Word of the Day
: March 32026spiel
playWhat It Means
A spiel is a fast speech that someone has often said before and that is usually intended to persuade people to buy something or to agree to something.
// The founder gave us a long spiel about the benefits of joining the running club.
spiel in Context
“We were in a hotel and when he and his publicist exited one door of the suiteI slipped out the other to meet him at the elevator. I gave him my spiel about the film and handed him a rough cut on VHS. He said‘Alrightwe’ll take a look.’” — Ed Burnsquoted in The Hollywood Reporter21 Jan. 2026
Did You Know?
Here’s our spiel on spiel: it’s well-known as a nounand you may also be aware that spiel can be used as a verb meaning “to talk extravagantly,” but did you know that the verb can also mean “to play music”? Thatin factis the word’s original meaningand one it shares with its German rootspielen. Spiel is also found in glockenspielthe name of a musical instrument similar to the xylophone.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Test Your Vocabulary
What 5-letter noun begins with “p” and can refer to an advertisementrecommendationor an often high-pressure sales presentation?
VIEW THE ANSWERPodcast
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