'Maxxing' selected as Dictionary.com word of the year

What the report says

Dictionary.com has chosen “maxxing” as its 2026 Word of the Year, highlighting a term that has spread widely across social media and youth slang. BBC World News reported that the word, a shortened form of “maximising,” is used by many in Gen Z and Gen Alpha as a way to describe doing something to the fullest or pushing self-improvement and optimisation as far as possible.

According to Dictionary.com, usage of the term rose sharply in digital media, with the site saying it appeared nearly 19 times more often in August 2026 than the average monthly level in 2025. The dictionary’s lexicography director, Steve Johnson, said the word reflects a culture focused on getting the most out of everything, while also showing how people use the idea in different ways — sometimes seriously, sometimes ironically.

BBC World News noted that the term is common in online discussions about fitness, wellness and appearance, including phrases such as “proteinmaxxing,” “fibermaxxing,” “sleepmaxxing” and “looksmaxxing.” The article said the site also considered other candidates, including “affordability,” “data centre,” “odyssey” and “unc.”

The choice follows previous Dictionary.com selections such as “demure” and “67.” BBC added that the idea behind “maxxing” has existed in pop culture for decades, though its current online use has made it newly prominent.