9 months ago
Merriam-Webster Names 'Slop' 2025 Word of the Year
Merriam-Webster has chosen 'slop' as their 2025 Word of the Year.
This word describes low-quality digital content, often made by artificial intelligence.
It can include things like weird videos, fake news, and silly ads.
The word was first used a long time ago to mean soft mud, but now it means something that isn't very good or valuable.
People have been using it more because there's so much of this kind of content online, especially with the help of AI.
Some people find it annoying, but others see it as a sign that people want real and genuine things instead.
Merriam-Webster picks a word each year that they think best describes what happened during that year.
Other words that were popular this year include '6-7', 'performative', 'gerrymander', 'touch grass', 'conclave', 'tariffs', and the very long name of a lake in Massachusetts.
Merriam-Webster named 'slop' as the 2025 Word of the Year.
The word describes low-quality digital content produced by AI, such as absurd videos, fake news, and cheesy propaganda.
Greg Barlow, Merriam-Webster's president, explained that the word reflects the proliferation of such content online.
Other notable words of the year include '6-7', 'performative', 'gerrymander', 'touch grass', 'conclave', 'tariffs', and the long name of a lake in Massachusetts.
The word 'slop' was first used in the 1700s to mean soft mud, but its definition has expanded to include low-quality digital content.
- Who
- Merriam-Webster
- What
- Named 'slop' as the 2025 Word of the Year
- Where
- United States
- When
- Monday, 2025
- Why
- To reflect the proliferation of low-quality digital content produced by AI
AI Content Creators
Critics of AI Content
Purpose of AI-Generated Content
AI Content Creators
AI-generated content can be useful for quick information and creative exploration.
Critics of AI Content
AI-generated content is often low-quality, nonsensical, and contributes to digital clutter.
Key facts
- Word of the Year
- Slop
- Definition
- Low-quality digital content produced by AI
- Announced by
- Merriam-Webster
- Date of Announcement
- Monday, 2025
- President of Merriam-Webster
- Greg Barlow
- Examples of Slop
- Absurd videos, weird advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news, junky AI-written books
- Top Contenders
- 6-7, Performative, Gerrymander, Touch Grass, Conclave, Tariffs, Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
Quotes
Merriam-Webster
A dictionary publisher
“"We define slop as 'digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.' All that stuff dumped on our screens, captured in just four letters: the English language came through again."”
NDTV
“"In 2025, amid all the talk about AI threats, slop set a tone that's less fearful, more mocking. The word sends a little message to AI: when it comes to replacing human creativity, sometimes you don't seem too superintelligent."”
NDTV
The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025
A report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“"Despite $30-40 billion in enterprise investment into GenAI, this report uncovers a surprising result in that 95 per cent of organisations are getting zero return."”
NDTV
Sources
Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word Of The Year Is 'Slop'
2025 Word of the Year: Merriam-Webster adds SLOP; check its meaning, other words added to dictionary this year
Merriam-Webster names ‘slop’ as 2025 word of the year, here’s what it means
Merriam-Webster Names 'Slop' As 2025 Word Of The Year Amid AI Content Concerns
Related news
Robert Kraft Bars Macklemore From Ed Sheeran Tour Venue
Holdout Juror’s Past Draws Scrutiny After Lindsay Clancy Mistrial
Widow’s Bay Emmy Sweep Fuels New England Travel Boom
Viral Painting 'Smartphone' Claims Debunked by Historical Mirror Explanation
Anthropic Backs Massachusetts AI Safety Bill, OpenAI and Google Oppose
