meteorosensitiveadjective UK /ˌmiː.ti.ə.rəˈsen.sɪ.tɪv/ US /ˌmiː.t̬i.ɚ.əˈsen.sə.t̬ɪv/ easily affected physically or emotionally by changes in the weather
Fed up with the rain? You might be meteorosensitive. Turns out there’s a term for weather-related depression. Psychologists have identified it as a meteorosensitivity, when our mental and physical health is affected by changes in the weather. If you’re meteorosensitive the weather can cause aches and pains and impact cognitive function, as well as making you moody. [thetimes.com, 6 February 2026]Continue reading “New words – 6 April 2026”→
competence hangovernoun [C] UK /ˈkɒm.pɪ.tᵊns ˌhæŋˌəʊ.vəʳ/ US /ˈkɑːm.pə.t̬ᵊns ˌhæŋˌoʊ.vɚ/ a feeling of exhaustion that follows a period of taking on too many responsibilities at work and becoming the person everyone relies on
There’s a certain kind of tiredness that women can’t quite name but feel every day at work. The type that builds slowly and silently from years of being the one who remembers, organises, fixes and absorbs – and it’s being termed the competence hangover. It’s not that you want to be that person, but everyone expects you to be. And once you recognise the symptoms of a competence hangover, it becomes impossible to unsee or ignore any longer. [graziadaily.co.uk, 27 February 2026]
functional freezenoun [C] UK /ˌfʌŋk.ʃᵊn.ᵊl ˈfriːz/ US /ˌfʌŋk.ʃᵊn.ᵊl ˈfriːz/ a response to stress in which someone continues to function outwardly, successfully managing their workload and responsibilities, while inwardly feeling numb, detached, or anxious.
If you’re on TikTok, you might’ve heard the phrase “functional freeze” making the rounds recently — and while the label might be new, the experience itself is anything but. It’s when you appear to be functioning, but on the inside, you’re emotionally and mentally shut down, as if you’re running on autopilot. [womenshealthmag.com, 3 June 2025]
burnout blockingnoun [U] UK /ˈbɜːn.aʊt ˌblɒk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈbɝːn.aʊt ˌblɑː.kɪŋ/ the practice of putting strategies in place to prevent an employee from experiencing burnout or to recover from it more quickly if they do
Organizations that focus on burnout blocking, that is, a balance of proactive burnout prevention and effective reactive recovery, can create healthier, more engaged teams. By pairing thoughtful strategies with fair recognition and workplace wellness prevention, HR leaders can build cultures where employees feel supported, valued, and motivated to thrive. [advantageclub.ai, 17 October 2025]
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking to the shops when I slipped and fell on a patch of ice. I got up immediately and was absolutely fine, though of course, rather embarrassed! Later, when telling a friend about my accident, I said I had fallen ‘in a heap’, to convey how heavily I had fallen, the whole of my body landing on the ground. I started thinking about this phrase and all the other ways we talk about falling and thought I’d share my thoughts with you. Continue reading “Stumbling and tumbling (The language of falling)”→
potato bednoun [C] UK /pəˈteɪ.təʊ ˌbed/ US /pəˈteɪ.t̬oʊ ˌbed/ a sleep trend that involves stuffing a fitted sheet with pillows, blankets, duvets etc. to make a soft padded surface to sleep on
If your TikTok feed has recently been filled with pillow-packed beds and people curling up into homemade cocoons, you’re not alone. Enter the TikTok “potato bed”: a comfort-led trend built around the idea of feeling wrapped, supported and deeply snug. As temperatures drop and cosy cravings rise, it’s easy to see the appeal. [realsimple.com, 30 January 2026]
revenge bedtime procrastinationnoun [U] UK /rɪˌvendʒ ˈbed.taɪm prəˌkræs.tɪˌneɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /rɪˌvendʒ ˈbed.taɪm proʊˌkræs.tɪˌneɪ.ʃᵊn/ the act of staying up late to enjoy leisure time you did not have during the day, even when it means you will not get enough sleep
Have you ever stayed up late doom-scrolling, binge-watching, playing video games or just doing nothing, knowing full well you’ll pay for it tomorrow? Of course, you have. You’re not lazy. You’re taking revenge. It’s known as “revenge bedtime procrastination,” and it leads to sleep deprivation that negatively impacts next day’s engagement and productivity at work. It’s not the same as insomnia, because you choose to stay up late, even when tired. It’s more of a psychological habit where you delay sleep to reclaim personal time you feel you lost during the workday. [forbes.com, 24 April 2025]
bedtime stackingnoun [U]
/ˈbed.taɪm ˌstækɪŋ/ a trend that involves going to bed early and having a number of items such as books, a laptop, food and drink items, and skincare products near the bed so that you can carry out various activities before you go to sleep without having to get up again
A new TikTok trend called bedtime stacking is going viral among Gen Z who are transforming their beds into all-in-one spaces for relaxation, productivity and self-care. The idea is simple: go to bed early and complete as many relaxing or productive activities as possible without leaving that spot. Pham described it as doing everything from one place in a mindful way. It turns downtime into a carefully curated ritual. [news18.com, 5 March 2026]
dogfishingnoun [U] UK /ˈdɒg.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈdɑːg.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ using a photo of you with someone else’s dog in your profile on dating apps to make yourself seem more attractive to potential partners
A new word has just dropped in the dating world, and of course, it’s only making everything a lot more complicated. “Dogfishing”: a term to describe the act of using photos of dogs on your dating app profiles to make yourself more attractive to other users. Well, if you were planning on using this foolproof tactic for your own profile, we have some bad news: gals just aren’t into it anymore. [stellar.ie, 3 October 2025]
choremancingnoun [U] UK /ˈtʃɔː.mænsɪŋ/ US /ˈtʃɔːr.mænsɪŋ/ a trend where two people combine a romantic date with doing everyday tasks such as food shopping or housework
Forget wining, dining, or getting dressed up for a fancy first date. According to TikTok, you should just throw on some jeans and meet at the grocery store. This dating hack has been dubbed “choremancing,” and it’s all about romancing each other while doing chores. Think grabbing coffee then running a few errands. By doing chores together early on, you’re less likely to end up with a partner who doesn’t know how to cook, clean, or grocery shop the same way you do. Choremancing allows you to see their life skills in action. [bustle.com, 3 March 2026]
clear codingnoun [U] UK /ˌklɪər ˈkəʊ.dɪŋ/ US /ˌklɪr ˈkoʊ.dɪŋ/ the practice of being honest and open about how you want a relationship to develop when dating someone new, rather than giving hints or confusing messages
You may have heard the whole “clear coding” term floating around the dating world. It means communicating in a clear, accurate, readily readable manner without hidden meanings or surprises. You wouldn’t, for example, design a computer program to act as if it’s not interested in a user when it really is. Similarly, in dating, clear coding is about being frank and open about yourself and your interests and intentions. [psychologytoday.com, 27 February 2026]
There’s a nice idiom in English that says before you criticize a person, you should walk a mile in their shoes. In other words, instead of judging someone, you should try to imagine what it’s like to be that person, with all the problems and challenges that they face. The phrase is essentially a call for us to be more empathetic (or empathic), using our imagination and experience to understand other people’s feelings and thoughts. This post looks at the words and phrases we use to talk about and convey empathy. Continue reading “Walk a mile in my shoes (Words about empathy)”→
fail watchingnoun [U] UK /ˈfeɪl ˌwɒtʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈfeɪl ˌwɑːtʃ.ɪŋ/ a workplace trend where an employee tries to spot colleagues making mistakes, normally because it makes them feel better about their own abilities or performance
The new workplace buzzword “fail watching” is on the rise: watching out for colleagues’ mistakes, sometimes with an unfortunate sense of satisfaction, as it can make people feel better about their own circumstances … It’s important to recognize this behaviour and address it early, as it could escalate into more serious issues like workplace bullying if not caught from the beginning. [goodmenproject.com, 7 December 2025]
lily paddingnoun [U]
/ˈlɪl.i ˌpæd.ɪŋ/ the career strategy of moving from one short-term job to another in order to gain specific skills and experience
You’re probably sick of hearing about it, but yes, the UK job market is tough right now. And now it seems “lily padding” is the latest career trend to come out of this difficult working situation. “Lily padding” is when you strategically climb the career ladder, focusing on building experience over seeking a higher salary. It’s about supercharging your employability. [huffingtonpost.co.uk, 6 December 2025]
microshiftingnoun [U] UK /ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.ʃɪf.tɪŋ/ US /ˈmaɪ.kroʊ.ʃɪf.tɪŋ/ the practice of breaking the working day into short blocks of time so that work can be fitted around other activities
Microshifting describes a workday broken into multiple short, flexible “bursts” of focused effort, often around 45 to 90 minutes, separated by stretches of personal time, family duties, or rest. Rather than clocking a continuous 9‑to‑5, a worker might log on at dawn, disappear for school drop‑off or a gym class, and return for another block in the late morning before finishing tasks in the evening. [fortune.com, 13 January 2026]
Most readers of this blog will be familiar with the verb throw when it means using your hand and arm to send something such as a ball through the air. Today’s post looks at some of the many ways that this basic sense of ‘throw’ is used in more idiomatic ways, often in fixed or semi-fixed phrases. Continue reading “Throwing a punch or throwing your head back: using the verb ‘throw’”→
