‘Glow-up,’ ‘cuffing season’ among 1,400 new words added to Merriam-Webster dictionary
Merriam-Webster announced this week that it has added 1,400 new words and definitions to its online dictionary, with everything from internet slang and dating terminology to artificial intelligence terminology and food making the cut.
"The new entries reflect words and meanings that have demonstrated widespread use over time, offering a window into the world today," Merriam-Webster said.
Among the buzziest additions is "glow-up," which Merriam-Webster defines as "a usually dramatic enhancement especially to someone’s or something’s physical appearance." The dictionary itself even got in on the fun, calling the latest word additions a "glow-up" of its own.
And just in time for temperatures to start dropping, "cuffing season" has officially entered the dictionary.
Merriam-Webster defines the phrase as “a time of the year when people who are not married or in a relationship begin looking for a short-term romantic partner to spend the colder months of the year with.”
Social media and internet culture are well represented in the latest update, with "looksmaxxing," "parasocial," "Rickroll," "meme coin" and "promposal" are all among the new entries. The "Mandela Effect," the phenomenon defined as a group of people who share the same false memory, also made the list.
Technology is changing the dictionary, too. "Vibe coding" and "AGI," short for artificial general intelligence, were added alongside "compute" as a noun. "Uncanny valley," the term used to describe the unsettling feeling people can experience when something artificial appears almost but not quite human, is also now included.
Merriam-Webster also added several familiar foods, including "cake pop," "shishito," "bao" and "chili crisp." "Superfood" also earned an entry, referring to nutrient-rich foods such as salmon, broccoli or blueberries.
Other additions may sound particularly familiar to anyone who spends time online. "Crashout," "copium" and "trash panda" are now in the dictionary, as is "Sunday scaries," the phrase commonly used to describe the anxiety that can creep in as the weekend comes to an end.
Music fans also got some recognition with "yacht rock," while "California sober" and "shapewear" are among the other terms added in the latest update.
While some of the words may feel relatively new, Merriam-Webster doesn’t add a term simply because it’s trending, according to the website. Rather, new entries are selected after editors find evidence that a word or meaning has become widely used over time.
