Words of the Year

// Every Word of the Year, by year

Each publisher's own pick, linked to its announcement. Where we have a full entry, the word links to it.

// The words with full entries

1. 01

   67

   67, said "six seven" and never "sixty-seven", is Gen Alpha slang with no fixed meaning.

   Text & Internet Slang

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2. 02

   AI Slop

   Low-quality, low-effort generative-AI content — competent on the surface, cheap to make, produced in bulk, and pushed at people who never asked for it.

   Internet & Digital Culture

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3. 03

   Allyship

   Allyship is the status or role of someone who advocates and actively works for the inclusion of a marginalised group without being a member of it, in solidarity with its struggle and point of view.

   Head Words

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4. 04

   Artificial Intelligence

   Machines doing things that would count as intelligence if a person did them — and the branch of computer science that builds them.

   Head Words

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5. 05

   Authentic

   Authentic means real rather than fake: not false or an imitation.

   Head Words

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6. 06

   Brainrot

   Low-quality, hyper-stimulating online content — and the mental dulling blamed on consuming too much of it.

   Internet & Digital Culture

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7. 07

   Brat

   In its 2024 sense, brat describes someone with a confident, independent and hedonistic attitude: messy, a bit rebellious, and enjoying it.

   Aesthetics & Cultural Movements

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8. 08

   Demure

   Demure traditionally means reserved, quiet and modest.

   Text & Internet Slang

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9. 09

   Enshittification

   A platform decaying into something worse for everyone on it.

   Internet & Digital Culture

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10. 10

    Fake News

    Fake news is false, often sensational, information spread under the guise of news reporting.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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11. 11

    Gaslighting

    Gaslighting is psychological manipulation, usually over a long period, that leads someone to doubt their own memory, perception or judgement — and, in a newer and looser sense, any act of grossly…

    Psychology & Relationship Dynamics

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12. 12

    Goblin Mode

    Behaving in a deliberately slovenly, self-indulgent, unapologetic way that rejects social expectations — especially the curated ones.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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13. 13

    Hallucinate

    When an AI system hallucinates, it produces false information and presents it as fact: a made-up quotation, a citation to a paper that doesn't exist, a wrong date stated confidently.

    Tech & AI

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14. 14

    Laughing-Crying Emoji (Face with Tears of Joy)

    😂 (official name: Face with Tears of Joy) is a grinning face crying with laughter.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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15. 15

    Manifest

    To manifest, in its newest sense, is to use techniques such as visualisation and affirmations to imagine getting something you want, in the belief that this makes it more likely to happen.

    Spirituality & Mysticism

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16. 16

    Misinformation

    Misinformation is false information that is spread, whether or not anyone means to mislead.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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17. 17

    NFT

    An NFT, short for non-fungible token, is a unique digital record on a blockchain used to record ownership of an asset such as a digital artwork or collectible.

    Tech & AI

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18. 18

    Parasocial Relationship

    A parasocial relationship is a one-sided bond with someone who doesn't know you exist — a celebrity, streamer, influencer, or fictional character you feel you *know*, even though the connection…

    Internet & Digital Culture

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19. 19

    Permacrisis

    A permacrisis is an extended period of instability and insecurity: one crisis rolling into the next, so that emergency starts to feel normal.

    Head Words

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20. 20

    Perseverance

    Perseverance is continued effort to do or achieve something, even when it is difficult or takes a long time.

    Head Words

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21. 21

    Polarization

    Polarization is division into two sharply distinct opposites.

    Head Words

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22. 22

    Post-truth

    Post-truth describes circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

    Logical Fallacies & Rhetoric

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23. 23

    Rage Bait

    Content built to provoke anger rather than interest, because outrage produces more comments, shares and revenue than agreement does.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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24. 24

    Rizz

    Rizz is slang for romantic charm or charisma — the ability to attract or flirt with someone.

    Text & Internet Slang

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25. 25

    Selfie

    A selfie is a photograph you take of yourself, typically with a smartphone or webcam, and often share on social media.

    Internet & Digital Culture

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26. 26

    Singular They

    Singular they is the use of they, them and their for one person.

    Grammar & Commonly-Confused

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27. 27

    Vibe Coding

    Vibe coding is making software by describing what you want to an AI model in everyday language and letting it write the code.

    Tech & AI

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// Keep going

• List · 18 wordsWords for spotting manipulation online
• List · 16 wordsDead internet slang
• List · 20 wordsEmoji meanings
• List · 7 wordsMeaning not found
• IndexAll word lists