Every year, the esteemed dictionaries of the world choose a word – or phrase, number, or even more controversially, an emoji – that represents the past 12 months. These words, picked by dictionary editors based on factors such as search history and frequency of use, attempt to capture the biggest moments in pop culture, online trends or the general vibes of the year. Previous zeitgeist-encompassing words of the year include brain rot, vax, goblin mode and populism.
‘Slop’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year
Of course, everyone’s year is different, which means the elected words don’t always resonate. So The Globe and Mail has compiled eight words we feel best encapsulate 2025 – some chosen by the dictionaries, some by us – and created a choose-your-own adventure questionnaire to uncover which buzzy word best reflects your year. (And if you disagree with your final result, you can start all over again.)
