U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (May 23, 2026) a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” with the proposal including opening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, though the agreement was “subject to finalisation.” “An Agreement has been largely negotiated
A person who approached a White House security checkpoint and began firing at officers has died, according to federal officials. The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement late on Saturday (May 23, 2026) that, according to a preliminary investigation
Pakistani woman says corporate culture makes employees feel guilty for taking leave: ‘Rest needs justification’A Pakistani woman said corporate jobs made employees feel guilty for taking paid leaves they were allowed to use. Published on: May 24
This crunchy veggie rice paper pancake is the perfect quick-fix snack for sudden hunger cravings at home: Full recipeFrom crispy edges to flavour-packed bites, try this veggie rice paper pancake recipe for an ultimate comfort snack for lazy evenings. Updated on: May 24
Amazon techie earning ₹11 lakh/month has 1 house in US, 4 properties in India, Range Rover — but no emergency fundAn Amazon employee earning close to $300,000 feels financially insecure despite significant savings and investments. Published on: May 24
Parasocial is Cambridge dictionary’s Word of the Year 2025; delulu, slop among new entrants
Parasocial is Cambridge dictionary’s Word of the Year 2025; delulu, slop among new entrants
'Parasocial', defined as involving or relating to a connection that someone feels with a famous person they do not know, has been named the Word of the Year for 2025, the Cambridge Dictionary announced on Tuesday (November 18, 2025).
Six thousand new words were also added to the dictionary in 2025, including 'delulu', 'slop', 'skibidi' and 'tradwife'.
According to Cambridge officials, the year was marked by interest in one-sided parasocial relationships that people form with celebrities, influencers and AI chatbots.
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, many fans felt a deep connection to the singer and the American footballer, even though most had never met them.
Millions of fans related to Taylor Swift's confessional lyrics about dating, heartbreak and desire, leading to what psychologists describe as "parasocial" bonds with stars.
Lily Allen's "breakup album" "West End Girl" leant into parasocial interest in her love life. The spontaneity, imperfection and confessional nature of podcast hosts have been said to replace real friends and to catalyse parasocial relationships.
The emergence of parasocial relationships with AI bots saw people treat ChatGPT as a confidant, friend or even romantic partner. These led to emotionally meaningful — and in some cases troubling — connections for users, and concerns about the consequences.
"Parasocial captures the 2025 zeitgeist. It's a great example of how language changes. What was once a specialist academic term has become mainstream. Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise. The data reflects that, with the Cambridge Dictionary website seeing spikes in lookups for parasocial," Colin McIntosh of the Cambridge Dictionary said.
"The language around parasocial phenomena is evolving fast, as technology, society and culture shift and mutate: from celebrities to chatbots, parasocial trends are fascinating for those who are interested in the development of language," he added.
The term parasocial dates back to 1956, when University of Chicago sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl observed television viewers engaged in "para-social" relationships with on-screen personalities, resembling those they formed with "real" family and friends. They noted how the rapidly expanding medium of television brought the faces of actors directly into viewers' homes, making them fixtures in people's lives.
In 2025, the "chronically online" developed parasocial relationships with YouTubers and influencers who they feel they know, becoming invested in all the twists and turns of their personal lives.
The global mania around "The Summer I Turned Pretty" finale saw fans dissecting every romantic relationship in the drama series on TikTok and Instagram, as they encamped into "Team Conrad" or "Team Jeremiah".
Simone Schnall, professor of Experimental Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge, explained that parasocial is an inspired choice for Word of the Year.
"The rise of parasocial relationships has redefined fandom, celebrity and, with AI, how ordinary people interact online. We have entered an age where many people form unhealthy and intense parasocial relationships with influencers. This leads to a sense that people 'know' those they form parasocial bonds with, can trust them and even to extreme forms of loyalty. Yet it is completely one sided.
"As trust in mainstream and traditional media breaks down, people turn to individual personalities as authorities, and - when they spend many hours consuming their content - develop parasocial bonds, treating them more like close friends, family or cult leaders. When an influencer has so many followers, people assume they are trustworthy," Schnall said.
Other words that had a significant impact in 2025 include 'slop', 'pseduonymization', 'vibey', 'breathwork', 'doomspending' and 'memeify'.
While 'slop' refers to content on the internet that is of very low quality, especially when it is created by artificial intelligence, 'pseudonymization' is a process in which information that relates to a particular person, for example, a name or email address, is changed to a number or name that has no meaning so that it is impossible to see who the information relates to.
'Skibidi' is a humorous slang term with varied meanings, including "cool," "bad," or even used with no meaning at all for a joke.
'Delulu' is a play on the word delusional, which means believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to.
The Cambridge dictionary defines 'tradwife' as a a married woman who stays at home, taking care of the cooking, cleaning and children and shares this lifestyle on social media.
'Memeify' is to turn an event, image or person, into a meme (an idea, joke, image, or video that spreads very quickly on the internet).
'Glazing' is the excessive use of praise or flattery, especially by AI chatbots, in a way that seems insincere and artificial. It is sometimes seen as a way of compensating for weak input from an AI.
'Vibey' describes a place that has a good vibe.
'Breathwork' is a technique that involves the conscious control of your breathing and is intended to produce physical and mental benefits.
'Doom spending' is the activity of spending money that you cannot afford in order to make yourself feel better. People sometimes engage in it when they feel anxious and uncertain about the future.
Published - November 18, 2025 04:14 pm IST
Source: The Hindu
Related Posts: Parasocial is Cambridge Dictionary's 2025 Word of the Year – Here's why The masterstroke that defined the Ashes series Key Eye Health Issues That Defined 2025 Five moments that defined India's women's World Cup glory 15 Bollywood Films That Defined First Quarter Of 21st Century Language, local governance and finance – the debates that defined Indian federalism Liver Health Isn’t Defined By Alcohol Intense Black Kajals for Defined and Long-Lasting Eye Makeup on Amazon MATTER Unveils AI-Defined Vehicle Platform At Technology Day 3 Microsoft's GitHub confirms cyberattack involving unauthorised access of nearly 3
With big-budget spectacles and larger-than-life action becoming the norm, one upcoming Hindi film is now aiming for something Indian cinema has rarely explored in a full-fledged way… alien horror. Actor Akshay Kumar is set to headline Samuk, a sci-fi thriller centred around extraterrestrial
1 days ago
Kara OTT release: Dhanush's ₹50 crore heist film gets digital release in less than a month; when and where to watchKara OTT release: Vignesh Raja's Tamil film starring Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju was released in theatres on April 30. Know when and where to stream it online. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
The Supreme Court on Saturday registered a suo motu case in connection with the death of a woman in Madhya Pradesh, whose family has alleged that her in-laws harassed her for dowry, reported The Hindu. Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi will hear the case on
1 days ago
Rare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortageRare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortage Published on: May 24, 2026 10:33 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, A year ago, every breath felt borrowed
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.These countertop organisers, crockery pick and jars can give your kitchen a Pinteresty spin by keeping the clutter awayTurn your kitchen into a photo-ready space with stylish organisers
1 days ago
Indian athletics witnessed a historic evening in Ranchi as Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian ever to breach the 8000-point barrier in decathlon at the Federation Cup on Saturday. The 27-year-old produced a sensational all-round performance to finish with 8057 points
1 days ago
The Centre released draft rules for the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 for public consultation. The rules focus on governance, grievance redressal, and transitioning from MGNREGA to the new rural employment scheme
1 days ago
The National Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has warned of a sophisticated phishing campaign impersonating Apple tech support to target whose devices have been lost or stolen, officials said on Saturday.The I4C, which functions under the Union Home Ministry
1 days ago
Sachin Tendulkar praised his son Arjun's IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants. Arjun Tendulkar showed patience and skill in his first match. He bowled well and took a wicket. Sachin Tendulkar expressed pride in his son's performance and attitude
1 days ago
White House shooting suspect claimed to be ‘real’ Osama bin Laden, threatened Trump online: ReportOsama bin Laden was the founder and leader of the terror group Al-Qaeda, which was reportedly responsible the 9/11 attacks. Updated on: May 24, 2026 11:02 AM IST By Anita Goswami Share via Copy
1 days ago
May 24, Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for youIf your birthday falls on May 24, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: May 24, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on May 24
1 days ago
George Russell may have delivered the perfect answer to mounting pressure at Mercedes. After a fiery sprint race clash with championship-leading teammate Kimi Antonelli earlier on Saturday, the Briton bounced back in style to grab pole position for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix — edging the
1 days ago
BJP candidate Debangshu Panda is leading significantly in the Falta assembly constituency repoll. After five rounds of counting, Panda has secured a lead of over 14,000 votes against his CPI(M) rival. The repoll followed allegations of EVM tampering and irregularities during the initial polling
1 days ago
The suspect in a shooting near the White House was killed in an exchange of fire with Secret Service agents on Saturday evening, officials have confirmed. BBC's US media partner CBS has named the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was known to the Secret Service and had a documented
1 days ago
CPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks interventionCPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks intervention Published on: May 23, 2026 5:22 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, The Rajya Sabha leader of the CPI, John Brittas
1 days ago
Imagine enjoying a decadent, fudge‑like treat that also supports your hormones, libido, and menstrual rhythm, all while being packed with collagen, magnesium, adaptogens, and lignan‑rich omega‑3s. These Seed Cycling Hormone Bliss Balls are designed around the simple yet powerful practice of
1 days ago
Weekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: The stars brings positive energies for these zodiac signsWeekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: This week asks for patience, trust, and emotional resilience. Published on: May 24, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link Aries Love feels
1 days ago
From a darkly comic tale of revenge to a beautiful contemplation on friendship, here are the year's most acclaimed works of fiction so far. "Daring, deranged, cleverly written," is how Vogue describes the buzzy debut by Caro Claire Burke. In this satirical thriller
1 days ago
Overnight fires in Delhi: Shops, homes gutted in four blazesA fire department officer was injured after the tin shed of one of the shops he was standing on during the firefighting operation collapsed. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:37 AM IST By Karn Pratap Singh Share via Copy link Four separate fire
1 days ago
As per the government, the new rules enable families living in Delhi to submit applications if their annual household income is within the newly prescribed limit. New Delhi: The Delhi government has reopened the process of issuing fresh ration cards under changed eligibility criteria after a gap of
1 days ago
The reported disruption of AI-animated film Critterz after OpenAI allegedly shut down Sora has sparked a larger conversation around one major issue in tech and entertainment: what happens when creators build entire projects on platforms they do not control?The reported disruption of AI-animated
1 days ago
Ex-Meta employee says non-Chinese workers were targeted for layoffsA laid-off Meta engineer has alleged that he was routinely excluded and ostracised by his Chinese colleagues at the company. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:01 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A laid-off Meta engineer has alleged
1 days ago
Mackenzie Shirilla wanted Kim Kardashian's help; here's why it's not happeningMackenzie Shirilla sought Kim Kardashian's legal support following the release of The Crash documentary, but Kardashian reportedly has no plans to get involved. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
X warns founder against reuploading White House shooting video: 'Revenue reduced by 90%'Nikita Bier of X warned a user against reuploading the White House shooting video, asking him to ‘Quote’ or ‘Video Reshare’ instead. Updated on: May 24, 2026 6:14 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link
1 days ago
Sonam Wangchuk says Article 371 talks for Ladakh still ‘work in progress’; backs Cockroach Janta PartySonam Wangchuk hoped constitutional safeguards will be granted to Ladakh after recent talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre. Updated on: May 24
1 days ago
Talking about international partnerships, PM Modi said India’s growing ties with global companies and countries would create new opportunities for young people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly recruited candidates during the 19th Rozgar Mela
1 days ago
Dipika Kakar’s father-in-law in ICU after suffering stroke, Shoaib Ibrahim seeks prayers: ‘24 hrs are crucial’Shoaib Ibrahim took to Instagram to inform fans that his father has been hospitalised once again after suffering another stroke. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
