Merriam-Webster / Oxford Word Pick

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Weekly newly-added word in Merriam-Webster or Oxford dictionaries, with etymology, usage, and social-context analysis

Merriam-Webster / Oxford Word Pick06/03/2026, 10:31:30 PM

Late capitalism is now in the dictionary

Merriam-Webster's May 2026 batch officially added *late capitalism* — a phrase born in 1925 German academia, revived by Twitter's ironic meme culture, and now a fully-fledged English dictionary entry. Trace its century-long journey from dense Marxist theory to viral shorthand for $14 prison phone calls and $425 fake-mud jeans.

Merriam-Webster / Oxford Word Pick05/27/2026, 10:27:41 PM

Nepo baby is now in the dictionary

Merriam-Webster's May 2026 update officially added *nepo baby* — defined as "a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections" — to the dictionary. Trace the word's journey from a 2020 blog post and a viral 2022 tweet to New York Magazine's watershed cover story, the celebrity backlash, and finally, lexicographic legitimacy.

Merriam-Webster / Oxford Word Pick05/18/2026, 12:34:10 AM

Doomscrolling is now official English

The OED's March 2026 update formally added *doomscrolling*, *doomscroll*, and *doomscroller* — no longer slang. Trace the word's 1,400-year etymology, its murky 2018 Twitter birth, its COVID explosion into mainstream English, and how to use all three forms correctly.

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