Handling multiple rows returned by IMPORTJSON script on GoogleSheets - api

Question

I am trying to populate a google sheet using an API. But the API has more than one row to be returned for a single query. Following is the JSON returned by API.
# https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/ABANDON
[
{
"word": "abandon",
"phonetics": [
{
"text": "/əˈbændən/",
"audio": "https://lex-audio.useremarkable.com/mp3/abandon_us_1.mp3"
}
],
"meanings": [
{
"partOfSpeech": "transitive verb",
"definitions": [
{
"definition": "Cease to support or look after (someone); desert.",
"example": "her natural mother had abandoned her at an early age",
"synonyms": [
"desert",
"leave",
"leave high and dry",
"turn one's back on",
"cast aside",
"break with",
"break up with"
]
},
{
"definition": "Give up completely (a course of action, a practice, or a way of thinking)",
"example": "he had clearly abandoned all pretense of trying to succeed",
"synonyms": [
"renounce",
"relinquish",
"dispense with",
"forswear",
"disclaim",
"disown",
"disavow",
"discard",
"wash one's hands of"
]
},
{
"definition": "Allow oneself to indulge in (a desire or impulse)",
"example": "they abandoned themselves to despair",
"synonyms": [
"indulge in",
"give way to",
"give oneself up to",
"yield to",
"lose oneself in",
"lose oneself to"
]
}
]
},
{
"partOfSpeech": "noun",
"definitions": [
{
"definition": "Complete lack of inhibition or restraint.",
"example": "she sings and sways with total abandon",
"synonyms": [
"uninhibitedness",
"recklessness",
"lack of restraint",
"lack of inhibition",
"unruliness",
"wildness",
"impulsiveness",
"impetuosity",
"immoderation",
"wantonness"
]
}
]
}
]
}
]
By using the following calls via IMPORTJSON,
=ImportJSON(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2), "/phonetics/text", "noHeaders")
=ImportJSON(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2), "/meanings/partOfSpeech", "noHeaders")
=ImportJSON(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2), "/meanings/definitions/definition", "noHeaders")
=ImportJSON(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2), "/meanings/definitions/synonyms", "noHeaders")
=ImportJSON(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2), "/meanings/definitions/example", "noHeaders")
I am able to get the following in GoogleSheets,
Whereas, the actual output according to JSON should be,
As you can see a complete row is being overwritten. How can this be fixed?
EDIT
Following is the link to sheet for viewing only.

Answer 1

I believe your goal as follows.
You want to achieve the bottom image in your question on Google Spreadsheet.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the method for directly retrieving the bottom image using ImportJson. So in this answer, I would like to propose a sample script for retrieving the values you expect using Google Apps Script. I thought that creating a sample script for directly achieving your goal might be simpler rather than modifying ImportJson.
Sample script:
function SAMPLE(url) {
var res = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, {muteHttpExceptions: true});
if (res.getResponseCode() != 200) return res.getContentText();
var obj = JSON.parse(res.getContentText());
var values = obj[0].meanings.reduce((ar, {partOfSpeech, definitions}, i) => {
definitions.forEach(({definition, example, synonyms}, j) => {
var v = [definition, Array.isArray(synonyms) ? synonyms.join(",") : synonyms, example];
var phonetics = obj[0].phonetics[i];
ar.push(j == 0 ? [(phonetics ? phonetics.text : ""), partOfSpeech, ...v] : ["", "", ...v]);
});
return ar;
}, []);
return values;
}
When you use this script, please put =SAMPLE(CONCATENATE("https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/api/v2/entries/en/"&$A2)) to a cell as the custom formula.
Result:
When above script is used, the following
Note:
In this sample script, when the structure of the JSON object is changed, it might not be able to be used. So please be careful this.
References:
Class UrlFetchApp
Custom Functions in Google Sheets