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"Maxxing" is Dictionary.com's 2026 Word of the Year
In brief
Dictionary.com named "maxxing" its 2026 Word of the Year on October 26, 2026, CBS News reported. The site says maxxing is short for "maximizing" and means doing something to the fullest or optimizing it as much as possible.
What it means
The word can stand alone or be added to other words. Examples from Dictionary.com include "sleepmaxxing" (getting the best sleep), "gymmaxxing" and "cozymaxxing". At work, people talk about "tokenmaxxing", meaning using AI tools more and more.
Steve Johnson, director of lexicography at Dictionary.com's parent company, told CBS News the idea goes back to the game-theory term "mini-max" from the 1940s. He said the word shows a pressure many people feel to always do more, and that jokey versions like "nothingmaxxing" push back on it.
The other finalists
- Affordability
- Data center
- Unc (slang for an older person)
- Odyssey
Last year's pick was "67".
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Why it matters
Word of the Year picks show how language changes, especially words made popular online by young people.
People also ask
What is Dictionary.com's 2026 Word of the Year?
"Maxxing", short for maximizing.
What does maxxing mean?
Doing something to the fullest or optimizing it as much as possible.
What was the 2025 word?
"67", according to CBS News.
Related free tools: Case Converter
Sources
- CBS News: "Maxxing" is Dictionary.com's 2026 Word of the Year (Oct 26, 2026)
- Dictionary.com: Word of the Year
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