diff --git a/script.js b/script.js
index 7579d2b..28ee756 100644
--- a/script.js
+++ b/script.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const STATS_KEY = "fancy-wordle-stats-v2"
 const LOCAL_ROUND_KEY = "fancy-wordle-hourly-round-v1"
 const DEFINITION_CACHE_KEY = "fancy-wordle-definitions-v1"
 const DEFINITION_CACHE_LIMIT = 200
-const DEFINITION_RETRY_DELAY_MS = 1500
+const DEFINITION_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 5000
 const PLAY_INTERVAL_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000
 const GUESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000
 const INTRO_SEEN_KEY = "fancy-wordle-intro-seen-v1"
@@ -1400,7 +1400,7 @@ function stripDefinitionHtml(value) {
 }
 
 async function fetchDictionaryApiDefinition(word) {
-  const response = await fetch(`https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`)
+  const response = await fetchDefinition(`https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`)
   if (!response.ok) {
     const error = new Error(`API request failed: ${response.status}`)
     error.status = response.status
@@ -1422,7 +1422,7 @@ async function fetchDictionaryApiDefinition(word) {
 }
 
 async function fetchWiktionaryDefinition(word) {
-  const response = await fetch(`https://en.wiktionary.org/api/rest_v1/page/definition/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`)
+  const response = await fetchDefinition(`https://en.wiktionary.org/api/rest_v1/page/definition/${encodeURIComponent(word)}`)
   if (!response.ok) {
     const error = new Error(`Wiktionary request failed: ${response.status}`)
     error.status = response.status
@@ -1445,8 +1445,18 @@ async function fetchWiktionaryDefinition(word) {
   }
 }
 
-function waitForDuration(duration) {
-  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, duration))
+async function fetchDefinition(url) {
+  const controller = new AbortController()
+  const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), DEFINITION_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS)
+
+  try {
+    return await fetch(url, { signal: controller.signal })
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error.name === "AbortError") throw new Error("Definition request timed out")
+    throw error
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+  }
 }
 
 async function loadWordDefinition(word, isWin = true) {
@@ -1463,14 +1473,6 @@ async function loadWordDefinition(word, isWin = true) {
       definitionEntry = await fetchDictionaryApiDefinition(word)
     } catch (error) {
       console.info("Primary definition lookup failed:", error)
-      if (error.status !== 404) {
-        await waitForDuration(DEFINITION_RETRY_DELAY_MS)
-        try {
-          definitionEntry = await fetchDictionaryApiDefinition(word)
-        } catch (retryError) {
-          console.info("Primary definition retry failed:", retryError)
-        }
-      }
     }
 
     if (!definitionEntry) {
diff --git a/tests/fancy-wordle.spec.js b/tests/fancy-wordle.spec.js
index 6657af4..ed385ee 100644
--- a/tests/fancy-wordle.spec.js
+++ b/tests/fancy-wordle.spec.js
@@ -100,3 +100,19 @@ test("stats and leaderboard modals open", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.locator("#leaderboard-button").click()
   await expect(page.locator("#leaderboard-modal")).toBeVisible()
 })
+
+test("definition lookup leaves loading state when a provider times out", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.route("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/**", () => new Promise(() => {}))
+  await page.route("https://en.wiktionary.org/**", route => route.abort())
+  await openApp(page)
+  await skipIntro(page)
+
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    lastResult = { won: true, guesses: 1, word: "apple" }
+    loadWordDefinition("apple", true)
+  })
+
+  await expect(page.locator("#stats-definition")).toContainText("Definition not available at the moment.", {
+    timeout: 6500
+  })
+})