Collins Dictionary has officially announced its 2025 Word of the Year, with the artificial intelligence term “vibe coding” taking the top spot. The selection was made by lexicographers who monitor a 24-billion-word corpus of language to track the most significant new and notable words.
The winner, “vibe coding,” is a software development method using AI to turn natural language into code. It was coined by Andrej Karpathy and praised by Collins for reflecting a major shift in human-computer interaction.
It was chosen over nine other contenders that reflect the year’s trends:
Clanker: A derogatory term for AI and robots, popularized by Star Wars and used to express frustration with technology.
Biohacking: The activity of altering one’s natural bodily processes to improve health.
Henry: An acronym for “high earner, not rich yet,” describing a financially squeezed professional class.
Broligarchy: A pejorative nickname for the elite “tech bros” who lead major technology companies.
Glaze: A slang term of disapproval meaning to praise or flatter someone excessively.
Aura farming: The deliberate cultivation of a cool, charismatic online persona, which went viral this year.
Coolcation: A holiday taken to a place with a cool climate, a trend driven by rising global temperatures.
Taskmasking: The act of faking productivity in the workplace.
Micro-retirement: A planned break from employment to pursue personal interests.
This list captures a 2025 defined by technological advancement, economic anxiety, and new social and professional behaviors.