- In 2025, keywords selected by leading dictionaries such as Oxford, Cambridge, Macquarie, and Dictionary.com all reflect skepticism and fatigue regarding digital life – a trend that can be called “digital nihilism”.
- Macquarie Dictionary chose “AI slop” – low-quality content generated by AI, often containing errors, spreading rapidly online without being requested by users. The term was popularized in 2024 by Simon Willison and Casey Newton, exemplified by “fake sweet” images or career advice articles written by AI.
- Cambridge Dictionary chose “parasocial” – describing a one-sided relationship between users and celebrities, fictional characters, or even AI chatbots. As users treat chatbots as close friends or lovers, the boundary between the real and the virtual gradually blurs.
- Oxford Dictionary chose “rage bait” – online content intentionally designed to provoke anger and controversy to increase engagement. This is a common form of emotional manipulation in the “attention economy,” reflecting deep social polarization.
- Dictionary.com chose “6-7” – nonsense slang of Generation Alpha, emerging from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by rapper Skrilla. Although undefined, this phrase spread strongly, illustrating the absurdity and hollowness of current internet language.
- The common thread among these keywords is the confusion before digital reality – when deepfakes, fake news, and generative AI make people no longer believe in what is real.
📌 In 2025, keywords selected by leading dictionaries such as Oxford, Cambridge, Macquarie, and Dictionary.com all reflect skepticism and fatigue regarding digital life – a trend that can be called “digital nihilism”. These “words of the year 2025” are not just linguistic reflections but also a mirror for social psychology in the AI era: where humans are lost amidst fake information, manipulated emotions, and trust in the online world is gradually collapsing. Macquarie Dictionary selected “AI slop” – low-quality content generated by AI, often containing errors, spreading rapidly online without being requested by users.
