Share via

adding new words to custom dictionary in document (NOT manually in the dictionary)

Anonymous
2023-06-22T21:44:41+00:00

So, everything i've been seeing is telling me that in order to add words to a custom dictionary (I'm a fantasy writer, I make up words and use strange names all the time), i have to go into the dictionary from the 'add custom dictionary'. I can't right or left click on the highlighted word while spell checking and hit, 'add to dictionary' and have it go to the new one? Open/libre office lets you choose the dictionary used for the word, when adding in document. Are you telling me that the expensive, all the bells and whistles MS WORD can't do something that lsimple? As far as i can tell, all the added words are going to the main dictionary. which is not helpful, as i need to make the dictionary accessible via the 360 (the ONLY reason I've come back to MS).

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Jay Freedman 207.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2023-06-22T23:41:42+00:00

There are several incorrect things in your post.

First, you can indeed right-click a word with a wavy red underline and click Add to Dictionary. You don't have to go into the dictionary file to add a word.

The thing you need to do -- only once -- is go to File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries, click on CUSTOM.DIC (or any other custom dictionary that you care to create with the New button), and click the Change Default button. (The "default default" in Word's setup is RoamingCustom.dic, which isn't a great choice.) Make sure the chosen dictionary is set to "All Languages".

Once that's done, the Add to Dictionary menu item will add the selected word to the dictionary that's designated as the Default.

These things are covered at the end of this article: http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com/EditCustomDic.htm

Was this answer helpful?

10+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

8 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Jay Freedman 207.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2023-10-08T18:00:46+00:00

    The statement is correct if the custom dictionary has been set to the default as described in my earlier reply. If it has, go to File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries and verify that Custom.dic is marked as the default, that it applies to all languages, and that the Enabled box for it is checked.

    If all of that is correct, select Custom.dic and click the Edit Word List button. Are the product names in the list or not?

    If the setup is correct and the names aren't in the list, please post the version/build information you'll find at File > Account under the About Word heading.

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-08T14:30:31+00:00

    "First, you can indeed right-click a word with a wavy red underline and click Add to Dictionary. You don't have to go into the dictionary file to add a word."

    I came to this post because the above statement is not correct. I am editing a document and entered the name of a product. Word 365 underlines with squiggly red line. I right click, Add to Dictionary, and it does not add, and does not remove the red squiggly line. Go figure. It's happening to all of the product names I put in the document.

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Charles Kenyon 167.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2023-06-22T23:55:03+00:00

    I am assuming that you want certain words to not show up as spelling errors in that document and only in that document, not in all documents.

    There is no per-document custom dictionary in Word.

    You can, however, mark words to not be checked in Spelling or Grammar. You can have a character style with this characteristic and apply it to such words with a keyboard shortcut.

    If the words are already in the document and not so marked, you can mark them to not be checked with Find and Replace.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-06-23T00:53:15+00:00

    there is, you just have to make a new dictionary. THat way, if i write a series....

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments