Dictionary.com picks maxxing as word of year
Dictionary.com named maxxing its 2026 word of the year after tracking US online use. BBC News and the New York Post said the term means doing something to the fullest or optimizing it. It can stand alone or attach to the end of other words in slang use.
Dictionary.com selected maxxing as its 2026 Word of the Year. BBC News and the New York Post reported the announcement. Short for maximising, the term can stand alone or attach to the end of any word to convey doing something to the fullest or optimizing it as much as possible, the site said.
The choice marks a sharp turn from demure two years ago and from last year's 67. Dictionary.com said it analysed US social media trends, news stories, and search data. The New York Post said the pick was already sparking debate among readers who love or hate internet slang.
Word-of-the-year lists are marketing as much as linguistics, but they capture what people type. Maxxing joins a long line of productivity and wellness slang. The pages did not claim the word is new, only that it peaked this year.
What we know: Dictionary.com named maxxing its 2026 word of the year.
What we don't: Whether rival dictionaries will pick the same term.
Where outlets agree BBC News and the New York Post report Dictionary.com's maxxing word-of-the-year pick.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.