«Parasocial»: Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year 2025

The Cambridge Dictionary has announced its word of the year for 2025 as «parasocial,» a term describing the one-sided connection people feel with someone they do not know, even artificial intelligence.

The term was coined in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl. One example is the relationship of fans with celebrities like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Cambridge Dictionary lexicographer Colin McIntosh stated that the word captures the zeitgeist of 2025, reflecting growing concerns about relationships developing with AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

Other words highlighted include «slop» (low-quality content, often AI-generated) and «memeify» (to turn into a meme). The dictionary also added the words «delulu,» «skibidi,» and «tradwife.»

Professor Simone Schnall emphasized that many people are forming unhealthy parasocial relationships with influencers.