6
6 7 (six-seven, 67) interjection
global (US-origin, used in AU)FadingUse with care
A deliberately meaningless phrase, said with a palms-up 'weighing' hand gesture, that kids shout as an in-joke. It spread from the 2024 song 'Doot Doot (6 7)' by Skrilla and basketball clips.
Example: Ask a group chat any number question and someone will yell 'six-seven'.
informal, Gen Alpha 'brainrot' humour
For brands: Adults using it often look try-hard and kids may drop it once brands adopt it; only for very youth-focused, quick-turn posts. Marketing aimed at under-15s falls under the AANA Children's Code (and the Food & Beverages Code), so don't target kids.
First prominent: 2024; viral 2025 · Sources: Dictionary.com WOTY 2025 Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF Merriam-Webster 2025 top words (ABC7/AP report)
A
agentic (agentic AI) adjective
GlobalPeakUse with care
Describes AI that can carry out multi-step tasks on its own, not just answer questions.
Example: An agentic tool could reorder milk when stock runs low.
neutral, tech jargon
For brands: Jargon to most customers; explain what the tool actually does instead.
First prominent: 2024 (AI sense) · Sources: Dictionary.com WOTY 2025 shortlist
AI slop (also: slop) noun
GlobalPeakUse with care
Low-quality text, images or video churned out by generative AI, often with mistakes, that nobody asked for. Merriam-Webster and Cambridge use plain 'slop' for the same idea.
Example: The council page was full of AI slop, so I rang the front desk instead.
informal, critical
For brands: Fine to use when criticising junk content; never apply it to a customer's or competitor's work, and be ready for it to be thrown back at any AI-made post you publish.
First prominent: 2024 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 (committee + People's Choice) Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF Merriam-Webster 2025 WOTY 'slop' (ABC7/AP report) Cambridge WOTY 2025 release (slop added)
ai;dr phrase / tag
GlobalRisingUse with care
Short for 'AI; didn't read': a label saying a post was AI-written and not worth reading. Modelled on 'tl;dr'.
Example: Three paragraphs of generic hype, someone replied 'ai;dr'.
informal, dismissive
For brands: A warning sign for brands: if customers say this about your posts, the content is reading as AI slop.
First prominent: 2026 · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Mar 2026
analog bag noun
global (used in AU)RisingFine for brands
A bag of screen-free activities (a novel, sketchbook, knitting, puzzle) carried to stay off your phone.
Example: Pack your analog bag and settle in; we've got bottomless filter coffee till noon.
neutral, positive
For brands: Positive and wholesome; good fit for cafés, bookshops and craft stores.
First prominent: 2026 · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch May 2026
ate (and left no crumbs) phrase
GlobalSettledUse with care
Praise meaning someone did something perfectly, with nothing left to improve.
Example: Our barista's latte art at the Saturday market? Ate and left no crumbs.
informal; rooted in Black and LGBTQ+ ballroom and online slang
For brands: Works in playful captions for a young audience; sounds forced in formal copy or if overused.
First prominent: 2022 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
attention economy noun
GlobalSettledFine for brands
The idea that people's attention is the scarce thing platforms and advertisers compete for, so content is built to keep you watching.
Example: In the attention economy, a three-second hook matters more than a long caption.
neutral, business/media
For brands: Neutral business term; safe in reports and proposals.
First prominent: 1990s (newly prominent 2025) · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 (People's Choice honourable mention) Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
aura (aura points, +1000 aura) noun
GlobalPeakUse with care
Someone's cool, confident presence, joked about as a score that goes up when you do something impressive and down when you embarrass yourself.
Example: Parallel parking first go outside the café: plus 500 aura.
informal
For brands: Harmless and widely understood by under-25s; looks dated in formal copy.
First prominent: 2023; 'aura points' May 2024 · Sources: Know Your Meme: Aura Points
aura farming noun / verb
GlobalPeakUse with care
Deliberately acting cool, calm or mysterious, often on camera, to build an image of effortless charisma.
Example: He's aura farming in sunnies at the 6 am bakery queue.
informal, teasing
For brands: Light humour for a young audience; the term is already peaking so it will date quickly.
First prominent: early 2024; viral mid-2025 · Sources: OUP: Oxford WOTY 2025 candidates Dictionary.com: aura farming Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
Australian sushi noun
AussieRisingFine for brands
The thick, uncut hand roll sold as takeaway in Australia, nori on the outside, often with non-traditional fillings like chicken teriyaki or tuna mayo.
Example: Grabbed two Australian sushi rolls from the food court for lunch.
neutral, colloquial
For brands: Harmless and very local; good for food businesses. Avoid implying it is traditional Japanese sushi.
First prominent: 2025 (term); the food is decades older · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
B
bathroom camping noun
GlobalRisingUse with care
Hiding in a bathroom or toilet cubicle for a while to be alone, avoid work, or calm down after stress.
Example: I'll admit I did a bit of bathroom camping during my first job, mostly to check the footy score.
colloquial; touches on workplace stress and mental health
For brands: Relatable humour, but as an employer don't joke about staff doing it; it can read as mocking stress or anxiety.
First prominent: 2025 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
biohack (biohacking) verb / noun
GlobalPeakUse with care
Trying to boost health, performance or longevity with diet, supplements, gadgets or routines.
Example: His morning biohack is a cold plunge and a long black.
neutral
For brands: Health claims are regulated; don't promise results from a product or routine.
First prominent: 2000s (peak 2025) · Sources: OUP: Oxford WOTY 2025 candidates Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
blind box noun
GlobalPeakUse with care
A sealed box with a random collectible toy inside, sold so buyers keep buying to complete the set.
Example: The newsagent can't keep the blind boxes on the shelf since school holidays started.
neutral
For brands: Fine as a product description; running your own 'mystery' promotions can raise consumer-law and trade-promotion rules, so check before copying the model.
First prominent: 2010s (peak 2025) · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
boy kibble noun
global (used in AU)RisingUse with care
A plain, high-protein bulk meal of mince and rice cooked by young gym-goers and eaten for days.
Example: The café's new 'boy kibble bowl' is mince, rice and greens for twelve bucks.
informal, jokey
For brands: Fun for food menus aimed at gym crowds; the 'pet food' joke can read as unappetising to older customers.
First prominent: 2026 · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Apr 2026
brain rot (brainrot) noun
GlobalSettledUse with care
The supposed dulling of the mind from endless scrolling of trivial content, and the content itself.
Example: An hour of reels and my brain rot is real; time for a walk.
informal
For brands: Self-deprecating use is fine; don't label your audience's interests as brain rot.
First prominent: 1854 (Thoreau); Oxford WOTY 2024 · Sources: OUP: brain rot, Oxford WOTY 2024 Macquarie WOTY 2024
C
chopped adjective
global (US-origin, from AAVE)PeakDon't use in marketing
Teen slang for unattractive or uncool.
Example: (Understand only) If a teen calls a haircut 'chopped', it's not a compliment.
informal insult about looks; believed to come from African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
For brands: An insult about appearance; never in brand copy.
First prominent: late 2024 (viral) · Sources: Dictionary.com: chopped
clanker noun
global (US-origin)PeakDon't use in marketing
A mocking word for a robot, AI chatbot or other machine doing a human's job. It comes from Star Wars and took off on TikTok in mid-2025.
Example: The self-checkout froze again and someone behind me muttered 'useless clanker'.
colloquial, usually derogatory; some 2025 skits used it as a thin cover for real racist tropes
For brands: Dictionaries label it derogatory and some viral uses imitated real slurs; brands should not use it.
First prominent: Popularised by Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–14); viral June 2025 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 (committee honourable mention) Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist Know Your Meme: Clanker
cooked adjective
global (old British sense; widely used in AU)PeakUse with care
Doomed, finished or in serious trouble ('we're cooked'); in Australia it can also mean exhausted or frazzled.
Example: Two staff called in sick on a long weekend; we're cooked.
informal
For brands: Fine in self-deprecating posts; can sound like a business in real trouble if used about yourself too often.
First prominent: Long-standing slang; current wave 2020s · Sources:
cozzie livs noun
AU (UK-coined)SettledUse with care
A jokey clipped way of saying 'cost of living'. Coined in the UK but adopted strongly in Australia.
Example: Cozzie livs means the family's swapped the café brekkie for a takeaway flat white.
colloquial, humorous
For brands: Understood by most Australians; use lightly, never to make fun of customers doing it tough, and don't pair it with price claims you can't back up.
First prominent: 2022; Macquarie WOTY 2023 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2023
D
delulu adjective / noun
global (K-pop fandom origin)SettledUse with care
Short for 'delusional', usually said jokingly about unrealistic hopes, including your own.
Example: Thinking we'd sell out of croissants by 8 am was a bit delulu.
informal, playful
For brands: Fine self-deprecating; don't aim it at a customer or any mental-health context.
First prominent: 2013-14; mainstream early 2020s · Sources: Dictionary.com: delulu AP via KSL: Cambridge adds delulu (Aug 2025)
dupe noun
GlobalSettledUse with care
A cheaper alternative that imitates a trendy or luxury product, now often shown off as a smart buy.
Example: The market stall's candle is a decent dupe of the boutique one.
neutral, shopping
For brands: Naming another brand's product to sell your 'dupe' can raise trade mark and misleading-conduct issues; check before using.
First prominent: 2000s (beauty); TikTok boom 2020s · Sources: UVA Today Q&A on dupe culture (Jul 2026)
E
enshittification noun
GlobalSettledDon't use in marketing
The slow decline of a product or online platform as the owner squeezes users for profit. Coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022.
Example: Every app update adds more ads; it's enshittification in real time.
colloquial; contains a swear word
For brands: Contains profanity; fine to understand, not for brand copy.
First prominent: 2022 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2024
G
Gen Z stare noun
global (used in AU)PeakUse with care
A blank, expressionless look said to be typical of young people in social or customer-service moments.
Example: I asked my team who wanted to run the stocktake and got a collective Gen Z stare, mine included.
informal; generalises about an age group
For brands: Generational jokes can alienate young customers and staff; use self-deprecatingly or not at all.
First prominent: mid-2025 · Sources: Dictionary.com WOTY 2025 shortlist Macquarie Words to Watch Jun 2026
GEO (generative engine optimisation) noun (acronym)
global (used in AU)RisingUse with care
Shaping your content so AI assistants and AI search summaries mention or cite your business in their answers; the AI-era cousin of SEO.
Example: Clear opening hours and an FAQ page help with GEO as well as Google.
neutral, marketing jargon
For brands: Jargon for clients; many agencies sell it with unverified claims, so don't promise AI-answer placement.
First prominent: 2024 · Sources: iTWire: GEO for Australian tech companies (Apr 2026)
glaze (glazing) verb
global (US-origin)PeakUse with care
To praise or flatter someone over the top, often more than they deserve.
Example: Stop glazing the new menu, it's only been out a day.
informal
For brands: Fine in jokes; fake glowing reviews are a legal problem under Australian Consumer Law regardless of slang.
First prominent: 2023 · Sources: Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
H
HENRY noun (acronym)
global (used in AU)RisingUse with care
'High earner, not rich yet': someone on a big salary who hasn't built real wealth.
Example: Plenty of inner-city HENRYs still rent and buy three coffees a day.
neutral, finance
For brands: Targeting by income is fine internally; labelling customers in public copy can feel judgy.
First prominent: 2003 (revived 2025) · Sources: Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
I
it's giving phrase
global (US-origin)SettledUse with care
Says something has a strong vibe, either on its own ('it's giving') or followed by what it evokes.
Example: Gold foil and fairy lights: it's giving Christmas in July.
informal; from Black and Latine LGBTQ+ ballroom culture
For brands: Widely used, but overuse by brands can feel like borrowing community language.
First prominent: ballroom culture decades ago; mainstream 2020-21 · Sources: Dictionary.com: it's giving
L
lock in (locked in) verb phrase
global (US-origin, likely AAVE)SettledFine for brands
To cut distractions and focus hard on a task; 'locked in' means fully focused.
Example: Exam week: the uni crowd are locked in at the back tables.
informal; likely from African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
For brands: Positive and widely understood; fine for study-friendly or gym brands.
First prominent: 2009; meme 2023 · Sources: Know Your Meme guide: lock in
lowkenuinely adverb
global (US-origin, used in AU)RisingUse with care
A blend of 'lowkey' and 'genuinely': you really mean it but don't want to make a big deal of it.
Example: This new sourdough is lowkenuinely the best sourdough I've had all year.
informal; 'low-key' traces to African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
For brands: Very new and may not last (Macquarie says as much); ok for a youth-focused caption, not for signage or print.
First prominent: Nov 2025 (TikTok) · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Feb 2026 Dictionary.com: lowkenuinely Macquarie Words to Watch 2026 wrap-up
M
Marrickville pause noun
AU (Sydney inner west)RisingFine for brands
The break in conversation while a low plane roars overhead on approach to Sydney Airport.
Example: We do the Marrickville pause every five minutes at the outdoor tables.
colloquial, local humour
For brands: Great local colour for inner-west Sydney businesses; may confuse people elsewhere.
First prominent: 2026 (Macquarie watch) · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Jun 2026
micro-retirement noun
GlobalRisingFine for brands
A deliberate career break between jobs to travel, rest or pursue interests.
Example: She's taking a three-month micro-retirement before her next role.
neutral
For brands: Neutral; useful for travel and lifestyle brands.
First prominent: 2025 · Sources: Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
mid adjective
GlobalSettledUse with care
Average, mediocre, nothing special; often used to knock something others rate highly.
Example: Honestly the hyped burger was mid.
informal; earlier cannabis slang
For brands: Ok to joke about your own stuff; never about a competitor or a customer's choice.
First prominent: 2000s; TikTok insult early 2020s · Sources: Dictionary.com: mid
O
Ozempic face noun
GlobalSettledDon't use in marketing
Sagging or wrinkled facial skin after rapid weight loss on a semaglutide drug.
Example: The radio segment on 'Ozempic face' had the clinic phones ringing all morning.
colloquial; comments on bodies and medicine; contains a trade mark
For brands: Body-shaming risk, health claims, and a pharmaceutical trade mark; avoid in marketing.
First prominent: 2023 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
P
parasocial adjective
GlobalSettledFine for brands
Describes a one-sided bond someone feels with a celebrity, influencer, fictional character or AI they don't actually know.
Example: Regulars feel a parasocial bond with the owner from her daily reels.
neutral
For brands: Neutral descriptive term; useful in creator and marketing strategy talk.
First prominent: 1956 (academic); Cambridge WOTY 2025 · Sources: Cambridge WOTY 2025 release
performative (performative male) adjective
GlobalPeakUse with care
Done for show rather than genuine; a 'performative male' fakes interests to seem appealing.
Example: Posting one donation receipt a year felt a bit performative.
informal, critical
For brands: A charge brands attract; back public values with real action.
First prominent: older word; slang surge 2025 · Sources: Merriam-Webster 2025 top words (ABC7/AP report)
Q
quishing noun
global (used in AU)RisingFine for brands
Phishing done with a QR code: scammers stick fake codes over real ones or send them by email or text.
Example: Check the QR code on the parking meter isn't a sticker; quishing is everywhere.
neutral, security
For brands: Useful warning word; if your shop uses QR menus or payments, tell customers what your real code looks like.
First prominent: 2023 (Macquarie watch 2026) · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Sep 2026
R
rage bait noun
GlobalPeakUse with care
Online content made on purpose to make people angry, because outrage drives clicks and comments.
Example: That 'pineapple belongs on every pie' post was pure rage bait for the comments.
informal, critical
For brands: Fine to name it; deliberately making it can damage trust and break platform rules.
First prominent: 2002 (Usenet, per OUP); Oxford Word of the Year 2025 · Sources: OUP: Oxford WOTY 2025 candidates Oxford University Press: Word of the Year 2025
reheat nachos / Temu version verb phrase / noun
global (used in AU)RisingUse with care
To make a worse copy of something that looks like the original but is soggier and weaker; 'the Temu version' means a cheap knock-off.
Example: That sequel just reheated the nachos of the first film.
informal; 'Temu version' names a real company
For brands: 'Reheat nachos' is fine; avoid 'Temu version' in ads because disparaging a named company invites complaints.
First prominent: 2026 · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Apr 2026
right to disconnect (RTD) noun
AussieSettledFine for brands
An employee's legal right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to work contact outside their working hours, unless refusing is unreasonable. It has applied since 26 August 2024 for employers with 15 or more staff, and since 26 August 2025 for small businesses.
Example: Staff can ignore the roster chat after close unless it's genuinely urgent.
neutral, workplace/legal
For brands: Neutral term; check Fair Work guidance for what it actually requires before giving staff advice.
First prominent: Law from 26 Aug 2024 (15+ staff) and 26 Aug 2025 (small business); Macquarie 2024 honourable mention · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2024 (committee honourable mention) Fair Work Ombudsman: right to disconnect
rizz noun / verb
global (US-origin)SettledUse with care
Charm, especially the ability to flirt or win people over in conversation (likely from 'charisma').
Example: The new front-of-house guy has serious customer rizz.
informal; flirting connotation Popularised by Black streamer Kai Cenat's community; credit its origin.
For brands: The romantic edge makes it awkward in some contexts; fine for light, non-romantic jokes.
First prominent: 2021; mainstream 2022-23 · Sources: Dictionary.com: rizz
Roman Empire (my ___ is my Roman Empire) noun
GlobalSettledFine for brands
A topic you find yourself thinking about surprisingly often. From a 2023 TikTok trend asking men how often they think about ancient Rome.
Example: The perfect sausage roll is honestly my Roman Empire.
informal, light
For brands: Playful and inoffensive; still understood but no longer fresh.
First prominent: 2023 · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2025 shortlist PDF
S
skibidi adjective / interjection
GlobalFadingDon't use in marketing
A nonsense word from the 'Skibidi Toilet' YouTube animation, used by kids to mean 'cool', 'bad' or nothing at all.
Example: My nephew calls everything 'skibidi' and I've stopped asking.
informal, Gen Alpha
For brands: Kids' in-joke; adult brands using it come across as cringe. Marketing aimed at under-15s falls under the AANA Children's Code (and the Food & Beverages Code), so don't target kids.
First prominent: 2023 · Sources: AP via KSL: Cambridge adds skibidi (Aug 2025) Macquarie WOTY 2024 (longlist mention)
social battery noun
GlobalSettledFine for brands
Your supposed store of energy for socialising, which runs down with people time and recharges alone.
Example: Two back-to-back markets and my social battery is on 2 per cent.
informal, neutral
For brands: Relatable and gentle; fine for social posts.
First prominent: 2010s (prominent 2024) · Sources: Macquarie WOTY 2024 (People's Choice honourable mention)
T
taskmasking noun
GlobalRisingFine for brands
Looking busy at work through pointless tasks or meetings without getting much done.
Example: Back-to-back 'sync' meetings are just taskmasking.
informal, workplace
For brands: Workplace humour; fine for B2B content.
First prominent: 2025 · Sources: Collins WOTY 2025 shortlist
touch grass verb phrase
GlobalSettledFine for brands
Advice to log off and do normal things in the real world.
Example: Big week online. We're closing early to touch grass.
informal; can be dismissive
For brands: Friendly when aimed at yourself; telling a complaining customer to touch grass is not.
First prominent: 2020 (close contender for M-W WOTY 2025) · Sources: Merriam-Webster 2025 top words (ABC7/AP report)
tradwife noun
global (US-origin)SettledUse with care
Short for 'traditional wife': a social-media trend and persona idealising homemaking and traditional gender roles.
Example: The bread-baking video looked like tradwife content, but it was just a baker's tutorial.
neutral term for a politically contested trend
For brands: Loaded with gender politics; describe it if needed, don't align a brand with or against it casually.
First prominent: 2020 (peak 2025) · Sources: Dictionary.com WOTY 2025 shortlist AP via KSL: Cambridge adds skibidi, tradwife (Aug 2025)
U
unc noun
global (US-origin, from AAVE)PeakUse with care
Short for 'uncle': a jokey name for someone seen as old or out of touch, sometimes affectionate.
Example: Asked what 'six-seven' means and instantly got called unc.
informal; originates in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a term of respect for older men
For brands: Self-deprecating use only; calling customers 'unc' is an age jab.
First prominent: early 2020s online; older in Black communities · Sources: Dictionary.com: unc
V
vaguepost (vagueposting) noun / verb
GlobalSettledUse with care
A deliberately cryptic social post written to make people ask what happened.
Example: Posting 'big news soon...' with no details is a classic vaguepost.
informal
For brands: Teaser posts are fine, but endless vagueposting reads as engagement bait.
First prominent: 2010s (Macquarie watch 2026) · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Sep 2026
vibe coding noun
GlobalPeakFine for brands
Building software by describing what you want to an AI in plain language and letting it write the code.
Example: She vibe coded a booking page for the salon over the weekend.
informal, tech
For brands: Neutral tech term; just don't imply AI-built tools are tested or secure if they aren't.
First prominent: Feb 2025 · Sources: Collins WOTY 2025
W
wellbeing washing noun
global (used in AU)RisingUse with care
When a company talks up its support for staff wellbeing and mental health but does little in practice.
Example: A fruit bowl and a poster isn't a wellbeing program, it's wellbeing washing.
neutral-critical
For brands: Useful to understand; if you talk about staff wellbeing publicly, have real policies behind it or the label will stick to you.
First prominent: 2026 (Macquarie watch) · Sources: Macquarie Words to Watch Feb 2026
