Dictionary.com named “maxxing” its 2026 Word of the Year, announced on October 26, 2026.
Short for maximising, maxxing can be used on its own or added to the end of almost any word to mean doing something to the fullest or optimizing it as much as possible, as in “sleepmaxxing,” “proteinmaxxing” or “fibermaxxing.” Dictionary.com found that digital media used the word nearly 19 times more in August 2026 than its 2025 monthly average. The other finalists it considered were affordability, data center, odyssey and “unc,” a shortened form of uncle. Steve Johnson, director of lexicography for the Dictionary Media Group, called maxxing “the linguistic manifestation of a culture increasingly preoccupied with getting the most out of everything.” The pick follows “demure” two years earlier and “67” last year. Dictionary.com chooses its word by analyzing US social media trends, news stories and search data.
Source: BBC News, “‘Maxxing’ selected as Dictionary.com word of the year” (October 26, 2026)
Image: Webster’s Dictionary by Mauro Cateb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.