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The Word of the Year According to Gen Z

Amongst “word of the year” announcements, this is what young people themselves think it is in 2023…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Dec 22 2023
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Young people named “rizz” as the top word of the year and other Gen Z-favored slang like slay, cap, and gyatt rank high
World events defined 2023 for many, as inflation, recession, and war make their top 20 words of the year
Some more recently popular slang, like “standing on business” and “it’s giving” ranked high, and will likely be heard even more in the year to come

As 2023 wraps up, brands and dictionaries alike are announcing a word that defined the year. Merriam-Webster chose “authentic,” and we totally agreed on its importance; Collins chose “AI,” reflecting the tech buzz of the year; and Oxford Dictionary picked the viral Gen Z slang “rizz,” which sent TikTok reeling. With so many moments and phrases defining the year connecting to or coming directly from Gen Z, YPulse thought we should ask them what word defines 2023—and we weren’t disappointed by the answers. It’s certainly worth noting that much of Gen Z slang, especially on social media, has roots in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). YPulse has reported before that appropriation from communities of color has been a long-standing conversation online and the use of AAVE is not an exception, which brands should pay mind to when picking up “Gen Z” terms. But respectfully acknowledging the connection between AAVE and young people’s vocab made one teacher on TikTok go viral earlier this year. The teacher, who goes by Larry...