better, improve.

Lexicon - n. the vocabulary of a language, an individual speaker or group.

Rank #1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8
Excellent score   Excellent
Very good score   Very Good
Good score   Good
Fair score   Fair
Poor score   Poor
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus Babylon-Pro + Oxford Random House Webster's College Dictionary Encarta Right-Click Dictionary Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary CD-ROM SpellExpress Simon and Schuster Visual Thesaurus
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus Babylon-Pro + Oxford Random House Webster's College Dictionary Encarta Right-Click Dictionary Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary CD-ROM SpellExpress Simon and Schuster Visual Thesaurus
Reviewer Comments Read Review
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Lowest Price Buy Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus Del/Aud
$19.95
Buy Babylon-Pro + Oxford 6
$109.00
Buy Random House Webster's College Dictionary
$29.99
Buy Encarta Right-Click Dictionary
$12.54
Buy Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary CD-ROM 2
$25.00
Buy SpellExpress
$19.99
Buy Simon and Schuster
$6.99
Buy Visual Thesaurus 3
$39.95
 
Overall Rating Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Good
Ratings
Feature Set Excellent Excellent Very Good Excellent Excellent Good Very Good Good
Ease of Use Very Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good
Search Capabilities Excellent Very Good Excellent Very Good Very Good Excellent Very Good Fair
Content Excellent Excellent Very Good Excellent Very Good Good Very Good Good
Ease of Installation Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent
Help/Support Excellent Excellent Very Good Fair Good Very Good Fair Good
View Specifications Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
View Screenshots View Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus screenshots View Babylon-Pro + Oxford screenshots            
Features
Compatible With Other Programs Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark    
Spelling Check Mark Check Mark         Check Mark  
Thesaurus Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Antonyms Check Mark Check Mark       Check Mark Check Mark  
Homophone Words Check Mark              
Rhyming Words Check Mark             Check Mark
Parts of Speech Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Derivatives   Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark      
Conjugations   Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark    
Spelling Alternatives   Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark    
Phonetic Symbols Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark
Verbal Illustration Check Mark     Check Mark   Check Mark   Check Mark
Audio Pronunciations Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark    
Practice Pronunciations         Check Mark      
Phonetic Symbol Explanations Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark    
Illustrations Check Mark     Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark
Origin Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark    
Languages   Check Mark            
Export Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Internet Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark       Check Mark
Filters           Check Mark    
Online Updates   Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark      
Unit Conversions   Check Mark            
Change Preferences Check Mark   Check Mark     Check Mark Check Mark  
Exercises Check Mark     Check Mark Check Mark     Check Mark
Search Capabilities
By Word Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Drag-and-drop     Check Mark     Check Mark Check Mark  
Click on Word Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark      
Definition Check Mark   Check Mark     Check Mark    
Advanced Search Check Mark         Check Mark    
Alphabetically Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
Content 225,000 225,000 200,000 400,000 170,000 93,226 138,000 175,000
Help/Support
Tutorial/Help Section Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark
FAQs Check Mark Check Mark     Check Mark      
Phone Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
eMail Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark       Check Mark  
Online Form Check Mark Check Mark            
Supported Configurations
Vista   Check Mark            
XP Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark   Check Mark Check Mark
MAC Check Mark  
        Check Mark
 
Reviewer Comments Read Review
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Lowest Price Buy Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus Del/Aud
$19.95
Buy Babylon-Pro + Oxford 6
$109.00
Buy Random House Webster's College Dictionary
$29.99
Buy Encarta Right-Click Dictionary
$12.54
Buy Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary CD-ROM 2
$25.00
Buy SpellExpress
$19.99
Buy Simon and Schuster
$6.99
Buy Visual Thesaurus 3
$39.95

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