"Mogging," a word used playfully to mean outshining, outperforming or upstaging someone, has been named word of the year by Collins English Dictionary, the BBC reports.

The slang word saw a 210% increase in usage in 2026, the BBC reports. It has become part of everyday talk among younger people, the Irish Times says.

Collins lexicographers monitor the 27-billion-word Collins Corpus, which draws on sources including social media, the Irish Times reports.

"It's a great example of how Gen Z and Gen Alpha have adopted a word and turned it into humorous slang, making the language their own and 'mogging' the rest of us!" said Alex Beecroft, Collins' managing director, according to the BBC.

The word is often traced to the acronym AMOG, for "alpha male of the group," the BBC reports. It has been linked with bodybuilding forums in the mid-2010s and with the online manosphere, the BBC says.

Tony Thorne, director of the slang and new language archive at King's College, said to Metro that the term began as "incel-generated language." It is now mostly used in a lighthearted way, Metro reports.

Other words on the 10-strong shortlist include "ghost job," a job advertised with no plan to hire anyone, the BBC reports. The list also includes "hydration break," made famous by this year's men's World Cup, the BBC says.

The Irish Times reports that the list also features "fricy," for food or drinks that are fruity and spicy at once.

Collins' word of the year for 2025 was "vibe coding," the BBC reports.