How to Add or Remove Words from the Microsoft Office Word Dictionary?

In the realm of professional documentation, Microsoft Office Word has stood as a stalwart tool for years. The significance of crafting documents with precision cannot be understated, and within this landscape, the auto-correct feature in Microsoft Word emerges as a double-edged sword. While undeniably advantageous, it occasionally proves to be a source of vexation—especially when encountering words not recognized by the software’s dictionary.

However, a lesser-known function within Microsoft Office Word empowers users to exert control over their linguistic domain. This function enables the inclusion of non-standard terms into a personalized lexicon, effectively extending the boundaries of the default dictionary.

This guide serves as your compass through the process of adding and purging terms from the Microsoft Word Dictionary. We shall explore two primary approaches to achieving this task:-

1. Word Context Menu Method: Harnessing the power of the Word context menu, we will uncover how to seamlessly integrate new terms into the dictionary or excise existing ones.
2. DEFAULT.dic Dictionary File Method: Delving into a slightly more intricate terrain, this method involves interaction with the DEFAULT.dic dictionary file. We shall unravel the steps to manipulate the vocabulary within this file, enabling you to sculpt your linguistic experience.

In the forthcoming sections, we shall navigate through these methods, providing you with the guidance needed to tailor your Microsoft Word experience to your linguistic preferences. Let’s embark on this journey of linguistic empowerment.

How to Add Words from the Microsoft Office Word Dictionary using the MS Word context menu?

This is the simplest method for adding custom words to the MS Office word dictionary. It is preferable if you do the following:-

Open a Microsoft Word document and input the word you want to include in the dictionary. A red line will appear below the inputted word if it is not already in the MS dictionary. Right-click on the term and choose Add to dictionary from the context menu.

In case the Add to dictionary option on your computer is greyed out, you must enable the Custom Dictionaries option. To enable Custom Dictionaries, follow the steps below:-

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on your computer and select File from the ribbon.

Step 2: Click on Options.

Step 3: Once you’ve completed the above steps, the Word Options dialogue will show up on your screen. Choose Proofing from the menu on the left. Click on the Custom Dictionaries on the right side of Proofing.

Step 4: A new window called Custom Dictionaries appears. Select the CUSTOM.DIC checkbox. Select All Languages as the Dictionary language. Finally, press the OK button to save your changes.

Step 5: Again, click on YOUR TEXT button.

You can now add your custom words to the Microsoft Office word dictionary after completing the preceding steps.

How to Remove Words from the Microsoft Office Word Dictionary using the MS Word context menu?

Follow these steps to remove Words from the Microsoft Office Word Dictionary using the MS Word context menu:-

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word and select the File menu from the ribbon.

Step 2: Click on Options.

Step 3: Once you’ve completed the above steps, the Word Options dialogue will appear. Choose Proofing from the menu on the left. Click on Custom Dictionaries on the right side of Proofing.

Step 4: A new window called Custom Dictionaries will appear. Click on the Edit Word List button after selecting CUSTOM.DIC.

Step 5: A new window appears. You can add your custom term to the dictionary or remove any custom word from the dictionary from here.

How to Add or Remove Words from the Microsoft Office Word Dictionary using DEFAULT.dic dictionary file?

The DEFAULT.dic file is changed whenever you add or remove custom terms. We can manually edit the same file to add or remove custom terms from MS Office Word. To complete the challenge, do the following:

Step 1: Enter the Run command box by pressing the Windows logo + R key combination.

Step 2: Copy and paste the following route into the Run box:-

%AppData%\Microsoft\Spelling\en-US

Step 3: Click on OK on your keyboard. It will open the Spelling folder’s en-US subfolder.

Note: If you are working in another language in MS Office Word, return to the Spelling folder by browsing this path: %AppData%Microsoft\Spelling. Now, navigate to the appropriate language folder.

Step 4: Right-click on the default.dic file and choose Open with from the context menu.

Step 5: After clicking on the Open with button, a new window will show up; choose Notepad from the list of possibilities. If Notepad does not appear at the top, click on the More apps button to see it.

Step 6: Press the OK button to open the custom dictionary in a notepad file. The words ‘#LID 1033’ appear in the first line. You can add more custom words here, one per line. If you want to remove a word from the dictionary, simply remove it from this list. Finally, save the document by pressing the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut.

Conclusion

In the contemporary age of digital documentation, Microsoft Office Word has cemented its place as an indispensable ally. Its precision in crafting documents is unrivaled, and the auto-correct feature, while incredibly beneficial, can at times cause frustrations due to its unfamiliarity with certain terminologies. However, Microsoft Word’s prowess is not limited to its preset dictionary. It offers users the ability to expand its linguistic horizons by including custom terms. Through this guide, we’ve journeyed through the methods of personalizing the dictionary, whether by utilizing the intuitive Word context menu or by delving deep into the DEFAULT.dic file. This ensures that Microsoft Word aligns more closely with the user’s linguistic nuances, providing a more tailored writing experience. By mastering these methods, users can seamlessly integrate their distinct vocabulary, heralding a more fluid and personalized documentation process.