Dictionary.com surprised everyone with its word of the year pick
Dictionary.com has formally announced the number 67 (in forms such as “6-7” or “six seven”) as its “word of the year 2025” — an unexpected selection that has sparked interest and prompted numerous queries. As per the editorial staff, this term possesses no concrete definition, yet has rapidly risen in prominence among Gen Alpha and within the digital realm. In a mere matter of months, searches for “67” have seen an increase of more than six times.
Dictionary.com characterizes this “word” as a meme symbol — partly an internal jest, partly a societal cipher, partly an unprompted urge that “unites individuals before anyone can clarify its significance.” The editors clarify that this year they endeavored to discover not merely a lexical entry, but a kind of period piece of the year — an expression that embodies the cultural, social, and media backdrop of 2025.
There exist various accounts of the genesis of the “67” occurrence. According to one of these, its renown took off after the launch of the song Doot Doot (6 7) by Skrilla in late 2024, which became widespread on TikTok. Other sources link this number to brief videos of schoolchildren and college students, where “67” surfaces as a chance line or gag. Educators even observe that the term commenced to infiltrate classroom dialogues, morphing into a type of “secret jargon” unintelligible to grown-ups.
Bear in mind that in the prior year, the word of 2024 according to Dictionary.com was demure — “reserved, well-behaved.” It gained traction through TikTok and evolved into a meme within the framework of fashion and demeanor. From “demure” to “67” — a stark contrast, illustrating how swiftly language transitions from thoughtful attributes to almost nonsensical, yet culturally pertinent shapes.
The dictionary editors concede that the precise meaning of “67” has not been definitively ascertained: to some it represents a synonym for a nonchalant “yeah-whatever”, to others – an emotive indicator of involvement in the fad. Regardless, the choice by Dictionary.com reveals: in 2025 even a haphazard number can ascend to be the word of the year if it remains aligned with the tempo of the Internet and strikes a chord with the generation that is crafting the emerging digital culture.
