Merriam-Webster’s latest Collegiate Dictionary update adds over 5,000 words, including Gen Z slang like "rizz," "doomscroll," "no cap," and "side-eye," reflecting the generation’s growing cultural influence.
Terms like “doomscroll” and “brainrot” capture digital-era behaviors, particularly the impact of mindless social media consumption that surged during the pandemic.
The inclusion of slang also mirrors Gen Z’s broader social footprint, from viral trends to youth-led protests globally, highlighting their evolving role in culture and society.
Since the pandemic, when more and more people started making reels and content, people have been consuming them at first cautiously and then mindlessly due to the overload of it, many finding themselves paralysed, unable to stop scrolling.
That was the birth of ‘Doomscrolling’, a term generated over the internet and popularised by Gen Z. The slang has made it to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (the 12th edition was released this year). On Thursday, the dictionary announced the addition of over 5,000 new words and phrases after more than 20 years since the previous full print edition.
The addition of many slangs like "rizz," “side-eye,” and “no cap” reflects the cultural momentum that Gen Z is gaining rapidly. Dictionaries like Merriam-Webster add words by tracking their frequent, widespread, and lasting use in sources like social media and publications, then defining and reviewing them for inclusion in online or print editions. This generation, for some time, has been on the radar for a dilly-dally attitude towards work, relationships, but with the youth protests that are on the rise globally, they seem to have made a comeback most recently with the Gen Z protests in Nepal and Indonesia, some even calling the recent Ladakh statehood protestors clashing with police and authorities as ‘Gen Z revolution’.
Some of the Gen Z slang that made the cut is as below:
Rizz: Short for charisma or appeal that allows someone to charm others.
Doomscroll: The act of continuously and mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds.
Side-eye: A glance or look conveying scepticism, disapproval, or suspicion (often used as a verb).
Brainrot: The mental deterioration caused by consuming excessive low-quality or mindless online content.
No cap: Used to emphasise that something is genuine, meaning "no lie."
Clout: Influence, fame, or popularity, especially gained through social media or viral stunts.
Adulting: The practice of behaving responsibly like an adult, often used humorously or ironically.
Hard pass: A firm rejection or refusal of something.
Dad bod: A physique that is soft and slightly out of shape, considered average rather than athletic.
Beast mode: A state of performing at an exceptionally high or intense level.
Cancel culture: The widespread practice of withdrawing support for public figures or companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable.
