“Vibe coding”, an emerging software development that turns natural language into computer code using artificial intelligence, has been named Collins dictionary’s word of the year for 2025.
Lexicographers at Collins monitor the 24bn-word Collins Corpus, which draws from a range of media sources, including social media, to create the annual list of new and notable words that reflect our ever-evolving language.
They chose vibe coding as word of the year after observing a huge increase in usage since its first appearance in February.
The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy, the former director of AI at Tesla and a founding engineer at OpenAI, to describe how artificial intelligence can enable someone to create a new app while being able to “forget that the code even exists”.
Other words on the list include “biohacking”, defined as the activity of altering the natural processes of your body in an attempt to improve health and longevity.
Another is “clanker”, a derogatory term for computers, robots or sources of AI, which was popularised by Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The word went viral on social media and is often used to express people’s frustrations with, and distrust of, AI chatbots and platforms.
Also a term of disapproval, the word “glaze” has gained traction this year, meaning to praise or flatter someone excessively or undeservedly.
Another is “aura farming” – described as the deliberate cultivation of a distinctive and charismatic persona – essentially the art of looking cool.
The term was popular with gamers but reached a much larger audience this year after the widely shared “boat kid” video that started a dance trend popular with celebrities including the American football player Travis Kelce.
The owners of the biggest global technology companies, informally known as tech bros, were nicknamed the “broligarchy” after their high-profile attendance at Donald Trump’s inauguration, with the word also earning a place on the list.
A rise in the use of the term “Henry”, an acronym for “high earner, not rich yet” was also named by Collins.
And “coolcation”, a holiday in a place with a cool climate, along with “taskmasking”, the act of giving a false impression that one is being productive in the workplace, make it on to the list.
“Micro-retirement”, described as a break between periods of employment in order to pursue personal interests, also features.
Alex Beecroft, the managing director of Collins, said: “The selection of vibe coding as Collins’ word of the year perfectly captures how language is evolving alongside technology. It signals a major shift in software development, where AI is making coding more accessible.
“The seamless integration of human creativity and machine intelligence demonstrates how natural language is fundamentally changing our interaction with computers.”
