Over 300,000 people voted in this annual campaign. “The Oxford Word of the Year is a word or expression reflecting the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past twelve months, one that has potential as a term of lasting cultural significance,” Oxford wrote online. While there are plenty of words that come to mind to describe the last year, when you see what the winner is, you’ll likely either find it extremely relatable or beyond-funny, or both.
What is 2022’s Oxford Word of the Year?
The Oxford Word of the Year for 2022 is “goblin mode.” I know, I know, first of all—it’s two words. But besides that technicality, it really fits, right?
What is goblin mode?
Oxford’s language analysts have defined goblin mode as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” This slang term, as explained by Oxford, is “often used in the expressions ‘in goblin mode’ or ‘to go goblin mode,” adding that “it capture[s] the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to ‘normal life’, or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media.”
What other words came close to being the Oxford Word of the Year?
Behind goblin mode came “metaverse,’ described as “a (hypothetical) virtual reality environment in which users interact with one another’s avatars and their surroundings in an immersive way, sometimes posited as a potential extension of or replacement for the internet, World Wide Web, social media, etc.,” as well as “#IStandWith,” which “has been identified as a way for people to communicate their opinions and align their stances on specific events. It is how people demonstrate activism online and speak out for what they believe in.” Next up, 100 Best New Year’s Quotes To Ring in 2023
