2026 WOTY Research

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"my ex eyecontactship just walked in the gym" https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1q615se/eyecontactship/ meaning someone who they used to be conversationless environmental acquaintances, but now they're not even that.

January 7, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Not 2026 new, but dream blunt rotation and nightmare blunt rotation have been around since 2021/2022, but I just realized dream/nightmare X rotation is now a snowclone.

January 19, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

difficultimately as an example of glindafication https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1qio8hy/wicked_forced_glindafication/

January 21, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

older media trend words that have sticking power now

core memory - Inside Out (2015)

ratatouille someone - Ratatouille (2007)

spark joy - Marie Kondo KonMaei mwrhos (2014) ? had a moment, maybe is gone now

Thanos-snapped (2018)

January 25, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

business naming trends over last 100 years: https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1qs8wc7/pooble_has_it_for_you/

January 31, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

X made it out of the group chat - actually happened, wasn't just discussed in a thread. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BLUW_P-pD9g

February 22, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

lots of 2025/2026 slang in one video Feb 2026: https://www.reddit.com/r/fixedbytheduet/comments/1rccyc4/deathmaxing/

"Prolly not, bruh. Prolly not, I'm not gonna... jestermog or inflate stats to protect frame... but I deeplocked in and, uh... your foid is deathmaxxing. Look, I know you're experiencing cortisol spike but... try to stabilize aura."

February 24, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

amphifa but axolotls in SF: joyful resistance, NICE agents https://www.instagram.com/p/DU1yXoFj_BX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

February 24, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

rediscovery of synonyms stot and pronk https://www.reddit.com/r/lonelymeyerspod/comments/1rehze0/this_has_me_feeling_redonk/

February 27, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

An excerpt from unknown erotica: "A cum bomb detonated in my fuck canal"

https://www.tumblr.com/throathole/810115755000643584

March 6, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Strait of Hormuz as a verb: https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1s0em9d/oil_doesnt_work_when_the_strait_of_hormuz_isnt/

March 22, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

some Trump-popularized terms: bigly, grab em by the pussy, many such cases, covfefe, quiet piggy

March 24, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

doom- as a productive prefix from doomscrolling: doomwalk, doombreathe https://www.reddit.com/r/aspiememes/comments/1s5g1cf/some_people_need_to_hear_this_me_included/

March 28, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

https://pleated-jeans.com/2026/03/30/tweets-that-took-thousands-of-years-of-human-language-and-made-a-brand-new-sentence/

March 30, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"I just kobayashi marued the wordle" https://bsky.app/profile/andylevy.net/post/3mifttt5urs2u Kobayashi Maru is a fictional unwinnable scenario from the Star Trek universe. Now it's a verb.

April 1, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"wake up babe, Skynet found a thesaurus" https://bsky.app/profile/cheriepriest.com/post/3mifl6her322p

April 1, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

a worker set their warehouse on fire and said "all you had to do was pay us enough to live"

is now a bit of a meme/rallying cry: https://www.instagram.com/p/DW-QvrDDkDn/

https://www.reddit.com/r/WorkReform/comments/1silmau/true/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Art/comments/1sj1why/late_stage_capitalism_sabin_depierro_ink_crayons/

https://www.reddit.com/r/WorkReform/comments/1sjsawn/seen_a_few_miles_from_the_warehouse_fire/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Art/comments/1sjwys6/enough_to_live_nickelopsus_procreate_2026/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXAMFD5j0Kp/

https://www.reddit.com/r/StreetStickers/comments/1sy1m5d/skatepark_in_wisconsin/

April 11, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

not questionmaxxing, got rebuttalmogged https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1skpb2w/he_clearly_isnt_rebuttalmaxxing_and_that_led_to/

April 13, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

puddinginity and poolinity as versions of virginity https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1syadq7/anatomically_its_no_different_from_losing_your/

April 28, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"you are a regular guy" Dropout Make Some Noise Jacob Wysocki prompt becomes beloved affirmation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoRz02FLMws&feature=youtu.be

May 10, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Alo suit, Alo girl: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWbdE5dDi-i/

new X loading… https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWjYf7rANYh/

May 11, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Dumb-ocrats and Rape-ublicans https://www.reddit.com/r/MarchAgainstNazis/comments/1tdg8r0/rapeublicans_donald_is_a_sexual_predator_a/

May 15, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

exaggetory https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDailySpill/comments/1ti4aex/trump_mobile_website_exposes_database_of_50000/

exaggerating + inflammatory?

May 20, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

goy slop antisemitic term evoked by someone arguing that someone who says strawberries aren't dangerous (100s of strawberries every day for years could give you cancer) must be being paid https://www.reddit.com/r/fixedbytheduet/comments/1toowkk/strawberries_the_sequel/

May 27, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

keep an eye out for: using 'bot' as an internet forum dismissive insult: https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1tp8je5/do_we_have_a_patron_saint_of_redditors/

May 27, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Patagonia suing Pattie Gonia for using their logo likeness https://bsky.app/profile/sarahmackattack.bsky.social/post/3mmw6tkrvjs2t

May 28, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

vide-coding as a typo or AI slop?

May 28, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Midyear check-in:

Etsy witch, "you are a regular guy" motivation, refresh pull

AI words: Suno, Sora, Nano Banana Pro, Claude, AI psychosis

Neurodivergent words becoming non-medical: current vocal stim, overstimulated, echolalia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g39Yx5nVBk

Arabic: inshallah, mashallah, habibi

Political: dumbocrats, the predator class, #MeltICE, "all you had to do was pay us enough to live"

Strait of Hormuz, AlgaeBTQ+, dat bih gah, hobbyless behavior

Personal: The Great Cinnamon-Sugaring of 2026, getting soft-locked IRL

Updated July 17

May 29, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

https://bsky.app/profile/evacide.bsky.social/post/3mniqta3jz22a "stolen compute from Chipotle's AI chat bot"

June 5, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

is your skateboarding trick a button? https://youtube.com/shorts/jE2nCJBOxwM

June 9, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

white supremacy fell off https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleofReddit/comments/1u6xj5s/white_supremacy_has_fallen_off/

June 16, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

painted reflecting pool blue, green algae blooms in reflecting pool https://bsky.app/profile/andertoon.bsky.social/post/3mol4ocdy522l

June 18, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Top of Empire State flag memes https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/1ukshul/2_people_have_climbed_the_empire_state_building/

July 4, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

worst guy you know starterpack has some WOTY vibes: https://www.reddit.com/r/starterpacks/comments/1v0wbo7/the_worst_dude_you_know_starterpack/

LARP, baggymax, neurotypical, foids, shein, temu

July 20, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

not now, kitten, daddy has to X https://www.reddit.com/r/lovethissmug/comments/1v1cboa/i_love_whatever_this_is_called/

July 20, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"God should let me drink 7 coffees a day without repercussies" https://www.tumblr.com/shorthistorian/822850267171192832

July 22, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

rebuilding icanhascheezburger from first principles: https://www.tumblr.com/hutsonwoolyums/823849418516316160 (more formal, less certain, more commas)

August 3, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

whimsy oversaturation? https://www.reddit.com/r/1053/comments/1vl6aci/day_121/

August 11, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Mamdani as Spider-Man. He's treated like a menace by the press, he's treated like a local hero who could show up anywhere and fix an infrastructure problem. https://bsky.app/profile/licoricetick.eurosky.social/post/3mndo2onqb22d

August 12, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"please respect my slurnouns" https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1vpw6p1/please_respect_my_slurnouns/

August 17, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Total Clanker Death as a non-slur way to use internet slur acronyms "TND" and "TKD" https://bsky.app/profile/whstancil.bsky.social/post/3mtwzp2huis2d

August 26, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Sept WOTY checkin:

FUN BUT NOT WIDESPREAD OR NEW ENOUGH

algaeBTQ+

amaze amaze amaze

chewth pick

chirp

celly

getting BK'd

I forgor

inshallah / mashallah / habibi

TRUE CONTENDERS

AI psychosis

backrooms

ball knowledge

close enough, welcome back (X)

current vocal stim/nonverbal/overstimulated/special interest

Etsy witch

for the plot

hobbyless behavior

in 4K

LARP/larping (as poser insult)

LA Music Festival (euphemism for anti-ICE uprisings)

legendary refresh pull

reverse centaur

understimulated/overstimulated

NEWSWORTHY BUT NOT LINGUISTICALLY INTERESTING

algae

cyclospora

Claude

Flock you/Flock off

generational poverty

hantavirus

Jimothy

Knicks in 5 (and poem variants)

Mamdani's New York

Meccha Chameleon

#MeltICE

the predator class

screwworm

seahorse emoji (a trap for AI chatbots)

Sora / Nano Banana Pro

Suno

Tokenpocalypse

trillionaire

September 4, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

Lithuanian potato farmer punchline? https://www.reddit.com/r/lovethissmug/comments/1w6o6k1/i_love_these_satirical_advice_images/

September 4, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

WOTY- put a list of all the candidates from last year that are still being used but we already covered them. Can still win WOTY but maybe not minor categories? Try to balance being ahead of and behind the slang curve. But less exciting: -maxxing, -slop (but not slop cannon)

September 4, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"mathematicians have deslopped the proof." https://www.reddit.com/r/BrandNewSentence/comments/1wrwi43/mathematicians_have_deslopped_the_proof/

September 28, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"DeFlock America" Facebook Group

terroristic organization

https://www.reddit.com/r/antiai/comments/1wstcby/the_streisand_effect_is_alive_and_well/


AI drift - prompting chatbots to work on tasks you should be thinking through? https://www.reddit.com/r/antiai/comments/1wt2elv/i_saw_this_on_another_reddit_community/

September 29, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"People singing Happy Birthday to you feel like a real life unskippable ad": https://www.tumblr.com/dogpuppy/826006823510409216?source=share

October 3, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

ho-ly! holy airball! holy...

https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/if6smyq

October 3, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

go to hell pants - not new this year but new to me - clashing fabric golf pants: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcMxAYGRmaN/

October 6, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

"girl preshot the argument" https://www.reddit.com/r/antiai/comments/1x23xun/comment/pezdu89/

October 10, 2026

tankhughes commented on the list 2026-woty-research-Xj3tBVS59GCPod3sCnr_Y

AI -> SI super intelligence based on Trump comments in Sept?

October 10, 2026