Collins Dictionary has named 'vibe-coding' as its word of the year for 2025, while a survey by Sky Mobile has declared 'LOL' a 'phone ick' among younger generations. The findings highlight a growing linguistic divide between Gen Z and older age groups.
Vibe-coding, popularised by former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy, refers to a simple method for non-IT individuals to create computer code by instructing AI programs. It topped Collins' list, beating contenders including 'aura-farming', 'clanker', and 'HENRY' (high earner, not rich yet).
Other terms on the Collins list include 'biohacking' (altering body processes for health), 'clanker' (a derogatory term for AI sources), 'glaze' (excessive flattery), 'broligarchy' (referring to tech billionaires), 'coolcation' (holiday in a cool climate), 'taskmasking' (pretending to be productive), and 'micro-retirement' (short breaks between jobs).
Meanwhile, Dictionary.com's 2025 word of the year is '67', a term used by schoolchildren to mean 'so-so' or simply to annoy parents. Other shortlisted words include 'tradwife' (traditional wife) and 'Gen Z stare' (a blank expression).
The Sky Mobile survey of 2,000 Brits found that Gen Z now considers 'LOL' outdated, preferring phrases like 'sending me' and the skull emoji. Influencer Boms, from London, criticised the acronym, asking: '10 marks to anyone who can tell me what value LOL adds to the conversation.'
