Merriam-Webster's Officially Recognized 2023 Word of the Year: The Authentic Selection
Merriam-Webster's 2023 word of the year, authentic, perfectly reflects the ongoing significance of truth and facts in today's world
With truth and facts taking center stage in current events, it's no wonder that Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "authentic."
According to the online dictionary, there has been a consistently high number of searches for the word's definition in recent years, but 2023 saw a significant spike in interest, attributed to "stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media."
The reason why so many people look it up is because "authentic" has numerous meanings, as stated on the dictionary's website, such as "not false or imitation" and "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character."
Shutterstock
2022s hottest words were peculiar and depressing, which ⦠makes sense
According to Merriam-Webster, the term authentic, synonymous with real and actual, is often considered a desirable quality and is frequently associated with expressions of identity, such as cuisine. Celebrities like Lainey Wilson, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift have all made headlines this year with statements about finding their "authentic voice" and "authentic self."
Elon Musk, a supporter of authenticity on social media, faced backlash earlier this year for removing the iconic blue check sign of authenticity on Twitter and making it available for purchase. The rise of artificial intelligence has led to a blurred line between reality and the artificial, prompting celebrities, brands, and social media influencers to strive to demonstrate their authenticity.
This year, another term that gained attention in searches, according to the dictionary, was the closely related "deepfake."
Merriam-Webster defines deepfake as "an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said."
Ringo Starr appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, February 17, 2022.
Randy Holmes/ABC/Getty Images
Ringo Starr says The Beatles would never fake John Lennons vocals with AI on new song
Merriam-Webster reported a significant increase in searches for the term in April and early May. This was during a time when Elon Musk's legal team argued against his need to provide legal testimony about public statements, some of which they claimed may have been deepfakes. The argument was ultimately dismissed. A significant news story in the realm of deepfake images was the emergence of images seemingly showing former President Donald Trump being arrested by police in a dramatic fashion in March.
For 2022, Merriam-Webster selected "gaslighting" as its word of the year, citing its widespread use in the "age of misinformation."
In 2023, other popular search terms that brought in significant traffic to the online dictionary were coronation, dystopian, indict, and doppelgänger. Additionally, the word "rizz" quickly rose to the top of lookups in September when it was added as an example of internet-driven slang in the dictionary.
Merriam-Webster defines "rizz" as the romantic appeal or charm a person has, or as the act of charming or seducing someone. For example, a bro who has rizz exudes romantic appeal, and to "rizz up" someone means to charm or seduce them.
