It’s officially recap season and that means it’s time to look back at 2023 and check out what piqued our collective interests. Merriam-Webster finally released the Word of the Year and it’s only fitting in an age of AI, celebrity culture, and social media. Check it out:

Word of the Year: Authentic

In the age of content saturation online, the word “authentic” resonated the most with everyone in 2023.  Authentic means “not false or imitation,” it’s being “true to one’s personality, spirit, or character.” Brands, social media influencers, and celebrities all aspired to be authentic this year since it’s a trait that builds trust and connects people.

Other words that stood out this year include:

Rizz

“I’m sorry, what is rizz?” #DPRIAN pic.twitter.com/KvjEnKgSzZ

— DPR IAN archive (@DPRIANarchive) November 30, 2023

Merriam-Webster added the internet-driven Gen Z slang to the dictionary in September. ICYDK, “rizz” means “charisma, charm, or romantic appeal.” As in, “She rizzed me up with her bubbly personality.” Anyone who’s got rizz can charm or seduce people easily.

Deepfake

@deeptomcruiseYes I CANADA … eh?♬ original sound – Metaphysic.ai

Merriam-Webster clocked spikes of interest in deepfake throughout the year. Deepfake is an AI digital alteration technology that seamlessly manipulates or misrepresents someone into a video or photo they aren’t in. To see how creepy that is, you might want to check out this TikTok account dedicated to Tom Cruise deepfakes.

Dystopian

This is dystopian. We are an international embarrassment https://t.co/b6x2xUcKqI

— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) November 27, 2023

Dystopian has jumped from the world of fiction into real life when folks describe frightening real-world issues. It’s an imagined world or scenario where humans experience great suffering or injustice. Think The Hunger Games and Maze Runner where humankind is in some kind of social and political upheaval. In 2023, news of war and realizing the potential of AI to displace jobs might’ve contributed a lot to the rise in interest for “dystopian.”

X

@8list.ph We caught the Twitter logo transitioning to X in real time… #twitter #twitterX #twittermemes #elonmusk #elonmusknews #trending #news #8listph #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – 8List.ph

Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to X has had folks looking up the letter to see what’s so special about it. Turns out, “X” can stand for a number of things — in mathematics, measurements, and relationships.

Implode

@thenewsmovement The Titanic submarine likely imploded, which means the submersible’s passengers would have died instantaneously #fyp #learnontiktok #titanicsubmarinenews #titansubmersible #oceangate️ #deepseaexploration #titanicexplorer #titanicexploration #titansubmarine #titansub ♬ original sound – The News Movement

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Yup, it’s from the submersible that imploded back in June when it attempted to visit the wreck of the Titanic. People turned to the dictionary to grasp what implode meant — bursting inward or a violent compression — and imagine what that must’ve felt like for the five passengers of the Titan.

Elemental

@disneymusic @Lauv over here stealing the show! Watch the new video for #StealTheShow from Disney and Pixar’s #Elemental. #Disney and #Pixar‘s Elemental is now playing only in theaters. #DisneyMusic #DisneySongs #PixarTok #PixarTikTok ♬ Steal The Show – From “Elemental” – Lauv

Interestingly enough, Elemental is the title of arguably one of the best animated film releases this year. The Pixar film is about a world where anthropomorphized elements of air, water, fire, and earth live together. It’s is a wonderful allegory about identity and prejudice and if you haven’t seen it yet, this is your sign to catch it on Disney+.

Coronation

Back in May, when Queen Elizabeth II passed away, the new British monarch was crowned — her son Charles III. Merriam-Webster recorded a spike in interest for “coronation,” or the act of placing a crown on a monarch’s head. It elevates a person to a prominent position or office.

Other words that stood out this year according to Merriam-Webster include “EGOT” (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) the rarest distinction any entertainer can achieve, “doppelgänger,” “covenant,” “indict,” “kibbutz,” and “deadname.”

What do you think about the word of the year this 2023? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

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