In 2023, the Oxford English Dictionary again updated its lexicon, adding 80 new weird words and phrases.
From technological jargon like “Bitcoin” and “Deepfake” to colloquial gems such as “Bestie” and “Binge-Watching,” the OED continues to capture the ever-evolving tapestry of the English language.
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The words newly added not only reflect technological advances but also capture the cultural zeitgeist. They tackle everything from the trivial — like “First-World problem”— to the more contentious, such as “Techlash.”
The dictionary‘s embrace of such diverse terminology means there’s something in this year's list for everyone.
You‘re bound to react whether you find these additions eye-rollingly modern or a fascinating snapshot of our times.
Some words may make you chuckle, while others may have you questioning whether they should have made it into the dictionary. So, buckle up, word nerds. You’re in for a linguistic treat.
100+ Weird Words in English You Need to Know
Adorbs, adj.
A colloquial abbreviation for “adorable” often used to describe something extremely cute or appealing.
Adulting, n.
The practice or act of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult.
Amirite, int.
An informal variant of “am I right,” seeking agreement or, sometimes, playfully undermining the preceding statement.
Anti-Establishmentarianism, n.
A stance of opposition or animosity toward established authority or the establishment itself.
Antigodlin, adv.
In a slanted or diagonal manner, typically not aligning with usual or established directions.
Antigram, n.
A word arrangement that, when reorganized, yields a meaning contrasting or opposed to the initial word or phrase's sentiment.
Awesomesauce, adj.
A playful term meaning exceptionally good or fantastic.
Backwash, n.
The passing of water or other liquid through a filter in the reverse direction to normal flow in order to flush it clean; an instance of this. Liquid used in such a process.
Bae, n.
A term of endearment, often used to refer to a significant other or a loved one.
Baked Potato, n.
A potato baked whole and served in its skin.
Basic, adj.
Boring, unoriginal, or not interesting. Used to describe something that everyone does and is there for overdone.
Beardo, n.
A colloquial term for someone with a beard or an individual stereotypically associated with having a beard, such as an intellectual or hippie.
Beatboxer, n.
A performer who uses amplified vocal effects to imitate the sounds and rhythms of hip-hop music.
Bestie, n.
A person's best friend; a very close friend.
Bet, adj.
A slang term used to show affirmation, agreement, or approval.
Binge-Watching, v.
The act of watching multiple episodes of a television series in quick succession, usually through streaming platforms.
Bitchingly, adv.
As an intensifier: very, extremely; In a resentful manner; complainingly. Also: in an unpleasant or contemptuous manner; spitefully.
Bitcoin, n.
(A proprietary name for) a digital payment system introduced in 2009, having its own unit of account; the unit of account of this system.
Blobfish, n.
Any of several bottom-dwelling deep-sea fishes of the family Psychrolutidae (fathead sculpins), which have large heads; spec. Psychrolutes marcidus of Australian and New Zealand waters, having gelatinous flesh and a distinctive sagging face.
Bookaholics, n.
Individuals who are extremely fond of reading or buying books habitually.
Bridey, adj.
Characteristic or reminiscent of a bride, often in the context of appearances or behavior.
Bro Hug, n.
A friendly embrace shared between two men, typically denoting camaraderie.
Bussin’, adj.
Extremely good or excellent.
BYOD, n.
Bring your own device, the policy or practice of allowing employees, customers, etc., to connect to an organization's network using their own smartphones, computers, etc.
Cap, n.
Slang term for a lie or lying. When someone says, “No cap,” they mean they aren’t lying.
Cheddar, n.
Slang term for money.
Cheugy, adj.
Old-school, uncool, or outdated. Often used to describe items that were popular for Millennials in their youth but are now out of style.
Chronically Online, adj.
Someone who spends so much time on the internet and social media that they lose touch with reality. They may think things are more popular in the real world than they actually are because they spend so much time on the internet.
Citrusy, adj.
Of a smell, taste, or color: characteristic or suggestive of citrus fruit. Also having such a smell, taste, or colour.
Conlang, n
An artificially created language.
Crap Shoot, n.
A situation or undertaking regarded as uncertain, risky, or unpredictable.
Crazy-Pants, n.
An individual devoid of logic, rationale, or intellect; someone with extreme quirks or eccentricities.
Dance-Off, n.
A competition in which individuals or groups compete against each other through dance.
Deepfake, n.
Digital content manipulated to convincingly replace one individual‘s likeness with another’s, often with malicious intent.
Dish Dog, n.
An individual hired to cleanse plates and execute various basic chores in a kitchen; a culinary assistant.
Dumpster Fire, n.
A situation that is disastrously chaotic or out of control.
Emojis, n.
Digital icons or symbols used to convey emotions, ideas, or responses in electronic communication.
Era, n.
A period of time in a person’s life. This word as a slang term took off after Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which showed off music from different periods of her artistry.
Evil Genius, n.
A malevolent spirit imagined as accompanying a person and seeking to influence him or her to do evil, and often paired with an opposed benevolent spirit; a person who exerts an evil influence; a person with an exceptional capacity for wrongdoing or malevolence; (also) a highly intelligent criminal or villain.
Farmhousey, adj.
Resembling or evoking the ambiance of a farmhouse, particularly its cozy and rustic charm.
Fell Off, v.
When someone, usually a celebrity, declines in popularity or performs worse than they have in the past.
Finsta, n.
Someone’s secondary Instragram account where they post funny or less-polished photos. Finstas are usually only shared with close friends.
First World Problem, n.
A problem affecting the First World and its inhabitants. A cause of frustration or dissatisfaction regarded as trivial, arising only as a result of the economic and social privilege, access to technology, etc., associated with the First World.
Flexitarian, n.
A person who follows a primarily but not strictly vegetarian diet.
Fuhgeddaboudit, int.
A colloquial expression suggesting “forget about it,” often used to imply something is not worth the trouble or is unbelievable.
Glam-Ma, n.
A grandmother who is fashionable or glamorous.
Glamping, n.
A type of camping that involves luxurious accommodations or amenities, combining “glamour” and “camping.”
Glitter Bomb, n.
A prank involving the unexpected showering of glitter on someone, often sent as a surprise package.
Glow Up, n.
To dramatically improve or get better.
GOAT, n.
An acronym for “greatest of all time,” denoting someone or something deemed the best in its domain.
Godzooks, int.
Expressing surprise, alarm, frustration, etc.
Groomzilla, n.
A man overly obsessed or domineering in orchestrating the specifics of his wedding.
Group Hug, n.
A hug shared by three or more people in a group, typically as an expression of support or solidarity.
Hangry, adj.
A state of anger or irritability resulting from hunger.
Hashtag, n.
A word or phrase preceded by a hash and used to identify messages relating to a specific topic; the hash symbol itself, when used in this way.
High Muckety-Muck, n.
A person of high status and influence; an important person, a bigwig.
Hip-Hopping, n. adj.
The action of hip-hop. Of or relating to hip-hop.
Honky-Tonker, n.
A person who owns, works in, or frequents a honky-tonk. Also a performer of honky-tonk music.
Ick, n.
A feeling of disgust or dislike toward a certain trait or behavior.
It’s Giving, v.
Used to describe the look or vibe of something. Followed by an adjective.
IYKYK, adj.
An abbreviation for if you know, you know.
Jerkface, n.
A person deemed contemptible or obnoxious.
Lamester, n.
A person who is unexciting, lacks distinction, or is viewed as socially awkward or disconnected.
MacGyver, v.
To ingeniously and creatively use everyday objects to solve problems, named after a TV character known for such skills.
Noob, n.
A person who is inexperienced in a particular activity or field, especially in online gaming or internet activities.
Nothingburger, n.
An event or situation that, despite being hyped or publicized, has little significance or impact.
NPC, n.
Non-player character. This refers to a character in a video game that you can interact with and talk to; however, no real person plays the character. The player is controlled by code written for the game. NPC can also be used as a slang term for someone with no personality.
Out of Pocket, adj.
Out of left field. Inappropriate. A statement or occurrence that seems to go out of nowhere.
Periodt, adj.
End of sentence. Signals the end of a discussion or thought. This word may also be used to emphasize a point.
Pescatarian, n. adj.
A person who eats fish but avoids eating meat; someone who includes fish in an otherwise vegetarian diet. Keeping to a diet that includes fish but not meat; of or relating to pescatarians or their practices.
Phablet, n.
A device that combines the features and size of a smartphone and a tablet.
Pop Idol, n.
A pop star with immense success and an exceptionally loyal fan base.
Puggles, n.
A breed of dogs that is a cross between a pug and a beagle.
Rizz, n.
Short for charisma. Another word for charm or attractiveness. Someone who is charismatic or very good with people has rizz.
Salty, adj.
Bitter, angry, or upset about something.
Schmoozefest, n.
An event marked by superficial or insincere conversation and networking.
Sciency, adj.
Of a somewhat scientific or technical nature; having an interest in or aptitude for science.
Selfie, n.
A photographic self-portrait, esp. one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.
Shook, adj.
Shaken or emotionally shocked. Disturbed.
Skelpie, n.
A cheeky or naughty youngster, particularly a female. An individual perceived or handled as of minimal value. Primarily referenced in historical settings.
Skype, v.
To have a spoken conversation over the internet using Skype software, freq. while viewing live images of one another on a computer screen or mobile device. To participate in a conversation or event in another location by using Skype software.
Slay, v.
To “nail it” or “kill it.” To do something excellently. To be very good or impressive at a task.
Spit Take, n.
A reaction in which someone spits out what they're drinking in response to something surprising or funny.
Sus, adj.
Short for suspicious. Refers to odd or untrustworthy behavior.
TBH, n.
Chiefly in online and electronic communication, to be honest.
Tea, n.
Drama, gossip, or interesting events that have occurred. People asking for tea or for you to spill the tea want to know what happened.
Techlash, n.
A potent negative response or backlash against major tech companies, their personnel, or their products.
Teen Idol, n.
A notably accomplished young performer or musician, frequently a male, with a passionate, primarily teenage, and often female following.
Touch Grass, v.
Get off of the internet and go outside to do something in the real world.
TP, n. v.
Toilet paper; to cover (a building, trees, etc.) with toilet paper, typically as a prank.
Twittersphere, n.
The collective community of Twitter users and the conversations and interactions occurring within this environment.
Un-PC, adj.
Not politically correct.
Upcycling, n.
The operation or process of reusing waste materials to create a product of higher value or quality; the action or process of repurposing or renovating an old or unwanted item to make it more attractive, valuable, etc.
Vibe Check, v.
To see what the mood surrounding or feelings toward a situation is.
Vlog, n.
A blog where the medium is video, often published on platforms like YouTube.
Vom, v. n.
A colloquial abbreviation of “vomit,” either the act of vomiting or the substance itself.
Wackadoodle, n. adj.
Alteration of wackadoo. Crazy, mad, eccentric.
Wardrobe Malfunction, n.
An instance of an article of a person‘s clothing slipping out of position, tearing, etc., so as to expose part of the wearer’s body or otherwise cause embarrassment.
Worstest, adj.
An emphatic, non-standard version of “worst,” often used for humorous or dramatic effect.
Yas, int.
An enthusiastic exclamation expressing pleasure, excitement, or agreement.
Yeet, v.
To throw something. This usually shows that the thrower used a high degree of force.
YOLO, int.
An acronym for “You Only Live Once,” often used to justify reckless or adventurous behavior.
Zombocalypse, n.
A hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario where zombies have taken over.
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