Written by the team that makes Stemmy. Every fact about Google Dictionary below comes from its own Chrome Web Store listing, checked on 11 October 2026 and linked in the sources.
Why the meaning in your sentence matters
Many common English words have several meanings, and a dictionary popup usually lists the common ones first. That is fine for "umbrella". It is less helpful for "table".
Take the sentence "The committee agreed to table the proposal." In British English, to table a proposal usually means to put it forward for discussion. In American English, it usually means to set it aside for later. Same word, opposite outcome. A list of definitions gives you both; only the sentence tells you which one the writer meant.
You can do this check yourself with any dictionary:
- Read the whole sentence first. Note who is speaking and what they want.
- Scan every meaning, not just the first. Look for the one that fits the grammar of your sentence (verb or noun, formal or casual).
- Swap it in. Replace the word with the definition and read the sentence again. If it sounds right, you have the meaning.
- Write the sentence down with the word. The sentence is what helps you recognise the word next time.
Our guide on how to remember new English words while reading online covers why the original sentence and a few spaced reviews make the difference.
What Google Dictionary does
Google Dictionary (by Google) is a Chrome extension from Google. According to its store listing, you can:
- Double-click any word to see its definition in a small pop-up bubble.
- Open the full definition of a word or phrase from the toolbar dictionary.
- Opt in to a history of the words you have looked up and their definitions, "so you can practice them later", download it as a CSV file, and let other extensions read it (for example, to make flashcards).
- Translate foreign words into your chosen language automatically.
The listing names 18 supported dictionaries, including English (UK), English (US), Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. It shows 4,000,000 users and a 4.4 out of 5 rating from 13.7K ratings, and no price is listed.
Its strengths are plain: it is small (50.5KiB, per its listing), made by Google and covers many languages. Its listing does not describe a built-in review schedule; it says other extensions can use your history, for example to make flashcards.
What Stemmy does
Stemmy is a free Chrome extension for people who read English at work and learners preparing for exams.
When you highlight a word, click the Stemmy button beside it or press Alt+Shift+D, the Ghost Card opens. It shows the meaning that fits the sentence you are reading, the word's roots (we call this WordDNA) and its pronunciation. Cloud audio plays when you press play, with browser speech as the fallback. AI features need a free account (Google Sign-In or email). Each account gets 150 free AI uses in total, once; Ghost Card lookups and cloud voice draw on them.
When you save a word, it goes into your Vocabulary Wallet with its meaning, the source sentence and the page link. You can search words, grouped into categories, in the side panel or the dashboard, and export or import the wallet as JSON.
Saved words then come back in Reviews: short, resumable spaced-repetition sessions (FSRS) that cover only the words that are due. You rate each one Again, Hard, Good or Easy. There is more on how this works in our vocabulary flashcards guide.
A few more features build on the wallet. X-Ray scans a difficult page and shows which words are worth learning. AI Stories writes short passages from the words in your review queue. Immersion, if you turn it on, shows your saved words again on pages you read, with one click back to the original text.
Feature by feature
| Stemmy | Google Dictionary | |
|---|---|---|
| How you look up | Highlight a word, click the Stemmy button beside it or press Alt+Shift+D | Double-click a word, or use the toolbar dictionary |
| Meaning shown | The meaning that fits your sentence (AI, free account needed) | Dictionary definitions in a pop-up bubble |
| Word roots | Yes (WordDNA) | Not described on its listing |
| Pronunciation | Cloud audio on play, browser speech as fallback | Not described on its listing |
| Languages | Built for people who read English | 18 dictionaries; translates foreign words into your language |
| Saving words | Word, meaning, source sentence and page link | Optional history of looked-up words and their definitions |
| Built-in review | Spaced-repetition Reviews (FSRS) | Not described on its listing; other extensions can read the history |
| Export | JSON export and import | CSV download of history |
| Account | Free account needed for AI features | Not mentioned on its listing |
| Limits | 150 free AI uses per account, once | No limit stated on its listing |
| Price | Free to install. No paid plan is offered today. | No price or paid plan mentioned on its listing |
| Store users and rating | We do not publish these | 4,000,000 users; 3.8 out of 5 (13.7K ratings) |
Google Dictionary details from its Chrome Web Store listing, as of 23 October 2026 (version 4.2.6, updated 9 February 2026).
When Google Dictionary is the better pick
- You read in several languages. Its 18 dictionaries and automatic translation of foreign words cover far more ground than Stemmy, which is built for reading English.
- You only want a quick definition. Double-click, read, carry on. No saving, no reviews, nothing to manage.
- You look up a lot of words. Its listing states no lookup limit. Stemmy's AI meanings draw on a fixed allowance of 150 free AI uses per account.
- You already use another flashcard tool. The CSV history can feed whatever system you prefer.
When Stemmy is the better pick
- The words you meet have several meanings. Work emails, reports and exam passages are full of words like "table", "address" and "settle". Stemmy explains the one in front of you (AI meanings need a free account).
- You want to keep the sentence. Each saved word carries the sentence and the page it came from, so you can see it in use again later.
- You keep forgetting words you have looked up. Reviews bring back only the words that are due, in short sessions you can pause and resume.
- You like to understand how a word is built. WordDNA shows roots; see our guide to root words and etymology for why that helps.
Privacy, briefly
Google Dictionary's listing says it handles user activity and declares that this data is not sold to third parties outside approved use cases. Its lookup history is opt-in.
Stemmy stores your wallet, reviews and settings in your browser. For a feature you ask for, only the word and its sentence go to the AI provider, and context and page links are stored only for words you save. Cloud pronunciation runs only when you press play. Stemmy does not collect your general browsing history or sell personal data. Details are on our privacy page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stemmy a good Google Dictionary alternative?
It depends on what you need. If you want quick definitions in many languages, Google Dictionary offers that. If you want the meaning that fits your English sentence, saved with that sentence and reviewed later, Stemmy is built for that. AI meanings in Stemmy need a free account, which includes 150 free AI uses in total.
Does Google Dictionary save the words I look up?
Yes, if you opt in. Its store listing says it can store a history of your looked-up words and their definitions, which you can download as a CSV file or let other extensions read.
Does Google Dictionary have spaced repetition?
Its store listing does not describe a built-in review schedule. It says your history can be used by other extensions, for example to make flashcards. Stemmy includes spaced-repetition Reviews (FSRS) for the words you save.
Is Stemmy free?
Stemmy is free to install and no paid plan is offered today. AI features need a free account (Google Sign-In or email) with 150 free AI uses in total, once.
Can I use Stemmy and Google Dictionary together?
Yes, you can install both. Google Dictionary opens on a double-click, and Stemmy opens when you highlight a word and click the Stemmy button beside it, or press Alt+Shift+D. A double-click also highlights the word, so you may see both buttons at once. You could keep a plain dictionary for quick checks and save the words worth learning in Stemmy.
Sources
- Google Dictionary (by Google), Chrome Web Store listing: chromewebstore.google.com/detail/google-dictionary-by-goog/mgijmajocgfcbeboacabfgobmjgjcoja. Features, supported dictionaries, history and CSV export, users, rating, version, size and privacy disclosure. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Stemmy features, limits and data handling: the Stemmy team, and our privacy page. Checked 11 October 2026.