tasteslop noun [U]
UK /ˈteɪst.slɒp/ US /ˈteɪst.slɑːp/
AI-generated content, such as images of clothes, objects, or interior design, that is designed to look tasteful and stylish but is actually bland and unoriginal

Good taste used to require context. Now it requires the right moodboard. Instagram made taste visible, algorithms made it repeatable, and AI made it scalable. Welcome to the age of tasteslop, where originality may be the last status symbol left.
[theestablished.com, 24 June 2026]

See also slop

vibe hacking noun [U]
UK /ˈvaɪb ˌhæk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌhæk.ɪŋ/
cybercrime that is carried out with the help of AI, using natural language to give instructions and letting AI generate the code or other tools

The same large language models (LLMs) that help engineers write code faster now help criminals operate faster. What began as “vibe coding,” a mindset that embraces AI output with minimal review, has evolved into “vibe hacking,” attackers delegating the design, orchestration, and execution of campaigns to AI systems.
[threatlocker.com, 21 April 2026]

See also vibe coding

dead internet theory noun [S]
UK /ˌded ˈɪn.tə.net ˌθɪə.ri/ US /ˌded ˈɪn.t̬ɚ.net ˌθɪr.i/
a theory that a lot of the internet is no longer created by real people but rather by bots and other AI tools

Sam Altman, the chief executive of ChatGPT creators OpenAI, has suggested that there might be some truth in the “dead internet theory”. The idea is a conspiracy theory that the majority of content and apparent people online are actually being automatically generated by computers, and that the internet is for the most part “dead”.
[independent.co.uk, 5 September 2025]

About new words

graduation creep noun [U]
/ˌgrædʒ.uˈeɪ.ʃᵊn ˌkriːp/
the trend for graduation ceremonies to be held for pupils and students at lower levels of education and not just for university graduates

Previously, events like these may have involved little more than a sing-along and some remarks from the teacher. Now, however, they’re ticketed occasions, with processions, diplomas, props, and professional photographers. The kids wear miniature caps and gowns, while parents mingle at a reception. Neither the parents nor the teachers I spoke to could point to any one reason for “graduation creep”: gentle parenting, a postpandemic rebound for in-person events, the need for social media documentation—take your pick.
[slate.com, 28 June 2026]

fall curriculum noun [C]
UK /ˌfɔːl kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/ US /ˌfɑːl kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/
the trend for adults to assign themselves a number of subjects to study and learn more about during the autumn months

Across TikTok, Gen Zers and millennials are reclaiming study time through a new viral phenomenon known as the “fall curriculum.” The idea is simple but surprisingly effective: instead of scrolling endlessly on their phones, participants set themselves a personal curriculum of three or more subjects to explore during the season. The approach offers structure and the thrill of rediscovering the joy of learning for its own sake.
[newsweek.com, 6 September 2025]

rejection cake noun [C]
/rɪˈdʒek.ʃən ˌkeɪk/
a cake that someone decorates and shares on social media after their application to a university has been rejected, usually as a light-hearted way of showing their disappointment

As videos of emotional college acceptances and elaborate school-themed bed parties fill high schoolers’ social media feeds, some seniors are putting a humorous spin on the emotional let down of getting denied from colleges with rejection cakes … When Co-Founder of Counseling at Expert Admissions Bari Norman saw the rejection cake videos, she thought, “finally, some reality.”
[eu.usatoday.com, 25 April 2025]

About new words

engagement pod noun [C]
UK /ɪnˈgeɪdʒ.mənt ˌpɒd/ US /ɪnˈgeɪdʒ.mənt ˌpɑːd/
a group of people who agree to like, share and leave positive comments on each other’s social media posts to make them appear more popular

One specific form of inauthentic engagement is an engagement pod, which is a coordinated group of people that like, comment and share posts to attempt to boost visibility and virality. This form of inauthentic activity erodes trust and is not allowed on LinkedIn.
[news.linkedin.com, 13 March 2026]

dopamine site noun [C]
UK /ˈdəʊ.pə.miːn ˌsaɪt/ US /ˈdoʊ.pə.miːn ˌsaɪt/
a fake shopping site that mimics the experience of browsing and adding items to a cart so users can get the pleasure of shopping without spending money

Online “dopamine sites” trending among young people in South Korea have taken this phenomenon to a whole new level by offering fake consumption experiences. These sites capture the pleasure associated with buying without the financial cost, splitting the emotional experience of anticipation from any real-world consequences.
[psychologytoday.com, 22 June 2026]

clipping economy noun [C]
UK /ˈklɪp.ɪŋ iˌkɒn.ə.mi/ US /ˈklɪp.ɪŋ iˌkɑː.nə.mi/
an online economy based on creating and sharing short video clips to increase views and make money

And this is no longer a niche corner of internet culture. Some estimates now place the clipping economy at roughly a $3 billion industry as of early 2026, spanning creator payouts, clipping agencies, AI editing tools, growth marketplaces, and distributed content networks.
[linkedin.com/pulse, 19 May 2026]

About new words

omega block noun [C]
UK /ˈəʊ.mɪ.gə ˌblɒk/ US /oʊˈmeɪ.gə ˌblɑːk/
a weather pattern, resembling the uppercase Greek letter omega, where an area of warmer high pressure is trapped between two areas of cooler low pressure, causing the same weather conditions to last for a long period

Omega blocks usually last between three and ten days, but can go on for longer. With the current omega block, a “surge of hot, dry air from North Africa has become trapped in the atmosphere over parts of Europe,” said Time … In Paris this week, temperatures hit a June record of 105.62 F.
[theweek.com, 26 June 2026]

weather whiplash noun [S]
UK /ˌweð.ə ˈwɪp.læʃ/ US /ˌweð.ɚ ˈwɪp.læʃ/
a quick change from one extreme of weather to another, for example from very cold to very hot, or very dry to very wet

Winter days balmy enough for shirtsleeves, followed by record-setting polar-vortex lows. Day after day of blue skies, followed by torrential rains. Jungle humidity, then air so dry that skin feels like sandpaper. Temperatures spiking past 90 degrees for a day and then falling back to the 50’s and under. There is an informal term for all these weird back-and-forth weather extremes we’re witnessing: weather whiplash.
[clf.org, 27 May 2026]

global weirding noun [U]
UK /ˌgləʊ.bᵊl ˈwɪəd.ɪŋ/ US /ˌgloʊ.bᵊl ˈwɪrd.ɪŋ/
the process by which climate change is causing the weather worldwide to become more extreme and unpredictable

Global weirding speaks to the complex ways climate change is affecting weather globally. It refers to the fact that many extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and/or more severe than they were in the past … Global weirding affects us all, but it doesn’t affect us all equally. Communities that are already marginalised, lacking access to clean water, sufficient food, or reliable housing, are often most vulnerable to these disasters.
[climatewords.org, n.d.]

See also global warming

About new words