Dictionary.com selects maxxing as its 2026 word of the year

Dictionary.com has named maxxing as its word of the year for 2026, the BBC, the Guardian, Forbes, CBS News, and Rolling Stone reported. The term is short for maximising. According to a statement from Dictionary.com cited by the BBC, the term can stand alone or attach to the end of any word to show that someone is doing an activity to the fullest or optimizing it as much as possible. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

The choice reflects a broader social trend across the United States. The BBC reported that the term represents the linguistic manifestation of a culture that is increasingly preoccupied with getting the most out of everything. Experts noted that Americans are embracing the term to express a desire to push activities further. [1]

The selection marks a shift in online language trends over recent years. The BBC reported that Dictionary.com selected demure two years ago after analyzing social media trends, news stories, and search data in the United States. Last year, the platform chose 67 as its word of the year. [1]

A word of the year selection represents an assessment of the most important words or expressions in the public sphere during a given year. Dictionary.com was founded in May 1995 by Brian Kariger and Daniel Fierro through Lexico Publishing Group, becoming one of the earliest digital reference platforms. [7][8]