What Merriam-Webster Chose as Its 2023 Word of the Year
In 2023, Merriam-Webster named authentic as its Word of the Year, reflecting sustained public interest in questions of genuineness, identity, and verification across culture and media. This choice was not based on a single event but on year-long patterns in search and discussion, making authentic a durable signal of contemporary concern with truth and representation. The selection illustrates how lexical attention aligns with evolving social and technological contexts.
Why Authentic Became the Word of the Year for 2023
Merriam-Webster determines its Word of the Year using a combination of lookup data, online search trends, and editorial judgment. For 2023, authentic showed exceptional and sustained engagement, indicating that users were repeatedly turning to the dictionary to clarify meaning, usage, and implications. This pattern suggests that authentic was not a passing curiosity but a term people relied on as debates about media, identity, and verification intensified.
How the Word Is Defined and Evolving
Authentic is defined by Merriam-Webster as "worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact; not false or copied: genuine, real, true. Historically, the word derives from the Greek authentēs, meaning "author" or "originator," and its semantic development links authority with originality. Contemporary usage treats authentic as a marker of credibility, often in contrast to synthetic, mediated, or questionable sources. This evolution helps explain why the term gained traction as people navigated deepfakes, curated personas, and AI generated content.
Notable Contexts Where Authentic Saw Elevated Use
In 2023, authentic appeared prominently in conversations about art, performance, and personal identity. Media coverage of music, film, and literature frequently invoked the word when discussing originality, source material, and authorship. Simultaneously, social platforms intensified scrutiny around authenticity of accounts, testimonials, and representations. These layered discussions drove repeated dictionary lookups, reinforcing authentic as a term central to public discourse.
Comparing Word of the Year Choices Around the World
Different language authorities select Words of the Year based on regional concerns and data. Comparing choices can highlight contrasts in cultural priorities.
| Authority | Word of the Year 2023 | Methodology Note | Key Cultural Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merriam-Webster (US) | authentic | Search and lookup data, editorial review | Scrutiny of genuineness in media and identity |
| Oxford Languages (UK) | rizz | Corpus usage, search analytics | Visibility of charm or attraction as cultural currency |
| Duden (Germany) | implosion | Media monitoring, query volume | Attention on geopolitical and economic shocks |
| Le Petit Robert (France) | administratif | Search and institutional feedback | Everyday experience with bureaucracy |
How Authentic Reflects Broader Cultural Mood
The selection of authentic as Word of the Year points to a period in which verification, provenance, and transparency became urgent questions for institutions and individuals alike. As generative tools blurred lines between original and imitation, people sought stable reference points for evaluating what counts as genuine. The dictionary itself functions as one such reference point, which helps explain repeated engagement with the term. In this context, authentic operates as both descriptor and evaluative stance.
Linguistic Trends That Made Authentic Prominent
- Increased coverage of deepfakes and synthetic media, prompting questions about authenticity of images, audio, and text.
- High profile discussions around legacy, estate, and estate authenticity in art and collecting markets.
- Generative AI tools that model human style raised queries about originality, attribution, and authenticity.
- Social platform policies on impersonation and verification drove repeated searches for the term.
How Merriam-Webster Chooses Its Annual Word
The process is data driven but also editorial. Merriam-Webster analysts track lookups, search queries, and observable spikes tied to news events. When a term remains elevated over months, indicating deeper cultural traction, editors consider its broader relevance. For 2023, the sustained elevation of authentic in both general and specialized contexts supported its selection. This approach ensures that the Word of the Year functions as a reliable index of collective curiosity rather than a momentary headline.
Evaluating the Long Term Relevance of Authentic
Even after the official designation, authentic is expected to remain semantically active through 2024 and beyond. Ongoing concerns about misinformation, synthetic content, and personal branding ensure continued need for precise language about genuineness. The persistent ambiguity of authenticity in philosophical and legal contexts also sustains lookup demand. As institutions and audiences negotiate what counts as real in mediated environments, authentic is likely to recur as both term and topic.
Practical Guidance for Communicating Authentically
- Define what you mean by authentic in your domain, whether that is product sourcing, media reporting, or personal branding.
- Be transparent about methods, data sources, and limitations to support audience trust.
- Avoid treating authenticity as a fixed claim; instead frame it as an ongoing commitment to clarity and accuracy.
- Use concrete evidence, citations, and traceable provenance to back assertions of authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year
How does Merriam-Webster determine its Word of the Year?
Merriam-Webster combines lookup and search data with editorial analysis. Elevation in queries over many months, rather than a single spike, signals a term that is broadly significant. Once editors identify such a term, they evaluate its cultural footprint and relevance to contemporary discourse.
Is the Word of the Year a prediction or a retrospective?
It is retrospective, based on observed usage patterns. The selection reflects what people have been looking up and discussing, not a forecast of future trends.
How long does a Word of the Year remain relevant?
There is no fixed duration. Some years a term fades quickly; others, it persists in public conversation. Authentic is likely to remain salient as long as questions about media, identity, and verification remain prominent.
Can multiple words share the Word of the Year status?
Merriam-Webster selects a single Word of the Year. Other organizations may choose different terms, but Merriam-Webster maintains one primary choice per year.
Does the Word of the Year reflect political or ideological positions?
No. The selection is grounded in linguistic evidence, not advocacy. By focusing on lookup and search data, Merriam-Webster aims to remain descriptive and nonpartisan.