As 2025 approaches its end, the language experts behind the world’s most widely used dictionaries are once again taking on a surprisingly contentious annual task: distilling an entire year’s cultural mood into one defining word.

Each publisher arrives at its choice differently, some sift through massive text databases, while others track search spikes or scan public conversation. Yet despite those varying methods, these yearly selections have evolved into a pop-culture ritual, sparking debate, fascination, and no shortage of online commentary.

Below are the standout words shaping the linguistic landscape of 2025.

Cambridge Dictionary: Parasocial

Cambridge chose 'parasocial' after noticing a steady surge in searches throughout the year. The term describes the one-sided bond people feel with celebrities, fictional characters, or even AI systems. Though coined in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, the word has slipped from academic circles into everyday online chatter.

Interest peaked on June 30, when YouTuber IShowSpeed blocked an obsessive fan who labeled himself the creator’s “number 1 parasocial.” Cambridge also noted that the term resonated in a year dominated by celebrity fascination, such as Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce, and widened conversations about people forming emotional ties with AI chatbots.

Collins Dictionary: Vibe Coding

Collins took a tech-forward approach with 'vibe coding,' a slang term describing the use of AI to generate computer code based on natural-language prompts. Coined by OpenAI cofounder and former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy, vibe coding encourages developers to “give in to the vibes” and let large language models handle the heavy lifting.

The method has been praised for making programming more accessible, though critics warn it may sidestep essential coding knowledge and introduce security risks. Collins also shortlisted other tech-leaning terms, including “clanker”, a Star Wars–derived insult for robots, and “broligarchy,” a nod to Silicon Valley’s male-dominated power networks.

Dictionary.com: 67

Dictionary.com made the boldest choice of all: a number. Its 2025 pick, 67, pronounced “six-seven”, rose sharply in searches starting this summer. The number’s popularity stems from Skrilla’s 2024 song “Doot Doot (6 7),” which went viral on TikTok and Instagram, often appearing in videos of Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball or in posts by teens using the term without explanation.

Its meaning remains intentionally slippery. Some say it conveys indifference, “so-so” or “maybe”, often with a distinctive hand gesture. Others use it simply to confuse adults. Dictionary.com says the term’s refusal to be pinned down is exactly what defines it: vague, humorous, and everywhere, the essence of modern internet “brainrot.”