technology
Merriam-Webster posts spelling comparison tied to 1776
The dictionary publisher posted a question about differing U.S. and U.K. spellings of 'canceled' and linked it to the American Revolution. The post received more than 12 million views and over 2,400 replies.
New York PostAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Merriam-Webster posted a question on X comparing the spellings 'cancelled' in the U.K. and 'canceled' in the U.S. The post stated the difference resulted from events in 1776. The message was published on July 3, 2026, ahead of the Fourth of July. It had drawn more than 12 million views and over 2,400 replies by Saturday morning.
Spelling history In a follow-up post, Merriam-Webster said both spellings are acceptable. The post noted that Noah Webster's 1806 dictionary used 'cancelled' while the 1828 edition used 'canceled.' Merriam-Webster is described in the coverage as the nation's oldest dictionary publisher.
Transparency
How sources framed this
Single source — no framing comparison available.
CorroborationLimited · 1 source
