I think ADS and Merriam-Webster got it right. "Rage bait" and "parasocial" were the WOTY 2-3 years ago; not that they've gone away, but they were of a previous

I think ADS and Merriam-Webster got it right. "Rage bait" and "parasocial" were the WOTY 2-3 years ago; not that they've gone away, but they were of a previous moment. "Vibe coding" is too specific, and "67" is trying too hard to be Hip and With It. "Slop" is the word that perfectly captures what so much of 2026 was about, and I heard it from every direction, including people not into tech at all.