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Merriam-Webster announced it has added 1,400 new words, reflecting terms that have become widespread in social media use and everyday language.
According to a statement published on Merriam-Webster's website, the new entries capture patterns in social media culture and daily life.
Among the additions is "looksmaxxing," defined as taking steps, sometimes extreme or potentially dangerous, to enhance one's physical attractiveness. The term has gained traction across social media platforms in recent years, particularly among younger users.
Merriam-Webster also added "parasocial," a word Cambridge Dictionary named its word of the year in 2025.
The term describes a one-sided emotional connection a person forms with someone they do not personally know, most often a celebrity or fictional character.
"Rickroll" also made the list. The term refers to tricking someone, typically through a misleading link or reference on social media, into listening to British singer Rick Astley's 1987 song "Never Gonna Give You Up."
Another addition, "promposal," describes an invitation, often prepared in a creative, elaborate and exaggerated manner, asking someone to attend a high school prom, a formal dance held in the final years of secondary school in the United States.
"Uncanny valley" is also a newly added term. The phrase describes the psychological discomfort or unease a person feels when encountering something designed to closely resemble a human, such as a doll, artificial intelligence-generated content or a robot, but which falls short of appearing fully realistic.
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