Merriam-Webster Adds 1,400 Definitions, Including Looksmaxxing and Yacht Rock

Q: What happens when fleeting internet slang like copium becomes officially recognized in America's oldest dictionary?

When slang like “copium” enters Merriam-Webster, it stops being just an inside joke and becomes part of the documented English language. That does not mean the dictionary is endorsing the word or promising it will last forever. Merriam-Webster says it adds words based on frequent, widespread and meaningful use over time, drawing evidence from news coverage, books and online writing. Its editors describe the process as descriptive, not prescriptive: the dictionary records how people actually speak and write. For a term like “copium,” official recognition signals that internet culture is no longer fringe in language-making. The word, a blend of “cope” and “opium,” is widely used online to mock unrealistic optimism or denial after disappointment. Its inclusion shows that digital communities, memes, gaming and social media now shape mainstream vocabulary as clearly as television, music or sports once did. Recognition also has a practical effect. Once defined by a major dictionary, a word becomes easier for teachers, journalists, researchers and casual readers to interpret consistently. It gains legitimacy as a reference term, even if it remains informal or sarcastic in tone. At the same time, dictionary status does not freeze meaning. Internet slang can evolve quickly, fade, or shift context. Merriam-Webster’s move simply marks that, at this moment, “copium” has crossed from niche online usage into broad enough circulation to merit a place in America’s oldest dictionary.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 16

Merriam-Webster added 1,400 new definitions to its online dictionary, folding in terms such as looksmaxxing, yacht rock, chili crisp, shapewear and cuffing season.
The Springfield, Massachusetts-based publisher said the update reflects how English is actually used, not a fixed catalog of approved words.
New entries also span food and lifestyle language, including superfood, shishito, cake pop and Sunday scaries.
Gregory Barlow, Merriam-Webster’s president, said no words were removed in this update, and many of the additions will also appear in future print editions.
Founded in 1843 after the Merriam brothers bought rights to Noah Webster’s dictionary, the company says its oldest-in-America lexicon continues to evolve with everyday speech.