Despite advertising "many new words peculiar to the United States", Martin writes that it was largely taken from Samuel Johnson Jr.'s American dictionary that had been published 2-3 years prior. While it was more commercially successful than Johnson and Noah Webster's contemporary dictionaries, it faced similar critical criticism; one reviewer described the dictionary as  "disgusting collection" of words from "the boors of each local jurisdiction in the United States."
Despite promoting its unique American vocabulary, Martin acknowledged that his dictionary was based on Samuel Johnson Jr.'s American dictionary, which had been published 2-3 years earlier. Although more commercially successful than Johnson and Noah Webster's dictionaries at the time, it faced similar negative reviews; one critic described it as a "disgusting collection" of words from ordinary Americans.