Merriam-Webster Claims This Is The ONLY English Word With A Silent ‘J’ But X Users Are Calling Foul

Merriam-Webster, a US-based company that is best known for its dictionaries sparked a fresh debate online after sharing a simple language fact. The post was about the pronunciation of a common word, but it quickly turned into a wider discussion about how English words are used and understood.
Many users joined the conversation, sharing their own thoughts and examples. One particular reply stood out, as it challenged the claim and led to further explanation.

Dictionary Post Starts A Debate

Merriam-Webster posted on X (formerly Twitter) saying, “‘Marijuana’ is the only English word in which the ‘j’ is silent.” The statement caught attention, with people quickly reacting to it. Among the replies, a user wrote, “Wow, hallelujah to that.” This short comment sparked more discussion,

as people began questioning whether the example actually worked.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Merriam-Webster (@merriamwebster)

The same user later shared a detailed explanation. He wrote, “To the people questioning whether hallelujah is or isn’t an English word, it is. Hallelujah is a transliteration of a Hebrew word “הַלְּלוּ יָהּ(hal[lə]lū yāh)” which means “praise ye Jah”. Just as marijuana is a Mexican-Spanish word. They are English versions of different words.”
His explanation added another layer to the debate, as it brought in the origin of words and how they are adapted into English.

Wow, hallelujah to that. https://t.co/Warp3vUqQU

— Green (@xygort) April 20, 2026

People Share Mixed Reactions

As the post gained views, more users added their opinions. Some made jokes, while others tried to explain the difference in pronunciation.
A user joked, “Jikes. @MerriamWebster should get a dictionary.” Another wrote, “I suspect that Merriam is using the Mari-uana pronunciation for this, rather than “marihuana” or “maridzhuana”. In which case, there would genuinely be a distinction vis-à-vis the Hallelujah, where the j sounds like a y.”

Some users pointed out other examples. A person said, “The J in mojito is equally silent,” while another commented, “To all the people saying the J in Hallelujah is pronounced as Y, pronounce its alternative spelling then: Alleluia.”
Others focused on how the letter is actually spoken. An individual said, “The “j” in hallelujah is not silent but has the “y” sound. The “j” in marijuana is silent . Compare: “halleluah” vs. “mariuana””
Another added, “No, the j in hallelujah is making a ‘y’ sound. Take the j out and you have a pronunciation that is “hall-le-loo-ah” .. the j is not silent.”
One more user wrote, “Not silent, the j makes a “y” sound, whereas in marijuana the word would probably be pronounced the same without the J.”