By Iris Yim
Every year, new words slip into the mainstream, revealing how culture, technology, and human behavior are evolving. The trending terms of 2025 spotlight our growing concerns about digital manipulation, identity curation, online social dynamics, and new work-life realities. To keep things quick and useful, here are the 10 most essential new words of 2025—a snapshot of what people are talking about and why it matters.
- Rage Bait: Content designed to provoke anger for clicks and engagement.
- Parasocial: A one-sided emotional relationship with a public figure or creator.
- Aura Farming: Strategically curating one’s image to project a desirable “vibe.”
- Biohack: Using lifestyle tweaks or tech to optimize physical or mental performance.
- Delulu: Playful slang for “delusional,” often about unrealistic optimism.
- Skibidi: Meme-born term for anything chaotic, absurd, or humorously random.
- Tradwife: A woman embracing traditional domestic roles, often shared online.
- Mouse Jiggler: Tool or device that simulates activity to keep a computer “awake.”
- Fast Tech: Technology designed or consumed so quickly that it becomes disposable.
- Gigil: A Tagalog word for the overwhelming urge to squeeze something cute (“cute aggression”).