Merriweather
Designed by Eben Sorkin of Sorkin Type Co., Merriweather is a screen-first serif inspired by the warmth of traditional book typefaces, featuring a large x-height, sturdy letterforms, and diagonal stress reminiscent of old-style faces. Its generous proportions and moderate contrast ensure excellent readability at body text sizes, making it a dependable choice for content-heavy websites, blogs, and brands that value approachability with a classic feel. Available in four weights with matching italics, it is one of the most widely used serif fonts on the web.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
About Merriweather
- Designer
- Eben Sorkin
- Foundry
- Sorkin Type
- Released
- 2010
- License
- SIL Open Font License 1.1
- Category
- Modern Serif
- Recommended Weight
- 700
- Variable Axes
- weightwidthoptical-size
- Script Support
- Latin, Cyrillic, Vietnamese
- Available Weights
- 300400700900
Who Uses Merriweather
U.S. Web Design System (Recommended serif for federal websites), Bureau of Indian Affairs (Standard for headings).
Pairs Well With
Montserrat
Montserrat's geometric strength and urban sophistication provide a bold sans-serif contrast to Merriweather's warm, traditional serif character, creating a versatile and popular editorial pairing.
Compare side by sideLato
Lato shares Merriweather's humanist warmth in a sans-serif form, making them a harmonious pairing where both fonts feel approachable and screen-optimized.
Compare side by sideOpen Sans
Open Sans provides a neutral, highly versatile body text option that lets Merriweather's distinctive serif character lead the typographic hierarchy in headings.
Compare side by sideNunito Sans
Nunito Sans echoes Merriweather's friendly, readable proportions in a sans-serif form, creating a pairing well-suited for educational and content-focused platforms.
Compare side by sideSimilar Fonts
Playfair Display
High contrast transitional — editorial luxury
DM Serif Display
Display serif with personality — bold and warm
Cormorant Garamond
Garamond-inspired — elegant, literary, classical
Libre Baskerville
Baskerville for the web — readable, trustworthy
Lora
Brushed curves — calligraphic warmth meets serif structure
Source Serif 4
Adobe's serif workhorse — pairs perfectly with Source Sans
Compare Merriweather
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Merriweather used in the U.S. Web Design System?
Merriweather was selected for the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) because its generous x-height, sturdy letterforms, and screen-first design ensure excellent readability across government websites. Its open-source license and broad character set also align with federal accessibility and procurement requirements.
How does Merriweather's optical size axis work?
The optical size axis adjusts Merriweather's stroke contrast, spacing, and proportions based on the intended display size. At smaller optical sizes, the font becomes sturdier with reduced contrast for body text readability, while at larger sizes, it gains more contrast and refinement for display use.
Is there a sans-serif companion to Merriweather?
Yes, Merriweather Sans is a companion sans-serif designed by the same creator, Eben Sorkin. It shares Merriweather's proportions, x-height, and design philosophy, making it the ideal pairing for building a cohesive typographic system with serif headings and sans-serif body text.