THE GEN Z DOMINANCE

In our digitally-driven world, social media trends and reels have become the heartbeat of our online culture, shaping the way we connect, communicate, and consume content. With each swipe and scroll, we navigate a virtual landscape where creativity, influence, and innovation converge to redefine our online experience.

It’s not surprising that social media, including platforms like TikTok, has had a significant influence on the evolution of language and the introduction of new words and slang into the English language. This phenomenon reflects the dynamic nature of language, which constantly adapts to changes in culture and technology.

Language is ever-evolving, and dictionaries like Merriam-Webster aim to reflect these changes by adding new words and phrases that have gained widespread usage and recognition. Merriam-Webster is an American company, and it is considered the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States.

Social media, with its rapid dissemination of trends and language innovations, has become a particularly influential force in shaping modern language. It has forced Merriam-Webster to officially accept Gen Z slang and abbreviations as English words. It gives precise and accurate meanings to make the Gen Z language more comprehensible. Social media is the digital catalyst responsible for making Gen Z slang the new normal globally. This enables everyone to use the words uniformly without any confusion.

Here’s a list of the most common Gen Z terms, words, and slangs added by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a result of social media or TikTok trends.

Rizz: This term appears to describe someone’s romantic appeal or attractiveness.
Bingo card: In this context, it refers to a list of conceivable, expected, or probable situations. It’s often used humorously or ironically to predict or describe events.
Goated: used to describe something or someone as the greatest of all time.
Smishing: This term refers to the act of sending instant messages (usually via text) to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information for criminal purposes.
Thirst trap: A “thirst trap” is a photo or video shared on social media with the intention of attracting attention or desire, often in a provocative or alluring way. It can also refer to a person or thing that generates strong interest or desire.
Grammable: This term means something that is suitable or appealing enough to be posted on Instagram, often implying that it looks good in photos.
Doomscroll: To “doomscroll” means to spend a significant amount of time scrolling through online content, especially when it’s negative or depressing.
Finsta: Short for “fake Instagram,” a “finsta” is a confidential or disguised Instagram account, typically used to share personal or unfiltered content with a select group of friends.
Beast mode: This term is used to describe a very aggressive, enthusiastic, or high-performance style or mode of operation.
Girlboss: A “girlboss” is an ambitious and successful woman, particularly in the context of business or entrepreneurship. It’s a term that celebrates women’s empowerment and achievement.