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The Free Dictionary

thefreedictionary.com

Free plan WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroidAPI
Visit thefreedictionary.com
Spec score 8.8 #5 of 39 in Online Dictionaries

What it is

The Free Dictionary brings together dictionaries, a thesaurus, specialized reference works, encyclopedias, literature references, and a search engine. Its app adds audio pronunciations, example sentences, etymologies, word games, and a daily word and idiom. It offers dictionaries in 13 other languages and translations from English into more than 40 languages. The app provides free offline access to English dictionary and thesaurus content; offline dictionaries in other languages are Pro features. Users can save bookmarks and sync them across devices. The website and app are free, while the app includes ads and in-app purchases. Listed one-time options are 5.99 USD for an ad-free upgrade and 9.99 USD for Dictionary Pro, which includes ad-free use, offline dictionaries, and translations. It is available on Android, iOS, macOS, and the web. Other apps can access it through API calls; developers are directed to contact Farlex for instructions. The app directs users with questions or problems to Feedback in Settings for email support.

Spec sheet

What it does
The service combines dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia and reference searching with a customizable portal.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Integrations
The app listing says other apps can access The Free Dictionary through API calls and directs developers to contact Farlex for instructions.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Support
The help page invites questions and complaints and says users can contact Farlex for assistance.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Headquarters
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Founded
Farlex says it was founded in 2004, while TheFreeDictionary launched in 2003.Read 15 Oct 2026 · farlex.com
Advertising limit
Farlex lists a $10,000 minimum for direct advertising and says it does not accept ads for adult products or services or suggestive ads for any services.Read 29 Sep 2026 · farlex.com
Android data safety
Google Play reports that the Pro app may collect personal info and app activity, encrypts data in transit, and allows deletion requests.Read 29 Sep 2026 · play.google.com
App customization
Users can rearrange or remove homepage content such as articles, games and local weather.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Bookmarks
The mobile app supports one-tap bookmarks and synchronizes saved items across devices.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Bookmarks and sync
Users can save bookmarks and sync them across devices in the app.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Browser extensions
Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer add-ons support toolbar searches, highlighting or right-click definition lookup.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Business partnerships
Farlex says customized partnerships are available to websites with at least one million monthly visitors.Read 29 Sep 2026 · farlex.com
Changelog
The App Store lists version 14 on November 11, 2025 with bug fixes and enhancements.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Company ownership
Farlex describes itself as an independent privately held reference-products company.Read 15 Oct 2026 · farlex.com
Developer API
Other apps may call the dictionary app through an API, but Farlex instructs developers to contact the company for access details.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Learning content
Daily word and idiom features, grammar material, trivia, spelling activities and other word games are provided.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Licence status
The cited pages display Farlex copyright notices but do not state an open-source licence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Limit: advertising
Reviewers complain that advertising can be incessant or occasionally inappropriate, although an in-app purchase removes it.Read 15 Oct 2026 · commonsensemedia.org
Limit: audio accuracy
An App Store reviewer says the American and British pronunciation voices sometimes mispronounce words.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Limit: extension workflow
A Chrome extension reviewer found the context-menu placement and multi-click workflow clumsy and removed it.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chrome-stats.com
Limit: offline setup
A Google Play reviewer reports that offline use requires downloading word data first, so the initial setup needs internet access.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Multilingual content
The app offers dictionaries in 13 other languages and translations from English into more than 40 languages.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
No trial
The app listing says the app is not a trial version and that users get its stated included content free; it describes extra language offline dictionaries as Pro features.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Offline lookup
The app provides free offline English dictionary and thesaurus content; additional offline dictionaries in other languages are available in the Pro version.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Payment security
The privacy policy says premium-order information is encrypted with SSL and card details are handled by payment processors.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Praise: breadth
Independent reviewers praise the extensive definitions, synonyms, reference sources and educational extras.Read 15 Oct 2026 · commonsensemedia.org
Praise: usability
Reviewers describe the interface as straightforward, easy to navigate and useful for school or writing work.Read 15 Oct 2026 · smartcustomer.com
Privacy criticism
Common Sense Media flags unclear data-sharing and personalized-ad practices alongside third-party tracking.Read 15 Oct 2026 · commonsensemedia.org
Privacy disclosure
Apple's listing says the developer indicated that location, identifiers, usage data, and diagnostics may be used for tracking across other companies' apps and websites; Apple says this information has not been verified.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Privacy practices
Farlex says it uses cookies, analytics and advertising services, and may collect usage, device and location-related data.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Publisher and audience
Farlex describes itself as an independent, privately held provider of online reference products whose flagship properties are visited by millions of people each month.Read 29 Sep 2026 · farlex.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Chrome Web Store
4.4 out of 5 from 7 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · chromewebstore.google.com
Rating on ChromeStats
4.43 out of 5 from 7 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · chrome-stats.com
Rating on Google Play
4.9 out of 5 from 272K reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on SmartCustomer
5.0 out of 5 from 3 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · smartcustomer.com
Reference library
The site brings together dictionaries, a thesaurus, specialized reference works, encyclopedias, literature references, and a search engine.Read 29 Sep 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Reference sources
The app aggregates content from Webster's, Roget's, American Heritage and other named publishers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
SDKs
The cited developer and help pages do not list a public SDK or downloadable developer package.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Security claim
Farlex says downloads from its site are free of spyware, adware, malware and popups.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Self-hosting
The cited pages describe hosted web and app services and provide no self-hosting option.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Specialty dictionaries
Its collection includes medical, legal, science, financial, idiom, slang, acronym and abbreviation references.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
System requirements
The iOS app requires iOS or iPadOS 13 or later; Mac use requires macOS 11 or later with Apple silicon.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Translations
The apps translate English into more than 40 languages and provide additional multilingual translation options.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Trust assessment
Scam Detector gives thefreedictionary.com an 86/100 trust score and labels it authentic, trustworthy and secure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scam-detector.com
Vocabulary tools
The app includes word and idiom of the day, audio pronunciations, example sentences, etymologies, and word games.Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Webmaster integration
Webmasters can embed lookup boxes, daily-content widgets, JavaScript feeds and RSS feeds with required attribution.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Windows software
A Windows Desktop Assistant lets users select a word in almost any application to retrieve definitions or encyclopedia entries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com

Plans and prices

Classic free app Free online and offline English dictionary/thesaurus · ads · core app content Read 15 Oct 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
The Free Dictionary app Free Free app · includes ads and in-app purchases · additional offline dictionaries in other languages are available in the Pro version Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
The Free Dictionary website Free Free online reference content · multiple dictionaries, thesaurus, encyclopedias, and translation options Read 29 Sep 2026 · thefreedictionary.com
Ad-free upgrade $5.99, paid once Ad-free upgrade for the app Read 29 Sep 2026 · apps.apple.com
Ad-free upgrade $5.99, paid once removes advertising in the iOS app Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Dictionary Pro $9.99, paid once ad-free · expanded English offline dictionary · 13 additional offline dictionaries · offline translations Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com

Every The Free Dictionary plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Combines dictionaries, a thesaurus, and reference works.
  • Translations from English into more than 40 languages.
  • Free offline English dictionary and thesaurus content.
  • Bookmarks can sync across devices.
  • API calls are available to other apps.

Limits

  • The app includes ads and in-app purchases.
  • Other-language offline dictionaries require Pro.
  • Ad-free upgrade costs $5.99 as a one-time purchase.
  • Dictionary Pro costs $9.99, paid once.

Who it suits

It suits readers looking up definitions, translations, pronunciations, and reference material, including those who want offline English dictionary and thesaurus access. App users can also save and sync bookmarks across devices.

Verdict

The Free Dictionary combines broad reference content with vocabulary tools and offline English lookup. Check which language and offline features are included before choosing the free app or a listed one-time upgrade.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to The Free DictionaryAll alternatives →