Merriam-Webster’s word of the year tends to say a lot about the past 12 months — and how ready we as a society are to give up ...

As 2025 comes to a close, Merriam-Webster is marking an annual tradition. On Dec. 15, the leading expert in language announced that “slop” had earned the title of word of the year for 2025.

The room is small and quiet. A desk pushed against the wall. A chair that has seen better days. A young game developer sits in front of a screen, eyes fixed, fingers move almost without thought. On ...