2025’s Words of the Year Reveal Frustration with Digital Life

URGENT UPDATE: The words of the year for 2025 have just been unveiled, reflecting a generation grappling with mounting frustration over job prospects, the impact of AI, and the pervasive nature of online culture. Various dictionaries and platforms have chosen terms that capture a sentiment of exhaustion and skepticism, signaling a shift in how society views technology and its effects on everyday life.

The announcement comes as platforms like Glassdoor and Oxford Dictionary highlight key terms that resonate deeply with current social challenges. For instance, Glassdoor has selected “fatigue” as its word of the year, revealing a staggering 41% increase in mentions among job seekers frustrated by endless applications and the looming pressure of AI technology. A recent survey by Glassdoor showed that 78% of professionals feel drained by the relentless news cycle at work, underscoring the emotional toll of today’s job market.

Meanwhile, Collins Dictionary coined the term “vibe coding,” which refers to the growing trend of using natural language prompts to guide AI in generating code. This term reflects a further shift towards a tech-dominated landscape, with OpenAI reporting a 36% increase in code-related queries from non-engineering professionals. As companies like Anthropic reveal that their AI, Claude, is now responsible for 90% of their coding tasks, the implications for the workforce are profound.

In an increasingly polarized online landscape, Oxford Dictionary has identified “rage bait” as its word of the year. Defined as content deliberately designed to provoke anger, this term has seen its usage triple in 2025. This alarming trend suggests a deeper societal shift in how attention is garnered in the digital realm, prompting users to rethink their engagement with online content.

The Cambridge Dictionary highlights “parasocial” as its word of the year, referring to the one-sided relationships formed with celebrities, influencers, and even AI chatbots. As social media continues to dominate lives, fans find themselves emotionally attached to figures like Taylor Swift or podcast hosts, raising concerns over emotional dependencies on AI companions, as noted by Business Insider.

In Australia, Macquarie Dictionary has chosen “AI slop,” which emphasizes concerns over low-quality, AI-generated content that often misleads and frustrates users. The committee noted the increasing need for individuals to become “prompt engineers” to sift through the clutter of AI outputs that lack substance and accuracy.

For the first time, Dictionary.com has selected a numeral as its word of the year, voting for “67.” This choice reflects a growing search interest, with queries skyrocketing more than sixfold since June 2025. Described as “meaningless” and indicative of a culture caught in indecision, this term encapsulates the ambivalence many feel in today’s chaotic environment.

As these words resonate across various platforms, the collective sentiment paints a vivid picture of a generation at a crossroads. The growing frustration with the digital landscape, job market struggles, and emotional dependencies on technology underscores a critical moment in societal evolution.

WHAT’S NEXT: As 2025 unfolds, observers will be keenly watching how these trends influence the broader conversation around technology, employment, and social relationships. The words chosen this year are not just reflections of language; they are indicators of a generation yearning for change and clarity in an increasingly complex world.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.