It can be a difficult task to describe something in one word, but one dictionary has decided on their top word of the year — “authentic.”
Merriam-Webster announced its word of the year Monday, citing high search volumes of “authentic,” defined as “not false or imitation.” On its website, the dictionary said the increase in searches for this adjective were “driven by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.”
Many of the runner-ups were also related to world events and trends — “coronation” for King Charles III’s in May, “deepfake” in reference to AI, and “implode,” likely because of the Titanic submersible.