Dictionary.com has chosen "maxxing", a slang term for pushing something to its limit, as its word of the year for 2026, CBS News reports.
The site says the word, short for maximising, can stand alone or be attached to almost any other word, as in "gymmaxxing", "sleepmaxxing" or "tokenmaxxing", the last referring to heavy use of AI tools. Lexicographers picked it after studying searches, social media and news coverage, and said it reflected a very online society preoccupied with optimisation.
Steve Johnson, director of lexicography at Dictionary Media Group, told CBS that the word stood out because it appeared across many different fields. He traced the modern sense to "min-maxing" in gaming. "Looksmaxxing" remains the most common form, with its use up more than 1,000% this year. Last year's choice was "67".
Source: CBS News
