VANILLA
A flavoring obtained from vanilla beans or made to resemble their flavor.
Other meanings and uses
- A pale creamy color associated with vanilla ice cream.
- Something standard, conventional or lacking unusual features.
Definitions of the day · 2026-07-29
Connections #1144 Word Definitions for July 29, 2026
A spoiler-safe reference for every board word, preserving the puzzle's original order and exact spelling.
Open the dated hints and answers →Definitions of the day · 2026-07-29
All 16 words, explained without the answers.
Use these ordinary definitions to check unfamiliar or ambiguous vocabulary without seeing categories, rearranged words or explicit answer relationships.
GEM
A precious or semiprecious stone, especially one cut and polished for use.
Other meanings and uses
- A person or thing considered exceptionally good or valuable.
- A small cake or baked item in certain historical and regional uses.
BLACK
The darkest color, produced by the absence or absorption of visible light.
Other meanings and uses
- Black clothing, pigment or material.
- A state of darkness without illumination.
- To make something dark or cover it with a black substance.
RIVET
A metal pin used to create a permanent joint between components.
Other meanings and uses
- To fasten or secure something by using rivets.
- To hold someone's attention completely or intensely.
WORD
A unit of language that carries meaning and can be spoken or written.
Other meanings and uses
- A brief statement, remark or message.
- News or information communicated to someone.
- A promise or assurance given by a person.
- A command, signal or authorization to act.
PLAIN
Simple in appearance and lacking decoration, pattern or embellishment.
Other meanings and uses
- Clear and easy to understand or recognize.
- An extensive area of relatively flat land.
- Ordinary rather than especially attractive or distinctive.
CORK
A light, buoyant material obtained from the outer bark of the cork oak.
Other meanings and uses
- A stopper made from cork or another material.
- To close a bottle or opening with a stopper.
- A county and city in the Republic of Ireland.
NAIL
A thin pointed piece of metal commonly driven into material with a hammer.
Other meanings and uses
- The hard protective plate at the end of a finger or toe.
- To fasten, fix or complete something successfully.
- To strike or hit something accurately.
- To identify, catch or prove the guilt of someone.
PEARL
A smooth rounded object formed inside certain mollusks and valued as a gem.
Other meanings and uses
- A small bead or drop resembling a pearl.
- Something considered especially fine, rare or valuable.
- To form into small rounded drops or beads.
WHITE
The lightest color, reflecting or scattering nearly all visible light.
Other meanings and uses
- White clothing, pigment or material.
- Pale or colorless in appearance.
- To make something lighter or cover it with white material.
MID
Situated in the middle of a range, period, place or sequence.
Other meanings and uses
- An informal judgment meaning mediocre, average or unimpressive.
- A prefix indicating the middle part or point of something.
SCREW
A metal fastener with a helical ridge that turns into material or a thread.
Other meanings and uses
- To attach or tighten something by turning a threaded device.
- To twist, compress or distort something.
- An informal term for treating someone unfairly or causing harm.
- A propeller, especially in older nautical usage.
CHALK
A soft white limestone that can be used for writing, drawing or marking.
Other meanings and uses
- A shaped stick of chalk or similar writing material.
- To write, draw or mark a surface with chalk.
- To record, attribute or assign something, as in chalking it up.
BASIC
Relating to the simplest, most essential or foundational form of something.
Other meanings and uses
- Ordinary, predictable or lacking sophistication.
- Relating to a chemical base rather than an acid.
- A beginner-level version or set of features.
NUGGET
A small solid lump, especially a naturally occurring piece of a mineral.
Other meanings and uses
- A small breaded or battered piece of food.
- A compact and useful piece of information.
- A small valuable object or concentrated portion.
STAPLE
A short bent wire device used to hold sheets or materials together.
Other meanings and uses
- A principal commodity or regularly used product.
- A basic food forming an important part of a usual diet.
- Something used or encountered consistently over time.
- To attach material by driving staples through it.