The following words were added to the Oxford, Merriam-Webster and/or Cambridge dictionaries over the course of 2024.

African massage (n.): The shaky, jolting effect of being in a vehicle driven on a bumpy, uneven African road.

anyhowly (adv.): Originally: in any way; under any circumstances. In later use: without direction or planning; haphazardly; randomly.

badassery (n.): the state or condition of being a badass: a badass quality or character.

brain rot (n.): internet content deemed to be of low quality or value, or the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it.

barbiecore (n.): An aesthetic or style featuring playful pink outfits, accessories, decor, etc., celebrating and modeled on the wardrobe of the Barbie doll.

chain migration (n.): The practice whereby the successful migration of a person or group causes family or community members to relocate to the same country or region, or…

cheap-arse (adj. & n.): Of a person: stingy, miserly. Also of a thing: of low value, inexpensive; (hence) of low quality.

climate breakdown (n): The collective effects of harmful and potentially irreversible trends in climate, specifically those resulting from unchecked global warming.

cyberstalk (v.): To intimidate or harass (a person) online by persistently sending messages or images of an obsessive, threatening, or offensive nature.

daggy (adj.): not attractive; awkward, unfashionable.

depressogenic (adj.): Causing or contributing to the development of depression (depression, n. 4b); of or relating to the causation of depression.

eco-chic (adj.):  Of or relating to a style, design or product that is attractive and fashionable as well as eco-friendly and sustainable.

energy poverty (n.): A lack of adequate access to safe, affordable sources of electricity or fuel for warmth, light, cooking, etc.

ensh*tification (n.): The gradual degradation of an online platform or service’s functionality, as part of a cycle in which the platform or service first offers benefits to users to attract them, then pursues more and more profits at the expense of users.

extreme heat event (n.): A heat event classified as being excessive enough to pose a serious threat to public health.

fire tornado (n.): A flaming tornado generated by intense wildfire, rarer, much larger and more destructive than a fire whirl.

food insecure (adj.): Having or characterized by limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

frozen shoulder (n.): “A shoulder that is very stiff and often (esp. initially) painful; the condition of having such stiffness and pain in the shoulder.

girl dinner (n.): An often attractively presented collection of snacks that involve little preparation, such as small quantities of cold cuts, cheese, fruit, cherry tomatoes, etc., deemed sufficient to constitute a meal for one.

global boiling (n.): A non-scientific term used to emphasize the trend toward and severity of extreme heat events, especially in regard to public health.

greedflation (n.): A rise in prices, rents or the like, that is not due to market pressure or any other factor organic to the economy, but is caused by corporate executives or boards of directors, property owners, etc., solely to increase profits that are already healthy or excessive.

the ick (n.): A sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to the actions of another person.

nepo baby (n.): a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections.”

no wuckers (interjection): Used as an assurance that all is fine, or to express one’s agreement or acquiescence: ‘no problem’, ‘relax’, ‘no worries’.

pretty privilege (n.): An unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage that a person has by fitting into the beauty standards of their culture.

review bomb (v.): a large number of people or one person from a lot of different accounts putting a lot of bad reviews of a book, computer game, film, etc. on the internet.

shacket (n.): A garment in the style of a button-down shirt, made of a thicker fabric and usually worn over other shirts.

sheisty (adj.): fraudulent, dishonest, or deceptive products; shifty, unscrupulous, untrustworthy people.

slow fashion (n.):  A movement among clothing producers and consumers that emphasizes eco-friendly, well-made clothing, maintenance and repair of garments to extend their life span, and a general reduction of one’s consumption of new clothing items.

Old Words:

kakistocracy: a government run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens.

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2023.

Beast mode (n.): an extremely aggressive or energetic style or manner that someone (such as an athlete) adopts temporarily (as to overpower an opponent in a fight or competition).

Beige flag (n.): a character trait that indicates that a partner or potential partner is boring or lacks originality; (also) a trait or habit, esp. of a partner or potential partner, viewed as extremely characteristic, but not distinctly good or bad

Bussin’ (adj.): Extremely good, excellent; delicious, tasty

Cape (v.): To act as a defender or supporter.

Dap (n.): A casual gesture of greeting, acknowledgement, or affirmation, typically involving slapping palms, bumping fists, or snapping fingers.

Doomscroll (v.): To spend excessive time online scrolling through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.

Edgelord (n.): Someone who makes wildly dark and exaggerated statements (as on an internet forum) with the intent of shocking others.

Final girl (n.): A stock female character who survives to defeat or evade the attacker after the other characters have been killed, and who is typically portrayed as intelligent, serious, cautious, and chaste.

Forever chemical (n.): A toxic substance and especially a synthetic chemical (as of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances group) that persists and accumulates in the environment.

Generative AI (n.): Artificial intelligence capable of generating new content (such as images or text) in response to a submitted prompt (such as a query) by learning from a large reference database of examples.

Heat dome (n.): A persistent high-pressure weather system over a particular geographic area, which traps a mass of hot air below it.

Jag (n.): Scottish term for “a hypodermic injection, esp. a vaccination.

Jorts (n.): Shorts made of denim or jean: jean shorts.

Kayfabe (n.): The tacit agreement between professional wrestlers and their fans to pretend that overtly staged wrestling events, stories, characters, etc., are genuine; tacit agreement to behave as if something is real, sincere, or genuine when it is not; the playacting involved in maintaining kayfabe.

Keep cup (n.): A reusable cup.

Nerf (v.): to reduce the effectiveness of (something, such as a character, attribute, or weapon) in a video game; to make (something) less useful or effective; to lightly bump.

Nurdle (n.): A plastic pellet that is usually less than 0.2 inch (0.5 centimeter) in diameter or length, that is the raw material from which plastic products are manufactured, and that is a common pollutant of global waters and beaches

Parasocial (adj.): Designating a relationship characterized by the one-sided, unreciprocated sense of intimacy felt by a viewer, fan, or follower for a well-known or prominent figure, in which the follower or fan comes to feel (falsely) that they know the celebrity as a friend.

Porch pirate (n.): A person who steals parcels that have been delivered and left unattended outside the intended recipient’s home, business, etc.”

Rage quit (v.): To suddenly stop participating or engaging in (something) in a fit of anger and frustration; to quit (something) in anger.

Rizz (n.): Romantic appeal or charm (i.e. charisma)

Shithousery (n.): Something regarded as despicable, unacceptable, or bad.

Swiftie (n.): An enthusiastic fan of the singer Taylor Swift.

Tallywacker (n.): The penis; a stupid, annoying, or otherwise objectionable person (esp. a man).

Textspeak (n.): Language regarded as characteristic of text messaging and other forms of electronic communication, often consisting of abbreviations, acronyms, emoticons or emojis, etc.”

NGL (abbr.): Not gonna lie.

TFW (abbr.): That feeling when.

TTYL (abbr.): Talk to you later

Thirst trap (n.): A photograph (such as a selfie) or video shared for the purpose of attracting attention or desire; someone or something that attracts attention or strong desire.

UAP (n.): Unidentified aerial phenomenon (a mysterious flying object in the sky that is sometimes assumed to be a spaceship from another planet).

Zhuzh (n.): a small improvement, adjustment, or addition that completes the overall look, taste, etc. of something; verb : to improve in flavor or appearance by way of a small improvement, adjustment, or addition — often used with up

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2022.

Adorkable (adj.) – Socially awkward or quirky in a way that is endearing.

Baller (adj.) – Excellent, exciting, or extraordinary, especially in a way that is suggestive of a lavish lifestyle.

Cringe (adj.) – So embarrassing, awkward, etc. as to cause one to cringe: cringeworthy.

FWIW (abbrev.) – for what it’s worth

Galentine’s Day (n.) – A holiday observed on February 13th as a time to celebrate friendships especially among women.

Goblin Mode (n.) – a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations

Greenwashing (n.) – The act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is.

ICYMI (abbrev.) – in case you missed it

Janky (adj.) – Of very poor quality: junky; also: not functioning properly or adequately: faulty.

Lewk (n.) – A fashion look … that is distinctive to the wearer and that is noticeable and memorable to others.

MacGyver (v.) – To make, form, or repair (something) with what is conveniently on hand.

Meatspace (n.) – The physical world and environment especially as contrasted with the virtual world of cyberspace.

Permacrisis (n.) – an extended period of instability and insecurity

Shrinkflation (n.) – The practice of reducing a product’s amount or volume per unit while continuing to offer it at the same price.

Side Hustle (n.) – Work performed for income supplementary to one’s primary job.

Situationship (n.) – Less than a relationship, but more than a booty call, a situationship refers to a romantic relationship that is, and will remain, undefined.

Sponcon (n.) – Content posted by an influencer on social media that looks like a typical post but for which the poster has been paid to advertise a product or service.

Stagflation (n.) – persistent inflation combined with stagnant consumer demand and relatively high unemployment

Virtue Signaling (n.) – The act or practice of conspicuously displaying one’s awareness of and attentiveness to political issues, matters of social and racial justice, etc., especially instead of taking effective action.

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2021.

Air fryer (n.) – an airtight, usually small electrical appliance for quick cooking of foods by means of convection currents circulated rapidly by a fan.

Beast-mode (n.) – state of performing something, especially difficult activities, with extreme power, skill, or determination.

BIPOC (abbrev.; n.)  Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Color.

Cancel culture (n.) – 1) the practice or tendency of engaging in mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure; 2) the people who engage in or support this practice.

Dad bod (n.) – a slightly overweight and not extremely muscular physique.

Deplatform (v.) – to remove and ban (a registered user) from a mass communication medium (such as a social networking or blogging website).

Faux-hawk (n.) – a hairstyle resembling a Mohawk with a central ridge of upright hair but with the sides gathered or slicked upward or back instead of shaved.

Flex (v.) –  an act of bragging or showing off.

Gig worker (n.) –  a person who makes an income from project to project rather than on a steady salaried or employed basis.

Jedi (n.) – a person who shows extraordinary skill or expertise in a specified field or endeavor.

Long hauler (n.) – a person who experiences one or more long-term effects following initial improvement or recovery from a serious illness (such as COVID-19).

Oobleck (n.) – a mixture of corn starch and water that behaves like a liquid when at rest and like a solid when pressure is applied. Oobleck is a favorite component in kids’ science experiments.

Performative (adj.) – done for show.

Pod (n.) – an exclusive usually small group of people who regularly interact to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection during an outbreak of a contagious disease.

Prison industrial complex (n.) –  the web of partnerships between government and private entities that have made imprisonment, policing, and criminal justice a profitable industry.

Sapiosexual (adj.) – a person who is sexually or romantically  attracted to highly intelligent people.

Silver fox (n.) – an attractive middle-aged man having mostly gray or white hair.

Super-spreader (n.) – originally referred to a highly contagious person capable of passing on a disease to many others, and now can also refer to a single place or occasion where many others are infected.

TBH (abbrev.) –  a texting construct for “to be honest.”

Vaccine passport (n.) – a physical or digital document providing proof of vaccination against one or more infectious diseases (such as COVID-19).

Wet market (n.) –  a market that sells perishable items (such as fresh meat and produce) and sometimes live animals which are often slaughtered on-site.

Whataboutism (n.) –  1) the act or practice of responding to an accusation of wrongdoing by claiming that an offense committed by another is similar or worse; 2) the response itself; 3) FOX Newspeak.

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2020.

Blursday (n.) – when everyday is exactly the same (e.g. in lockdown) it is probably Blursday.

Covidiot (n.) – someone who ignores the warnings regarding public health or safety (e.g. toilette paper hoarder; spring breakers; Trump zealots).

Doomscrolling (n.) – the tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening, disheartening, or depressing.

Dunning-Kruger Effect (n.) – the theory that a person who lacks skill or expertise also lacks the insight to accurately evaluate this deficit, resulting in a persistent inflation of estimated competence in self-assessments

Ecoanxiety (n.) – anxiety caused by a dread of environmental perils, especially climate change, and a feeling of helplessness over the potential consequences for those living now and even more so for those of later generations.

Empty Suit (n.) – an executive, manager, or official regarded as ineffectual, incompetent, or lacking in leadership qualities such as creativity and empathy.

Gender Reveal (n.) – a party, online video, or other way in which the gender of an unborn baby is publicly revealed.

Hodophobia (n.) – an irrational or disproportionate fear of traveling.

also:

Iatrophobia (n.) – intense fear of doctors.

Nosocomephobia (n.) – intense fear of hospitals.

Tomophobia (n.) – intense fear of surgery.

Information Bubble (n.) – an environment in which one’s exposure to news, entertainment, social media, etc., represents only one ideological or cultural perspective and excludes or misrepresents other points of view.

Ish (adv.) – an adverb used to modify or moderate something previously stated or as a vague reply to a question.

Janky (adj.) – inferior in quality; untrustworthy; disreputable.

Lumbersexual (n.) –  a young urban man who cultivates an appearance and style of dress, typified by a beard and check shirt, suggestive of a rugged outdoor lifestyle

Megxit (n.) – the withdrawal of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,  from royal duties, announced in January 2020

Nothingburger (n.) – an often highly publicized event or situation that is said to have less impact or significance than expected.

Sharent (n.) – a person who uses social media to frequently share photos or other details and information about their child.

Slow-walk (v.) – to delay or prevent the progress of (something) by acting in a deliberately slow manner.

Social Distance (v.) – to maintain a safe or appropriate distance from other people.

Swole (adj.) – very muscular

Truthiness (n.) – a seemingly truthful quality not supported by facts or evidence.

Zhuzh (v.) – to make (something) more lively and interesting, stylish, or appealing, as by a small change or addition.

Not there (yet):

Wealthcare (n): What America’s Despot-in-Chief and his cronies prefer over Obamacare when dealing with their own personal Covid-19 and other health issues.    

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2019.

 Bottle episode (n.) – An inexpensively produced episode of a television series that is typically confined to one setting

 Bottom surgery(n.) – A type of gender confirmation surgery in which a person’s genitalia are altered to match their gender identity.

 Bundle buggy (n.) – A bag or basket on wheels for carrying shopping; a large shopping bag set on a (collapsible) two-wheeled cart.

Buzzy (adj.) – Causing or characterized by a lot of speculative or excited talk or attention : generating buzz

 Frequency illusion (n.) – A quirk of perception whereby a phenomenon to which one is newly alert suddenly seems ubiquitous. See also: Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy, Confirmation Bias, (or Fox News).

Generation Z (n.) – The generation born in the late 1990s & early 2000s.

Gig economy (n) – (coined in 2009) economic activity that involves the use of temporary or freelance workers to perform jobs.

Go-Cup (n.) –  A plastic or paper cup used especially for taking a beverage off the premises of a bar, restaurant, etc.

Goldilocks (adj.) – Having or producing an optimal balance usually between two extremes (e.g. not too hot, not too cold – just right).

Hophead (n.) – A beer enthusiast.

Screen time (n.) – Your time spent in front of a screen.

Swole (adj.) – Extremely muscular; having a physique enhanced by bodybuilding exercises.

Treasure trail (n.) – a narrow line of body hair leading from the navel down to the genital region.

Unplug (v.) – Setting down your device and removing yourself from the online world.

The following words were added to the Oxford and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2018.

Adorbs (adj.) – Extremely charming or appealing : adorable.

Biohacking (n.) – Biological experimentation (as by gene editing or the use of drugs or implants) done to improve the qualities or capabilities of living organisms especially by individuals and groups outside of a traditional medical or scientific research environment.

Deglobalization (n.) – the process of making something less global and more regional in nature, focus, impact, etc.; esp. the reversal or decline of globalization, or its effects.

Hip Replacement (n.) – A surgical operation involving the reconstruction or replacement of a hip joint.

Mansplain (v.) – explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.

Me Time (n.) – doing what one wants, typically on one’s own, as opposed to working or doing things for others, considered as important in reducing stress or restoring energy.

Mocktail (n.) – A usually iced drink made with any of various ingredients (such as juice, herbs, and soda water) but without alcohol: a nonalcoholic cocktail.

Rando (n.) derogatory, informal – A random person who is not known or recognizable or whose appearance seems unprompted or unwelcome.

Snowflake (n.) derogatory, informal – An overly sensitive or easily offended person, or one who believes they are entitled to special treatment on account of their supposedly unique characteristics.

TL;DR (abbrev.) – Too long; didn’t read—used to say that something would require too much time to read.

Tomoz (adv.) – Tomorrow

The following words have been recognized by the Oxford, Cambridge, and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2017. 

Alt-right (n.): a right-wing movement whose members reject mainstream conservative politics and espouse extremist beliefs and policies typically centered on ideas of white nationalism.

Alternative facts (n.): 1) The Woeful Office’s preferred spin on reality (and/or anything they do not agree with); 2) a more “official” rendering of fake news.

Bibimbap (n.): Korean dish of rice, vegetables, usually meat, and a raw or fried egg.

Craptacular (adj.): remarkably poor or disappointing

Dog whistle (n.): an expression or statement that has a secondary meaning intended to be understood only by a particular group of people.

First World Problem (n.): A usually minor or trivial problem or annoyance experienced by people in relatively affluent or privileged circumstances especially as contrasted with problems of greater social significance facing people in poor and underdeveloped parts of the world.

Froyo (n.): short for frozen yogurt.

Haterade (n.): excessive negativity, criticism, or resentment.

Hive mind (n.): the collective thoughts, ideas, and opinions of a group of people (such as internet users) regarded as functioning together as a single mind.

Lovefest (n.): An event or interaction characterized by mutual appreciation, affinity, or affection, especially when regarded as excessive or inappropriate.

Microaggression (n.): A comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).

Prosopagnosia (n.):  An inability to recognize faces.

Ransomware (n.): A program used by hackers to encrypt key files and drives so they cannot be accessed until you pay a ransom.

Sausage Fest (n.): An event or group in which the majority of participants are male.

Train wreck (n.): An utter disaster or mess: a disastrous calamity or source of trouble.

Bonus entries [from yours truly]: 

Dodder (v.): to allow the voices in your head to speak out loud in an uncensored stream of conscience.

The Woeful Office (n.): An (executive when capitalized) office that is run by a twitt er, some weird shit, er both.

The following words have been recognized by the Oxford, Cambridge and/or Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2016.

biffy (n.): a toilet or outhouse.

burkini (n.): a woman’s swimsuit that covers the entire body, leaving only the hands, feet, and face exposed 

cheeba (n.): another word for marijuana 

clickjacking (n.): concealing hyperlinks beneath legitimate clickable content on a website in order to trick people into performing actions they normally wouldn’t. 

clicktivism (n.): a quick and easy way to show support for a cause.

clicktivist (n. and adj.): a not so enthusiastic activist. 

neuroplasticity (n.):  The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. 

non-apology (n.): a statement that has the form of an apology but does not express the expected remorse. It is common in both politics and public relations. 

Oompa Loompa (n.) a short person and/or a person whose skin has an orange appearance, often related to artificial sun-tanning. 

Scrumdiddlyumptious (adj.): extremely tasty; delicious; very attractive (person) 

squee (v.)  a cry of delight or excitement 

unsub (n.): a person of unknown identity who is the subject of a criminal investigation 

upcharge (n.): a charge or payment that is additional to the usual or basic price; a surcharge 

upspeak / uptalk (n.):  a manner of speaking in which declarative sentences are uttered with rising intonation at the end, as if they were questions 

yobbism (n.): hooliganism or aggressive behavior

yogalates / yogilates (n.): A fitness routine that combines Pilates exercises with the postures and breathing techniques of yoga.

The following new words have been recognized by the Oxford, Cambridge and Merriam-Webster dictionaries over the course of 2015.

butt-dial (v.): Inadvertently call (someone) on a mobile phone in one’s rear trouser pocket, as a result of pressure being accidentally applied to a button or buttons on the phone;

emoji (n.): Any small image or icon used in electronic communication;

fur baby (n.):  A person’s dog, cat, or other furry pet animal;

hangry (adj.): Bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger;

jeggings (n.): A legging that is designed to resemble a tight-fitting pair of denim jeans and is made of a stretchable fabric;

Mx (n.): A title, like Mr. or Ms., used by those who wish to avoid specifying their gender;

photobomb (v.): To move into the frame of a photograph as it is being taken as a joke or prank;

pwn (v.): (Especially in video gaming) utterly defeat (an opponent or rival);

rage-quit (v.): Angrily abandon an activity or pursuit that has become frustrating;

rando (n.):  A person one does not know, especially one regarded as odd, suspicious, or engaging in socially inappropriate behavior;

twerk (v.):  Sexually suggestive dancing characterized by rapid, repeated hip thrusts and shaking of the buttocks, especially while squatting;

WTF (abbrev.) What the f—!  Used especially to express or describe outraged surprise, recklessness, confusion or bemusement;

Bonus entry [from yours truly]: 

 pocket yoga (n.): what guys do when we get to the cash window at a drive through.