Merriam-Webster Adds 1,400 New Words, Including 'Looksmaxxing' and 'Cuffing Season'

Merriam-Webster announced its latest update on September 15, adding 1,400 new words and definitions to its catalog. The additions include terms like 'looksmaxxing,' 'glow-up,' 'crashout,' 'Sunday scaries,' 'whack-a-mole,' 'cuffing season,' 'parasocial,' 'Rickroll,' 'cake pop,' 'chili crisp,' and 'superfood.' According to Gregory Barlow, Merriam-Webster's president, the update had no overarching theme, but online culture and social media are increasingly generating new language. The company, founded in 1843 and the oldest dictionary publisher in America, typically adds around 1,000 new entries each year. The selection process involves lexicographers assessing frequent, widespread, and meaningful use. All new entries appear on Merriam-Webster.com, with some slated for future print editions. In 2025, the word of the year was 'slop,' referring to low-quality AI-generated digital content. Barlow told the New York Times that words like 'cuffing season' and 'looksmaxxing' are widely used, and defining them serves the audience. Merriam-Webster emphasizes that a dictionary is 'a user's manual for communication,' not an 'idea museum.'