Pop Culture 2023: “Authentic” is Word of the Year

November 30, 2023 by

Merriam-Webster Names “Authentic” as Word of the Year

‘Deepfake,’ ‘Dystopian’ and ‘X’ also saw increased interest from users of the dictionary this year.

Amid a boom in generative artificial intelligence technology and continued interest in how people present themselves on social media, Merriam-Webster says that “Authentic” has been named its 2023 word of the year.

The dictionary says that interest in AI, as well as “celebrity culture, identity, and social media” drove readers to the word.

“The rise of AI helped drive interest in the word,” said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, in a statement. “The line between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ has become increasingly blurred. As a result, in social media and marketing, authentic has become the gold standard for building trust — and
authenticity, ironically, has become a performance.”

Generative AI tech like ChatGPT and Midjourney has stoked interest on what’s possible, and also raised questions about what is truly “real.” And while social media has long been a place where people share carefully edited versions of their daily lives, authenticity is something that many people find value in pursuing on their social channels.

Merriam-Webster also highlighted a number of other words that attracted outsized attention in 2023, including “Deepfake,” driven by videos showing how powerful the AI-driven technology is; “Dystopian,” around climate change concerns and AI concerns; “Coronation” around King Charles’ coronation; “Rizz,” which was added to the dictionary in September; and “X” after the platform formerly known as Twitter officially rebranded.

“As always,” Sokolowski added, “our top lookups offer a window into the world — revealing experiences and ideas that shaped the year.”

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Filed Under: POP CULTURE