# Dictionary.com names ‘maxxing’ its 2026 word of the year

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/maxxing-is-dictionary-coms-word-of-the-year-its-cooler-than-saying-youre-doing-more/
- Published: 2026-10-26T12:15:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T12:47:25+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/oct/26/maxxing-word-of-the-year-dictionary
- Topics: Culture

## Key points

- Dictionary.com chose “maxxing” as its 2026 word of the year.
- Digital media use rose to 19 times its 2025 monthly average.
- Researchers warn that optimisation can feed endless self-criticism.

## Summary

Dictionary.com has named “maxxing” its 2026 word of the year, reflecting how widely people now use the suffix to describe optimising different parts of life. The choice captures a social media-driven focus on self-improvement, from food and sleep to appearance and work.

The term has appeared in contexts including gaming since at least 1990, but the recent rise of “looksmaxxing” helped bring it into wider use, with roots in online incel communities. By August 2026, “maxxing” appeared in digital media 19 times as often as its monthly average in 2025. Linguists say its flexibility and catchy sound help explain its appeal, while researchers warn that constant optimisation can encourage self-criticism and an endless pursuit of an ideal self.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.