Merriam-Webster gives its dictionary a ‘glow-up’ with 1,400 new words and definitions
A Merriam-Webster's dictionary.Brandon Bell / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleSept. 16, 2026, 9:32 AM EDTBy Matt LavietesMerriam-Webster is giving its dictionary another “glow-up,” adding 1,400 words and definitions.
The dictionary publisher announced the additions on its website Tuesday. The new words and definitions include “
“The new entries reflect words and meanings that have demonstrated widespread use over time, offering a window into the world today,” it said in the release.
Other words and definitions that made it into the dictionary include “parasocial,” “compute,” “vibe coding” and “superfood” (food rich in nutrients, including salmon, broccoli and blueberries).
As temperatures drop across the country, Merriam-Webster fittingly added “cuffing season” to its dictionary. The company defines the term as “a time of the year when people who are not married or in a relationship begin looking for a short-term romantic partner to spend the colder months of the year with.”
And amid widespread fears in recent days about AI’s impact on humanity, the company added “uncanny valley” to its collection of definitions. Merriam-Webster defines the term as “that creepy feeling that results from something artificial appearing almost—but not quite—human.”
The nod to AI follows Merriam-Webster’s word of 2025, “slop,” which it defines as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”
Merriam-Webster has not yet announced a Word of the Year for 2026. The company typically makes the announcement in the final quarter of the year.
The company said on its website that it adds new words and phrases to its repertoire based on frequent, widespread and meaningful use.
“The definer must judge whether there is enough evidence to put a new word in; that judgment will be reviewed by more senior colleagues as the dictionary moves through the editorial process, but there’s no committee, no advocacy, no meetings for new word inclusion,” the company said.
Matt LavietesI’m a reporter on NBC News’ breaking news team, covering crime, extreme weather, pop culture and more. I recently covered Hurricane Milton, which devastated the Tampa, Florida, metropolitan area, and the student-led protests at Columbia University.
