© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
It’s 2026 … So Why Is Everyone Suddenly Obsessed with 2016? Here’s the Reason for This Nostalgic Trend
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
How to Mend a Broken Friendship, No Matter Who Caused the Rift
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s Why You Should Start Doing More Things the Hard Way
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Is It Really Rude to Object to Splitting the Check When Someone Orders Way More?
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s Why the Olympics Are Held Every 4 Years
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Make 2026 One for the Record Books! See If You Can Set One of These 70 Unclaimed Guinness World Records
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s What the Olympic Flame Symbolizes—And How the Heck They Keep the Torch Lit on Its Big Journey
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
13 Surprising NASCAR Facts That Will Make You Feel the Need for Speed
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s Why Olympic Athletes Bite Their Medals—And How This Quirky Tradition Started
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
How to Read Body Language and Understand What People Are Really Thinking
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
This Common Behavior in the Drive-Thru Is Actually Really Rude. Are You Guilty of It?
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Bridgerton Is Back for Season 4! Here’s What the Show Gets Right—And Wrong—About the Regency Era
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s Why Coffee Cups Have That Small Second Hole—And It’s Not What You Think!
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Is It Really Rude to Tell Someone Who Asks Why You’re Not Drinking That It’s None of Their Business?
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Party of One! Here’s How to Enjoy Going Out to Dinner by Yourself—And Feel Totally Comfortable with It
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
24 Gen Alpha Slang Terms That Will Help You Understand What Kids Are Even Saying
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
“Belt Bumping” Is on the Rise at Airports—Are You Guilty of This Annoying Travel-Etiquette Mistake?
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Here’s Why Campbell’s Soup Cans Have a Medal on the Label
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
Ring Doorbells Can Now Identify Faces—But Experts Say It’s a Major Privacy Invasion. Here’s Everything You Need to Know
© Copyright Reader's Digest
knowledge
How to Be a Better Listener and Really Hear What Others Are Saying
animal
auto
entertainment
fashion
finance
food
football
lifestyle
long_island
metro
nation
people
shopping
sports
wellness

Word of the Day

short shrift

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 31, 2026 is:

short shrift • \SHORT-SHRIFT\  • noun

Short shrift means “little or no attention or thought” or “quick work.” In religious use it refers to barely adequate time for confession before execution.

// Certain neighborhoods have received short shrift from the city government.

See the entry >

Examples:

“[Charlie] Caplinger echoed the concerns of many speakers at the meeting, with charter captains saying the recreational fishing industry’s economic contributions were being given short shrift.” — Mike Smith, NOLA.com (New Orleans, Louisiana), 6 Nov. 2025

Did you know?

We’ve got a confession to make, but we’ll keep it brief: while it’s technically possible to make “long shrift” of something, you’re unlikely to find long shrift in our dictionary anytime soon. Short shrift, on the other hand, has been keeping it real—real terse, that is—for centuries. The earliest known use of the phrase comes from Shakespeare’s play Richard III, in which Lord Hastings, who has been condemned by King Richard to be beheaded, is told by Sir Richard Ratcliffe to “Make a short shrift” as the king “longs to see your head.” Although now archaic, the noun shrift was understood in Shakespeare’s time to refer to the confession or absolution of sins, so “make a short shrift” meant, quite literally, “keep your confession short.” However, since at least the 19th century the phrase has been used figuratively to refer to a small or inadequate amount of time or attention given to something.