Grant Barrett

Grant Barrett is an American lexicographer, dictionary editor, and co-host of the nationally syndicated public radio show A Way with Words. Known for his expertise in slang and emerging English, he has led editorial teams at Dictionary.com and contributed to dozens of major dictionary projects, including works for Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins. He’s the author of Perfect English Grammar and several dictionaries of slang and political language, and co-founder of Wordnik.com.

Barrett’s work spans print, radio, and digital media, with writing credits in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Copyediting. He’s a vice president of the American Dialect Society and active in multiple linguistic organizations. A Columbia graduate with studies in Paris and Missouri, he lives in Southern California with his wife and son.