Like it or not, language is constantly evolving. New words get added to the dictionary every year, often long after they've become part of our daily lexicon. But some dictionaries are trying to stay more on top of modern usage and slang than ever. This year, Dictionary.com broke its own record with 15,000 updates to existing entries and 650 new words added to keep up with the rapid pace of 2020.
As the dictionary website explained, their update speaks to the way the "unprecedented events of 2020, from the pandemic to the protests, have profoundly changed our lives—and language." But not all the new words are directly related to the seismic shifts we've been experiencing, and some of these additions are long overdue. To find out which words and terms now have the Dictionary.com stamp of approval, read on. And if you want to stay current on language, make sure you avoid these 4 Words the Dictionary Says You Should Stop Using.
1 | Amirite
Shutterstock"Amirite" is "an informal variant spelling of the phrase 'am I right' used to elicit agreement or solidarity at the end of an observation." It should have been in the dictionary years ago, amirite? And if you're a fan of slang, This Is the Most Tubular Slang Word Every Year From 1940 to Today.
2 | Battle Royale
Lionsgate Films / Alamy"Battle royale" can be a noun or an adjective. In the case of the latter, it's "of or relating to a genre of fiction, television show, movie, or video game that features this kind of elimination fight to the death." The Hunger Games is a battle royale trilogy of books.
3 | Contouring
ShutterstockThanks to makeup YouTubers, you probably know that "contouring" refers to "a makeup application style in which foundation and bronzer are used to create definition along the natural bone structure of the face." Your morning routine will take way longer if you decide to get into Kardashian-level contouring. And for more beauty-ful verbiage, check out The 50 Most Beautiful Words in the English Language—And How to Use Them.
4 | Dunning-Kruger Effect
ShutterstockThe "Dunning-Kruger effect" is "the theory that a person who lacks skill or expertise also lacks the insight to accurately evaluate this deficit, resulting in a persistent inflation of estimated competence in self-assessments." In other words, the Dunning-Kruger effect explains why your boss doesn't realize how bad a boss he is.
5 | Ecoanxiety
iStock"Ecoanxiety" is a specific kind of anxiety "caused by a dread of environmental perils, especially climate change, and a feeling of helplessness over the potential consequences for those living now and even more so for those of later generations." If you're feeling ecoanxiety after the last hurricane, you're not alone. And for more words that are relatively new, check out these 40 Words That Didn't Exist 40 Years Ago.
6 | Empty Suit
Shutterstock"Empty suit" is a slang term for "an executive, manager, or official regarded as ineffectual, incompetent, or lacking in leadership qualities such as creativity and empathy." Your manager who can't get anything done and then blames you until you break down in tears is an empty suit.
7 | Gender Reveal
ShutterstockA "gender reveal" is "a party, online video, or other way in which the gender of an unborn baby is publicly revealed." Some people think gender reveal parties are tacky, but plenty of parents-to-be are still hosting them. And for more fun content delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
8 | GOAT
Lev Radin/ShutterstockYou definitely know what a "goat" is, but "GOAT"—note the capital letters—is an acronym meaning "greatest of all time." Michael Jordan has been called "the GOAT," because, well, he is.
9 | Hodophobia
iStock"Hodophobia" means "an irrational or disproportionate fear of traveling." If you're experiencing what feels like hodophobia amid a pandemic, however, it might just be common sense. And for some less complicated words you should know, here are 50 Words You Hear Every Day But Don't Know What They Mean.
10 | Ish
Shutterstock"Ish" is a little hard to explain, but it's an adverb "used to modify or moderate something previously stated or as a vague reply to a question." If you thought your food was just OK and someone asks, "Did you enjoy your meal?" you could simply answer, "Ish."
11 | Information Bubble
iStock"Information bubble" is another way of saying "media bubble," which means "an environment in which one’s exposure to news, entertainment, social media, etc., represents only one ideological or cultural perspective and excludes or misrepresents other points of view." If you've carefully curated your Facebook feed to just be people you agree with, you might be in an information bubble.
12 | Janky
Shutterstock"Janky" can mean "inferior in quality," but also "untrustworthy; disreputable." That is to say, do not get in that janky car with that janky man.
13 | Nothingburger
ShutterstockIt's not a weird new diet trend: "Nothingburger" is slang for "an often highly publicized event or situation that is said to have less impact or significance than expected." When someone holds a press conference for something that turns out to be a hoax, that's a nothingburger.
14 | Ratio
iStockSure, there's the mathematical definition of "ratio," but there's also the Twitter-centric one, in which "ratio" is used as a verb that means "to flood (a tweet or its author) with negative replies such that commenters as a group take control of the momentum and message away from the original poster." If you write an inflammatory tweet, you might get ratioed.
15 | Sharent
iStock"Sharent" can be a verb meaning "to frequently use social media to share photos or other details and information about one’s child," or a noun for a person who does so. If you've spent all day sharenting, you should put the phone down.
16 | Social Distance
ShutterstockThe phrase and concept of "social distance" existed before 2020, but now we also use it as a verb meaning "to maintain a safe or appropriate distance from other people, especially to slow the spread of a contagious illness or disease." Amid COVID, we've all learned how to social distance from each other.
17 | Swole
ShutterstockThe past tense of "swell" is now a slang word that means "very muscular." Keep working out if you want to get swole.
18 | Techlash
ShutterstockA portmanteau of "technology" and "backlash," "techlash" naturally refers to "a strong negative reaction or backlash against the largest technology companies, or their employees or products." When you're screaming at Mark Zuckerberg, you might be experiencing techlash.
19 | World-Building
New Line Cinema"World-building" is "the process of developing a detailed and plausible fictional world for a novel or story, especially in science fiction, fantasy, and video games." Depending on how you feel about A Song of Ice and Fire, you could say George R.R. Martin did an excellent job world-building when he created Westeros.
20 | Zhuzh
ShutterstockUsually followed by "up," "zhuzh" means "to make (something) more lively and interesting, stylish, or appealing, as by a small change or addition." It can also be a noun referring to that addition. Try zhuzhing up your living room with some fresh flowers.
