From “vibe coding” to “trash panda,” the internet has officially talked its way into the dictionary.
Merriam-Webster has added 1,400 new words and definitions to its online catalog, giving a digital-age “glow-up” to the language and official recognition to an internet-fueled mix that also includes “looksmaxxing,” “parasocial” and “Rickroll.”
The publisher said the new entries reflect terms and meanings that have demonstrated widespread use over time, offering what it called “a window into the world today.”
CONTROVERSIAL STREAMER CLAVICULAR EXPLAINS VIRAL ‘LOOKSMAXXING’ TREND AS GEN Z ADOPTS EXTREME REGIMEN
Merriam-Webster pointed to social media culture as a driving force behind a number of the additions. “Looksmaxxing,” a term tied to efforts to improve one’s physical appearance, made the cut alongside “parasocial,” which commonly describes a one-sided connection someone feels toward a public figure or media personality.
Merriam-Webster also welcomed “meme coin,” “promposal” and “Rickroll,” the internet prank that redirects an unsuspecting user to Rick Astley’s 1987 music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
NEW YORK MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND LAW REGULATING AI-POWERED COMMERCIALS
Artificial intelligence left a major imprint on the update, with “vibe coding,” “AGI” and a new noun form of “compute” joining the dictionary.
The publisher also added “uncanny valley,” the unsettling feeling sparked by something artificial that appears nearly human, but not quite.
The additions stretch well beyond screens and Silicon Valley.
Food-related newcomers include “superfood,” “cake pop,” “shishito,” “bao” and “chili crisp.” The relationship term “cuffing season” also earned a spot, defined as a time when single people seek short-term romantic partners for the colder months.
VIRAL RACCOON JIMOTHY GETS HIS OWN MLB THEME NIGHT AS SEATTLE MARINERS EMBRACE THE TREND
Other entries capture the mood of modern life, including “Sunday scaries,” “crashout,” “copium,” “California sober” and “yacht rock.” “Shapewear” and “neckbeard” were also added, while “letterboxing” received a new digital meaning.
The list even includes the “Mandela Effect,” a term for a shared false memory, and “trash panda,” a playful name for a raccoon.
Merriam-Webster said words are not added simply because they suddenly go viral. Its editors look for sustained, widespread use before an entry is granted a place in the dictionary.
The sweeping update comes just months before Merriam-Webster is expected to announce its 2026 Word of the Year.
THE AI YOU USE EVERY DAY IS BIASED — AND IT’S QUIETLY SHAPING YOUR WORLDVIEW, NEW REPORT SAYS
In 2025, the publisher selected “slop,” defining it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”
“The flood of slop in 2025 included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, ‘workslop’ reports that waste coworkers’ time … and lots of talking cats,” Merriam-Webster said at the time. “People found it annoying, and people ate it up.”
Other terms highlighted by the publisher in 2025 included “gerrymander,” “touch grass,” “performative,” “tariff,” “six seven” and “conclave.”
Read the full article here