‘Gaslighting’ is the Word of the Year

The search results have spoken. ‘Gaslighting’ is the most searched word in 2022, earning it Merriam-Webster Dictionary's Word of the Year status. It was searched 1740% more this year than in 2021.

Other top words of 2022 are: oligarch, omicron, codify, queen consort, raid, sentient, cancel culture, and LGBTQIA.

Have you ever been gaslighted?
Gaslighting is the “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, the uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.”

Abusers in relationships frequently gaslight their partners about the violence faced. It can also be used as a political and corporate tactic to mislead the public.

Origin
The word originated from a 1938 play ‘Gas Light’ by Patrick Hamilton. It was also a 1944 film starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. The story is about a husband trying diabolical tricks to convince his wife that she is insane. One such trick involves denying the fact that their house lights are dimming even when the wife clearly sees it happen.