The rise of internet lingo in the Merriam-Webster dictionary has sparked some pushback from the public|Noah1806|CC BY-SA 4.0
America’s Merriam-Webster dictionary announced that it would add 1,400 new words and definitions to its list, including popular internet slang like “looksmaxxing,” “Sunday scaries,” and “cuffing season.”
Other recent entries shaped by pop culture and digital trends include “shapewear, “meme coin,” “superfood,” and “parasocial.”
The rise of artificial intelligence has also brought terms such as “compute,” “vibe coding,” “uncanny valley,” and “AGI” (artificial general intelligence) into widespread use, earning them a spot in the dictionary.
The AI-focused “slop” was Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word of the Year. This year’s winner typically arrives in the final quarter.
Not everyone is on board: the rise of internet lingo in the dictionary has sparked some pushback from the public.
A Preply survey of 1,524 US respondents found that 61% oppose adding slang terms like “6-7” or “skibidi” to Merriam-Webster’s collection.