Top 10 Most Frequently Searched Words on Merriam-Webster.com by idpphilippines

#10: Affect/Effect

Definition: It's not that people don't know what these words mean; it's that they have trouble remembering which one does what. The simplest distinction here is that affect is almost always a verb, and effect is usually a noun.

#9: Integrity

Definition: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility Example: ""What they're trying to say – 'We're protecting theintegrity' – no, you're not," Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said. "It's ruining the integrity. It's not even football anymore. We should just go out there and play two-hand touch Sunday if we can't make [helmet-to-helmet] contact."" – Barry Wilner, Associated Press, October 20, 2010

#8: Ambiguous

Definition: capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways Example: "Trying to help a table select a wine, a waiter offered two ambiguousadjectives: 'fleshy' and 'funky.'" – Andrea Thompson, The New Yorker, April 12, 2010

#7: Albeit

Definition: conceding the fact that : even though : although Example: "Poppy seeds contain minute traces of opiates. Both opium and codeine occur in poppy seeds,albeit in tiny quantities. You cannot get high on poppy seeds." – Chris Kilham, FoxNews.com, October 19, 2010

#6: Conundrum

Definition: an intricate and difficult problem Example: "The basic conundrum is that harassment via Facebook, text messaging, and e-mail usually involves off-campus student speech, which is more protected by the First Amendment than what happens on school grounds." – Emily Bazelon, Slate.com, February 8, 2010

#5: Apathetic

Definition: having little or no interest or concern : indifferent Example: "Strategists are considering pushing for similar [marijuana legalization] initiatives in 2012 for battleground states ... in an effort to motivate a typically apathetic but largely liberal population of marijuana supporters." – Dave Thier, AOLNews, October 6, 2010

#4: Cynical

Definition: 1 : contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives 2 : based on or reflecting a belief that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest Example: "The rap on ... [the] musical Chicago has been that it was a show ahead of its time, with its cynical take on the idea of celebrity, crime, and the regular folks who would do nearly anything for a moment in the spotlight." – Thom Geier, EntertainmentWeekly.com, August 24, 2010

#3: Love

Definition: 1 : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties love for a child> 2 : attraction based on sexual desire Example: "Scholars, poets, and just plain folks have pondered the meaning and mystery of love for thousands of years, but every definition seems lacking." – Lee Dye, ABC News, October 27, 2010

#2: Ubiquitous

Definition: existing or being everywhere at the same time : constantly encountered : widespread Example: "High-fructose corn syrup is often singled out as Food Enemy No. 1 because it has become ubiquitous in processed foods over about the last 30 years – a period that coincides with a steep rise in obesity." – Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, October 26, 2010

#1: Pretentious

Although certain definitions spike in our search results based on current events, this list presents the eternally vexing words that remain among the most looked up over time.

Definition:

expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature

Example:

"You spent 10.5 hours composing your profile and changed the movie choices twice because it was skewing too self-consciously pretentious. You changed the picture three times; now it's both quirky and unstudied." – Sadie Stein,Jezebel.com, August 19, 2010