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In the age of constant self-improvement, simply getting better at something is no longer enough; you have to maxx it.
The internets go-to term for taking things to the next level has now earned wider recognition, with Dictionary.com naming maxxing its Word of the Year for 2026, ABC News said. Announced on Monday, the word refers to the practice of pursuing an activity to the fullest or optimizing a certain aspect of your life, according to Dictionary.com. The term comes from maximum and max and is often paired with other words to describe efforts to improve or push something to its limit. One of the most prominent examples is looksmaxxing, a trend centred on maximising physical appearance. Looksmaxxing gained wider attention in the early 2020s, particularly through male content creators discussing appearance and self-improvement on social media platforms such as TikTok. The term saw a rise in interest this year, according to Dictionary.com, as did maxxing itself. The word is also increasingly being used on its own, as people apply it to different parts of their lives. Someone might say they are maxxing everything to describe an attempt to get the most out of their routines, goals, or personal choices. Like many internet-born expressions before it, maxxing shows how quickly language can move from social media communities into mainstream use. Online slang that once seemed limited to particular platforms or groups is increasingly finding its way into everyday speech and dictionaries. Last year, the Cambridge Dictionary added internet expressions such as skibidi, delulu, tradwife and lewk to its listings, reflecting the growing influence of online culture on modern English, according to ABC News. Dictionary.coms 2025 Word of the Year was 67, pronounced six-seven, another term that gained traction through social media. The expression was linked to what the dictionary described as brainrot slang, which is deliberately nonsensical and relies on people understanding and sharing in the absurdity. (ANI)
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