United Airlines took another hit for its treatment of a passenger on an overbooked flight, but this time it was over its choice of words.
A statement issued by the airline was trolled by Merriam-Webster Dictionary on Monday, questioning its use of the word “volunteer” to describe the incident.
?’Volunteer’ means “someone who does something without being forced to do it.” https://t.co/qNAcMyplhZ
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 11, 2017
“Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate,” a United spokesman said in a statement. “We apologize for the overbook situation.”
That passenger was reportedly a doctor who refused to give up his seat and was literally dragged off the plane while other passengers looked on in shock. The airline company was blasted on social media after video of the incident was posted online.
Merriam-Webster noted on its website that searches for the word “volunteer” spiked 1,900 percent on Monday following the video’s release.
“Some of the interest in the definition of volunteer may come from the wording of the statement from United, since a person who did not volunteer to leave was then described as refusing ‘to leave the aircraft voluntarily’—and subsequently being forced to do it,” Merriam-Webster wrote, adding its definition of the word as “someone who does something without being forced to do it.”
The dictionary’s website took an additional poke at United by focusing on another word in its statement.
“News accounts of the incident made mention of the fact that the flight was overbooked, but, as dictionary people, we also notice that the airline’s statement used overbook adjectivally to modify a noun, a definition that we don’t yet include,” Merriam-Webster wrote.
Twitter users applauded the dictionary’s shade-throwing and offered up some alternate word choices of their own.
Wake up right! Receive our free morning news blast HERE
@MerriamWebster ‘Burn” definition: (1) slang: to disrespect someone (to diss); to make fun of someone; @united @MerriamWebster
— John Treanor (@NewsTreanor) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster Yes! Thank you for the clarification. We were getting alternative definitions from #united
— Impeach Trump❄️ (@iamLucretiaMott) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster pic.twitter.com/xhP9Hlhlk9
— kat calvin (@KatCalvinLA) April 11, 2017
@HassanPRG @jedwhitley @JenniferLewter @aileen206 @ragingbrains @mizmulligan @_Torgen @MerriamWebster Volunthrown (verb)
Used in a sentence: The man was beaten & volunthrown out of the united flight.
— Daniel Gallo (@DanielGallo_1) April 11, 2017
@_Torgen @MerriamWebster voluntaken
— Jennifer Mulligan (@mizmulligan) April 11, 2017
@ragingbrains @mizmulligan @_Torgen @MerriamWebster Volundragged
— aileen™ (@aileen206) April 11, 2017
@aileen206 @ragingbrains @mizmulligan @_Torgen @MerriamWebster Volunbeaten
— Jennifer Lewter (@JenniferLewter) April 11, 2017
@JenniferLewter @aileen206 @ragingbrains @mizmulligan @_Torgen @MerriamWebster Voluntyranny
— Jedi Whitley (@jedwhitley) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster Thanks for clarifying. I think @united confused ‘volunteer’ with ‘tribute’. pic.twitter.com/P4j3NwDVgc
— Marika Shaub (@marikatogo) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster @united pic.twitter.com/5yNvFmD6DE
— Marika Shaub (@marikatogo) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster @GlendaBurgess Please send United Airlines a copy of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 16th Edition. They are in need.
— Lodoviko the Ronin? (@LodovikoZ) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster Merriam-Webster quickly *becoming the MVP of Twitter trolling. ❤
— Karen Lytle (@karenlytle711) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster The year is 2017 and the chosen love of my life is you, a dictionary. I love you.
— Julie (@Julesaf0) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster pic.twitter.com/EAofCvvOyo
— We Smokin Em All (@crazyhomebodygl) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster ‘Bout to start following a damn dictionary on Twitter.
— Ermahnerd on YouTube (@ErmahnerdStudio) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster When I was in the Marines I got volunteered for stuff all the time. They were nicer about it than #united.
— MA Cat (@CatalanoMa) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster You’ll need to add a new definition for “re-accommodate.” It’s slang for mercilessly beating paying customers.
— Andrew Craft (@acraft) April 11, 2017
@MerriamWebster When even the dictionary is taking shots at you then you know ya messed up
— Andy Rexford (@andyrexford) April 11, 2017
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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