Word of the Year 2025 By Dictionary Websites: Check Defining Words and Its Meaning

Word of the Year: Every year, leading dictionary websites select a “Word of the Year” to reflect the most important social, cultural, and digital trends of that year. These words are not chosen randomly. They are based on how frequently that word is searched, discussed, and used in news reports, social media, academic spaces, and everyday conversations. 

As of 2025, language continues to change at a rapid rate because of digital behaviours, technology, how we engage with media, and changes in interpersonal relationships.

Online dictionaries like Merriam-Webster, Oxford University Press, and Dictionary.com identify words and phrases that best depict the cultural climate or sentiment of the year. The selections for 2025 reflect the many shifting perspectives on digital manipulation, emotional connections online, and other issues related to technology and media.

These selections paint an accurate picture of how technology and media will alter our methods of communicating, thinking, and behaving in 2025.

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Words of the Year

Here is the list of Word of the Year selections by major dictionary websites:

1. Rage Bait

Oxford University Press selected “Rage Bait” as its Word of the Year for 2025 because this word refers to online content that is deliberately created to provoke anger, outrage, or strong emotional reactions, and so, words like “I am getting rage-bait” are widely used by almost other person these days. 

2. 67 

Dictionary.com chose “67” as its Word of the Year, a number that gained symbolic meaning in 2025. Although it appears easy and simple, the number became widely used online to represent irony, exaggeration, or coded references within digital communities. It was frequently seen in memes, comment sections, and informal online discussions.

3. Slop 

Merriam-Webster chose "slop" as its word of the year, and it has become widely used in reference to digital content. It usually describes junk articles, repetitive YouTube videos, and misleading information designed to generate views and ad revenue.

4.  Parasocial 

Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year is "parasocial." This term describes the phenomenon of one-sided emotional connections with celebrities, influencers, or other people who create content on social media or the internet; individuals with such connections feel an emotional bond with those individuals that is not based on any personal acquaintance or relationship.

5. Vibe Coding 

Collins Dictionary has named “Vibe Coding” its Word of the Year for 2025. Vibe Coding enables people to write computer programs without worrying too much about technical guidelines, instead expressing their ideas using informal spoken language.

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