Merriam-Webster has unveiled its word of the year for 2023, and it is none other than “authentic.” In a year marked by a heightened focus on truth and facts, the online dictionary reported a substantial increase in searches for the word’s definition, with topics such as AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media contributing to the surge.
The term “authentic” carries multiple meanings, including “not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character,” according to the dictionary. Often associated with expressions of identity, such as in cuisine, “authentic” is considered a desirable quality, synonymous with real and actual.
Celebrities like Lainey Wilson, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift have championed the concept of seeking their “authentic voice” and “authentic self,” making the term more prominent. Even Elon Musk has endorsed the idea of being more “authentic” on social media, although the irony emerged when, as the head of Twitter (now X), he removed the blue check sign of authenticity, making it a purchasable feature.
In the age of artificial intelligence blurring the lines between reality and manipulation, proving authenticity has become crucial for celebrities, brands, and social media influencers. Another notable word that garnered attention this year was “deepfake,” referring to convincingly altered images or recordings designed to misrepresent someone. The term saw a spike in searches in April and May, particularly during Musk’s legal testimony, where the argument that some public statements may have been deepfakes was rejected.
In 2022, Merriam-Webster chose “gaslighting” as the word of the year in recognition of its prevalence in the age of misinformation. Other words attracting significant traffic to the online dictionary in 2023 included coronation, dystopian, indict, and doppelgänger. Additionally, “rizz” gained popularity in September, denoting romantic appeal or charm as a noun and meaning “to charm or seduce” as a verb, reflecting internet-driven slang.
