diary

noun

di·​a·​ry ˈdī-(ə-)rē How to pronounce diary (audio)
plural diaries
Synonyms of diarynext
1
: a record of events, transactions, or observations kept daily or at frequent intervals : journal
especially : a daily record of personal activities, reflections, or feelings
2
: a book intended or used for a diary

Synonyms of diary

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of diary in a Sentence

has diligently kept a diary since she was 15
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These tapes feel far more vulnerable—even invasive knowing they were never meant for anyone else—than reading a diary. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 Harrop’s column is among a number of media clippings Fauci preserved in his diary, a surreally mortifying document released to the public last week by Senator Rand Paul. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026 The jury in Plymouth Superior Court heard entries from Clancy's diary Monday and testimony about her state of mind before and after the murders. — Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 After re-reading Frank’s diary, Hepburn reportedly turned down the role. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diary

Word History

Etymology

Latin diarium, from dies day — more at deity

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of diary was in 1581

Phrases Containing diary

Rhymes for diary

See All Rhymes for diary

Browse Nearby Words

diarthrosis
diary
diaryl
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diary. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

diary

noun
di·​a·​ry ˈdī-(ə-)rē How to pronounce diary (audio)
plural diaries
: a daily record especially of personal experiences and thoughts
also : a book for keeping such a record
Etymology

from Latin diarium "a record of business dealings or activities during the day," from dies "day" — related to meridian, sunday see Word History at sunday

More from Merriam-Webster on diary

Nglish: Translation of diary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All