‘Maxxing’ is the 2026 word of the year
Other top choices were affordability, data center, unc, and odyssey.
( NewsNation ) — Looksmaxxing, cozymaxxing — it seems everyone is adding “maxxing” onto different words across the country, making it the 2026 word of the year, Dictionary.com announced.
Dictionary.com defines maxxing as: “a word that refers to the practice of pursuing an activity to the fullest or optimizing a certain aspect of your life.”
The word can stand alone, but it is commonly combined with other words like looksmaxxing. Maxxing, when combined with another word, takes on a new meaning. Looksmaxxing means a person is trying their hardest to look their best. The first word tells us what is being optimized.
The word is seen in various online communities spanning health, AI and beauty. The most notable of the initial version was looksmaxing. Before going viral, the word was often used amongst young men, but now, the term can be aspirational, earnest or mocking depending on how it is used.
The announcement garnered mixed reactions online, with some people criticizing the choice. The word of the year is intended to reflect the collective journey of the year. Other top choices were affordability, data center, unc and odyssey.
Maxxing was chosen because it captures the 2026 urge to keep pushing harder while also giving an opportunity to poke fun at ourselves when optimizing our lives feels silly.
Topics in this story
Gathered from external sources. Rights to this text belong to whoever originally published it.