'Goblin mode' is Oxford Dictionary's word of the year


The Oxford Dictionary has named "goblin mode" its word of the year. The term is defined as "a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations."
The phrase was chosen via an online vote, beating out short-listers, "#IStandWith" and "metaverse." It won in a landslide, garnering 93 percent of the votes, BBC writes. "Having a group of people in Oxford choose it always felt weirdly undemocratic," said Katherine Connor Martin, product director at Oxford Languages. The overwhelming victory of "goblin mode" came following a piece from the website PC Gamer which encouraged voters to reject "society's stifling norms," adding, "the metaverse that CEOs want to sell you is awful."
The slang term emerged in 2009 but went viral this year, following the slowdown of the pandemic where people didn't want to go back to how things were before. "Given the year we've just experienced, 'goblin mode' resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point," commented Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In order to select the words, Oxford lexicographers shortlist words based on usage, focusing on the "mood" of the world as well as its potential for longevity and cultural significance, The New York Times reports. Last year's winner was "vax" following the movement to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Martin explained, "New words catch on when they capture our imagination or fill a hole with a word for a concept we need to express."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
What does 'conquering' Gaza mean to Israel?
Today's Big Question Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has approved a plan to displace much of the Palestinian population while seizing and occupying the territory on a long-term basis.
-
Casey Means: the controversial 'wellness influencer' nominated for surgeon general
In the Spotlight Means has drawn controversy for her closeness to RFK Jr.
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Some film franchises keep cranking out sequels and reboots. These are the ones that do it best.
the week recommends 'Shrek 5' is upon us. What other movie series have deserved this many follow-ups?
-
Kneecap: the Belfast rappers courting controversy
In the Spotlight Trio, known for anti-British views and fierce support for Palestine, under fire for alleged call to murder MPs
-
Cultural copying: Western fast fashion is co-opting South Asian culture
Under the radar Reformation's new collection resembles traditional South Asian garments
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
The rise and rise of VTubers
Under The Radar This anime-inspired internet subculture is going global
-
When did divorce begin?
The Explainer Couples have always split up, but the institution has undergone major changes over the years
-
18 slang words and phrases we can thank (or blame) Gen Z for
In Depth Younger Americans have put their stamp on our language with these neologisms
-
Inside the contested birth years of generations
The Explainer Battles over where Gen Z ends and Gens Alpha and Beta begin remain ongoing