Collins Dictionary has named “mogging” its 2026 Word of the Year, highlighting a slang term used to describe someone outshining another person or thing in appearance, confidence, status or skill. The dictionary says usage of the word increased by 210% this year.
The term is thought to derive from “AMOG,” an abbreviation for “alpha male of the group.” According to Collins, it circulated in bodybuilding culture around 2016 before spreading through the manosphere. Gen Z and Gen Alpha now also use it playfully and ironically, applying it to people and video games, among other things.
Collins managing director Alex Beecroft said the choice reflects how each generation leaves its mark on language. The dictionary’s previous Word of the Year was “vibe coding,” referring to using natural-language prompts and AI to help write code.
Other dictionaries have also highlighted terms associated with online culture. Dictionary.com chose “maxxing” as its 2026 Word of the Year, while Merriam-Webster added terms including “looksmaxxing” and “vibe-coding” to its dictionary in September.
Collins’ shortlist included “P(doom),” an estimate of the likelihood that AI could cause civilization’s collapse; “ghost job,” an advertised role an employer does not intend to fill; and “friendslop,” a label for low-budget indie games designed for friends to play together. Other contenders were “carspreading,” “fricy” and “bixie.”
Sources: Mashable.