[ragall]

It appears to me that the author is trying too hard to make a point: "merry-go-round" is a single compound word that several dictionaries contain; "canned goods" is not commonly used[1] (more of a bureaucratic jargon), and people would just say "cans"(US) or "preserves" (UK); "household chores" is simply "chores", as the word is no longer commonly used outside the house context; "coffee break ritual" is not a concept in English-speaking countries so it would make no sense to have it in a dictionary, and so many of the examples are exactly that.

[1] I wonder how many here have ever been told something like "Prithee, husband, bring back a dozen canned goods from the market, for in the meanwhile I shall do my household chores".

[9rx]

I didn't take that the author was trying to make a point, rather pondering about when a word becomes worthy of inclusion in the dictionary. "Boiling water" is a word that hasn't (yet) been deemed worthy. On the other hand, "hot water" is a word that is included in the dictionary, just as "still water", "warm water", etc. are. Somewhere between those included and "boiling water" is line where a word becomes worthy of inclusion. But where, exactly, is that line?

[inkcapmushroom]

I have definitely used canned goods and household chores in sentences before.