In the realm of online content, the term “slop” has gained prominence to describe bizarre, fake, and eerie material. Merriam-Webster’s president, Greg Barlow, highlighted the significance of this word, which has been crowned as the word of the year for 2025. Initially denoting soft mud in the 1700s, “slop” has transitioned to represent content of little value, particularly referring to “digital content of low quality produced in bulk through artificial intelligence.”
The surge in generative artificial intelligence, exemplified by platforms like Sora, has enabled the rapid creation of realistic videos based solely on textual cues. However, the proliferation of such content, including misleading depictions of celebrities and deceased public figures, on social media has raised concerns regarding misinformation, deepfakes, and copyright issues.
While such content has existed for a while, its widespread accessibility has led to its utilization by political figures for various agendas. Recently, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faced backlash for posting a manipulated image of a cartoon turtle armed with a grenade to justify military actions in Venezuela, drawing criticism and condemnation from the public.
Despite evoking unease in some individuals, Barlow sees “slop” as a beacon of hope. He interprets the increased interest in this word as a reflection of people’s growing awareness of inauthentic and substandard content, indicating a desire for authenticity and genuineness in digital spaces. The word serves as a symbolic resistance against the notion of artificial intelligence overshadowing human creativity, underscoring a preference for authenticity over artificiality.
Merriam-Webster’s selection of the word of the year is a meticulous process involving an analysis of trending words and their relevance to the prevailing societal climate. This annual tradition aims to encapsulate the essence of the year through a single word, resonating with the collective consciousness of the populace. In 2024, amidst a shifting national landscape post-U.S. presidential elections, the word “polarization” was chosen to encapsulate the prevailing sentiment.
Additionally, the dictionary highlighted other popular words in 2025, such as “performative,” “gerrymander,” and the enigmatic term “6-7,” which surged in popularity without a clear definition. These words, along with “slop,” reflect the evolving linguistic landscape and societal trends shaping language usage and expression.
