As 2025 draws to a close, the lexicographers and linguists from the world’s most widely used and recognized dictionaries have commenced their sometimes annual endeavor to encapsulate the year’s overarching mood through a single word.

Various dictionary publishers employ distinct justifications and approaches when selecting their so-called “word of the year.” Some undertake ; while others evaluate . Regardless, these chosen words have evolved into significant cultural touchstones and points of media fascination over time.

Below are some of 2025’s words identified to date:

Cambridge Dictionary: parasocial

Cambridge Dictionary, which has designated a word of the year since 2015, observed a consistent rise in searches before settling on its most recent selection—”parasocial,” defined as “pertaining to a bond an individual experiences with a public figure they are unfamiliar with, a fictional character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence.”

The term was initially introduced by University of Chicago sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl in their 1956 scholarly paper “.” The word fuses “social” with the Greek prefix para-, signifying “similar to or alongside, yet distinct from” in this context.

Colin McIntosh, Chief Editor of Cambridge Dictionary, noted that “public engagement with the term surged significantly this year,” drawing on both dictionary and Google search analytics. Cambridge highlighted a sharp increase in dictionary searches for the word on June 30, coinciding with YouTube streamer IShowSpeed’s encounter with a fan who called themselves his “number 1 parasocial.”

McIntosh commented on the word, stating, “From a linguistic perspective, it’s intriguing because it has shifted from being an academic concept to a term commonly employed by everyday individuals in their social media interactions.”

In its , the dictionary indicated that 2025 emphasized parasocial connections with public figures, encompassing the excitement around and related to NFL-star boyfriend Travis Kelce, while also underscoring the growing trend of people seeking companionship and from AI chatbots.

Collins Dictionary: vibe coding

Collins English Dictionary, having selected a word of the year since 2013, leaned into the technology sector for its 2025 choice. It opted for “vibe coding,” a slang expression defined as “the application of artificial intelligence, guided by natural language, to aid in generating computer code.” As a : “Essentially, instructing a machine on your desired outcome instead of laboriously writing the code manually.”

The term was originated by Andrej Karpathy, a cofounder of OpenAI and former AI director at Tesla. In an , Karpathy characterized it as a coding method “where you fully surrender to the intuition, embrace rapid growth, and overlook the underlying code entirely.” With vibe coding, large language models undertake the primary work of generating programming code. While praised for making coding more accessible, the technique has also faced criticism regarding its and potential .

Alex Beecroft, Collins’ managing director, commented that the selection “flawlessly illustrates language’s progression in parallel with technology.”

Other tech-related phrases also featured on Collins’ shortlist, such as “”—a pejorative term from Star Wars, applied to robots, computers, and AI entities—and “,” apparently alluding to the predominantly male Silicon Valley power brokers and their potential political sway.

Dictionary.com: 67

Dictionary.com, which has unveiled a “word of the year” annually since 2010, made an unconventional pick for 2025, opting for a number instead of a word. The online dictionary stated it chose 67 (pronounced “six-seven,” not “sixty-seven”) following an analysis of extensive data, including news headlines, social media patterns, and search engine outcomes. It reported that searches for 67 “saw a significant surge starting in the summer,” increasing by over six-fold since June.

The phrase seemingly originates from the 2024 track “Doot Doot (6 7)” by rapper Skrilla, which has since gained popularity as background music for TikTok and Instagram videos. Some clips featured LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, whose height is approximately 6 ft. 7 in., while others showed adolescents and children employing the term.

However, the precise meaning of the “word” of the year remains vague. “It’s intricate,” according to Dictionary.com. “Some suggest it signifies ‘mediocre,’ or ‘perhaps one thing, perhaps another,’ particularly when accompanied by its distinctive hand signal involving both palms facing upwards and moving alternately.” It also noted a slightly playful implication: “Certain young people, seizing the chance to predictably annoy their seniors, will employ it as a substitute for an answer to almost any inquiry.”

The most striking characteristic of 67, it was further stated, is its undefinability. “It is devoid of meaning, pervasive, and illogical. Put differently, it possesses all the quintessential qualities of the internet.”