39 NEW Words That Were Recently Added to the Dictionary
March 24, 2025
Dictionaries are constantly changing! As people invent new words and change old ones, dictionaries add and update entries. If a new kind of technology is invented, its name needs to go in the dictionary. When new slang words pop up, we toss those in, too. Sometimes, words are even adopted into English from other languages.
Dictionary editors monitor academic journals, social media, newspapers, blog posts . . . pretty much any kind of published writing to find new words and new meanings of existing words.
Here are 39 of the newest words in English! First we’ll take a look at new words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and then we’ll check out some of the Oxford English Dictionary’s latest additions.
Merriam-Webster
beach read
a usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance)
burrata
mozzarella formed into a ball-shaped casing that contains curds and cream
capicola
a seasoned Italian pork that is cut from the neck and top shoulder that is often brined and sometimes baked or roasted and that is cured in a casing
cash grab
the greedy pursuit of an opportunity for making money especially when done without regard for ethics, concerns, or consequences
classical liberalism
a political philosophy based on the belief that freedom of the individual is paramount and that government’s role should be largely limited to protecting that freedom
creepy-crawly
an organism (such as a spider, beetle, or cockroach) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground and is often considered unwanted or unpleasant
dungeon crawler
a video game where the gameplay is primarily focused on defeating enemies while exploring a usually randomly generated labyrinthine or dungeon-like environment
far left
the group of people whose political views are the most liberal or progressive
far right
the group of people whose political views are the most conservative
For You page
a social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user’s interests
freestyle
a competition in which the contestant is given more freedom of choice than in related events
heat index
a value that indicates what the ambient temperature feels like to the human body and that is derived from a calculation using air temperature and relative humidity
IDGAF
I don’t give a f*#%
International Bitterness Unit
a unit of measurement used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is
late capitalism
the current stage of capitalism that began in the second half of the 20th century and that is characterized by globalization, the dominance of multinational corporations, broad commodification and consumerism, and extreme wealth inequality
MAGA
a political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization and especially before the era of globalization that began in the late 20th century
Note: The MAGA movement began during the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. Its name is derived from Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.”
nepo baby
a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections; especially a child of a famous parent (such as an actor, musician, entrepreneur, or politician)
shadow ban
to cause a user or their content to be hidden from some or all other users usually without the user’s knowledge
snog
to kiss and caress (someone) passionately
spotted lanternfly
a hemipteran insect (Lycorma delicatula) of Asia and especially China that has grayish-brown forewings with black spots and red hind wings with black spots and that has been introduced to the United States where it is considered an invasive species and agricultural pest
street corn
grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder): also known as elote
touch grass
to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions
true crime
a nonfiction genre of literature, film, podcasts, etc. that depicts and examines real crime cases
Oxford English Dictionary
anyhowly
without direction or planning; haphazardly; randomly
argumentum ad verecundiam
a logical fallacy where someone claims something is true simply because a respected authority figure or expert said it, without providing other supporting evidence
back-channelling
The action or practice of communicating by a method that circumvents official channels, esp. in order to facilitate informal or clandestine negotiations; the process of relaying something through a back channel
backflip
a backward somersault in the air
billboarded
to promote by a conspicuous display on or as if on a billboard
dauphinoise
of potatoes (or occasionally other vegetables): sliced and baked in cream (or sometimes milk), typically with a topping of cheese
foreday morning
early morning, esp. before dawn
geolocation
the process of determining the location of an electronic device, as a computer, cell phone, satellite, etc.
hyung
in Korean-speaking contexts: a boy or man’s elder brother; also as a respectful form of address or term of endearment, and in extended use with reference to an older male friend
interrail
the action or practice of travelling around Europe by train, using an Interrail pass which allows flexible travel for a certain period of time in participating countries
mahi
in Māori contexts: work, activity; occupation, employment; also occasionally as a count noun: a job
smash cut
a sudden and abrupt transition from one scene to another, used to create a jarring or impactful visual effect
three-dimensional printer
a device that manufactures solid objects by the deposition of layers of material (such as plastic) in accordance with specifications that are stored and displayed in electronic form as a digital model
underproduced
when the production of an item is less than enough to satisfy the demand of its consumers
windbag
A bag-like container inflated, or designed to inflate, with air; spec. the bag of a bagpipe.
wind-dried
to expose to the air or wind; dry by exposing to air.
Which of these new words is your favorite? And which trendy words do you think should be added to the dictionary next? Let me know in the comments!
Click here to check out the LONGEST words in English!
Sources:
- Oxford English Dictionary. Accessed February 4, 2025. https://www.oed.com/.
- “America’s Most Trusted Dictionary.” Merriam-Webster. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/.