what happened to the right click reference suite?

The right-click reference pane was Smart Lookup, and Microsoft retired it starting January 1, 2025, so it cannot be restored through Word settings, an Office repair, or Connected Experiences. ^1^ ^2^

There is currently no single Word for Windows feature that fully replaces the former pane’s combined definitions, web references, and related information.

Current alternatives in Word

• Synonyms and antonyms: Select the word, then choose Review → Thesaurus.
  You can also right-click the word and select Synonyms for a short list. The full Thesaurus opens in a pane on the right. ^3^
• Translation: Select the text and use Review → Translate. Translator remains one of Office’s connected features. ^1^
• Definitions and broader reference information: Use a web search or Copilot, if it is included with your Microsoft 365 plan. These do not reproduce the former Smart Lookup pane exactly.

Older Word releases sometimes displayed Smart Lookup under the name Search, but that does not provide a way to reactivate the retired service in current Word builds. ^4^

References

1. Make Office Work Smarter for You | Microsoft Support
2. Where did 'Search' in right click menu in Office 365 go? - Microsoft Q&A
3. Look up words in the thesaurus | Microsoft Support
4. Smart Lookup missing from Word - Microsoft Q&A