scroll fatigue noun [U]
UK /ˈskrəʊl fəˌtiːg/ US /ˈskroʊl ˌfətiːg/
a feeling of mental exhaustion caused by spending too much time scrolling through social media or other online content

Understanding scroll fatigue as a unique type of cognitive strain helps us see why it can feel so insidious. Unlike tiredness from work or physical activity, scroll fatigue often sneaks up, leaving users unaware of the subtle depletion until it manifests in frustration, distraction, or digital avoidance.
[mindfultechwork.com, 17 January 2026]

ultraprocessed time noun [U]
UK /ˌʌl.trəˌprəʊ.sest ˈtaɪm/ US /ˌʌl.trəˌprɑː.sest ˈtaɪm/
time spent consuming online content that has been designed to keep people watching it, rather than to be useful or educational

Dr. John La Puma, an internist and author of “Indoor Epidemic,” calls these moments we’re on our phones “ultraprocessed time,” because they don’t replenish us. Much like ultraprocessed food, he told me, ultraprocessed time is “engineered for convenience, compulsion and stimulation, not for nourishment.”
[nytimes.com, 4 June 2026]

Slow Social Era noun [S]
UK /ˌsləʊ ˈsəʊ.ʃᵊl ˌɪə.rə/ US /ˌsləʊ ˈsoʊ.ʃᵊl ˌɪr.ə/
a period when people use social media less often and more carefully

So, what exactly is the Slow Social Era? It’s the collective pushback against the speed, sameness and synthetic feel of the modern internet. People are tired of doomscrolling, tired of AI slop filling their feeds, tired of the pressure to keep up with a content treadmill that never stops. The Slow Social Era isn’t about deleting social media entirely – it’s about redefining our relationship with it.
[astondigital.com.au, 2 December 2025]

About new words

predictive shopping noun [U]
UK /prɪˌdɪk.tɪv ˈʃɒp.ɪŋ/ US /prɪˌdɪk.tɪv ˈʃɑː.pɪŋ/
a form of online shopping where AI predicts what the customer is likely to want or need and automatically recommends products

Predictive shopping is the next big thing. AI will track your preferences, habits, and browsing patterns, offering product suggestions before you even realize you need them. For example, if you’re a frequent activewear shopper, AI will recommend the latest styles right when it knows you need new shoes.
[www.scayle.com, 10 February 2026]

searchless retail noun [U]
UK /ˌsɜːtʃ.ləs ˈriː.teɪl/ US /ˌsɝːtʃ.ləs ˈriː.teɪl/
a form of online shopping where the customer uses AI tools to find products to buy instead of carrying out online searches

Consumers are no longer typing fragmented keywords and scanning filter results. They are asking questions, engaging in conversations, receiving AI-chosen recommendations, and in some cases are now completing purchases within the AI conversation. This is searchless retail, where discovery happens through AI agents, generative search, and conversational commerce without the customer ever visiting a retailer’s site or using a traditional search function.
[sitecore.com, n.d.]

agentic commerce noun [U]
UK /əˌdʒən.tɪk ˈkɒm.ɜːs/ US /əˌdʒən.tɪk ˈkɑː.mɝːs/
a form of online shopping where AI tools search for products, compare them, and then buy them on the customer’s behalf

Agentic commerce is a new form of online and mobile shopping, in which an AI agent “closes the loop” or completes tasks for a user — such as searching for items, comparing options and making a purchase — with limited or no manual inputs needed from that user.
[mastercard.com, 23 March 2026]

About new words

worldschooling noun [U]
UK /ˌwɜːld.ˈskuː.lɪŋ/ US /ˌwɝːld.ˈskuː.lɪŋ/
a form of education where children travel the world and are taught by their parents rather than attending a traditional school

The rise of remote work, flexible lifestyles and the desire for meaningful family time has made worldschooling an appealing alternative to traditional schooling. Children do not simply learn about history, geography, science or languages in theory. They learn them as they live them. The world becomes the classroom, and travel becomes a catalyst for deeper learning.
[enjoyeducation.co.uk, 22 December 2025]

See also home schooling

sight-doing noun [U]
/ˈsaɪt.duː.ɪŋ/
an approach to travel in which tourists take part in activities or experiences when they are on holiday rather than only visiting sights

In a world of fleeting experiences, sight-doing transforms the journey from passive observation into active participation. Sight-doing is all about engaging with a destination in a way that leaves a tangible mark. Travelers are embracing workshops that produce something they can hold, wear, or display.
[americanexpress.com, 7 April 2026]

See also sightseeing

runcation noun [C]
/rʌn.ˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/
a holiday based around the activity of running

More and more jet-setting fitness fans are embracing “runcations” — getaways centered on running, which can include everything from destination races to resorts with scenic trails … Runcations fall into two categories: race-focused trips and vacations in which running is the primary way to explore the destination. As interest grows, hotels and resorts answer with guided runs, curated routes and wellness recovery programs.
[nypost.com, 8 April 2026]

About new words

annoyance economy noun [C usually S]
UK /əˈnɔɪ.ᵊns iˌkɒn.ə.mi/ US /əˈnɔɪ.ᵊns iˌkɑː.nə.mi/
the situation where companies deliberately make products or services inconvenient or frustrating for their customers in order to make more money or gather information about them

The so-called annoyance economy refers to the web of spam calls, customer service chatbots and impossible-to-cancel subscriptions, among other aggravations, that Americans have to navigate in their regular financial lives … All these small tasks, and the time and headaches they can involve, add up to a real financial cost.
[theweek.com, 7 May 2026] Continue reading “New words – 8 June 2026” →

dusking noun [U]
/ˈdʌsk.ɪŋ/
the practice of watching daylight turn to darkness as a form of relaxation

An old Dutch ritual of going outside to watch the coming of night – or dusking – is having a revival across Europe. Fans of the practice say it’s a great way to disconnect from screens and find peace … In the Netherlands, dusking was once an everyday ritual, with families sitting together to observe the end of the day and the coming of night.
[theguardian.com, 1 March 2026] Continue reading “New words – 1 June 2026” →

tool sprawl noun [C usually S]
UK /ˈtuːl ˌsprɔːl/ US /ˈtuːl ˌsprɑːl/
the situation where a company uses too many different apps or other digital tools, making work more complicated and difficult to manage

Consolidating workplace tech, or tackling what’s been dubbed “tool sprawl”, is on the agenda for many organizations right now. We’re all fed up with having to jump between five different apps to complete a simple task. Simply put, “tool sprawl” is the accumulation of a large number of platforms and channels that leads to an inefficient and costly digital workplace, and a frustrating and disengaging digital employee experience.
[workvivo.com, 28 January 2026]

RAMageddon noun [U]
UK /ˌræm.əˈged.ᵊn/ US /ˌræm.əˈged.ᵊn/
a severe global shortage of RAM memory chips

RAMageddon is the fun new term for a not-so-fun trend that is sweeping the tech industry: an ever-increasing shortage of random access memory, or RAM chips, which power pretty much all the tech products we use in our daily lives. As the AI industry has blossomed, the biggest tech companies and AI labs — all vying to have the most powerful and efficient AI — are buying so much RAM to power their data centers that there’s not much left for the rest of us.
[techcrunch.com, 12 April 2026]

See also Armageddon

shadow AI noun [U]
UK /ˌʃæd.əʊ ˌeɪˈaɪ/ US /ˌʃæd.oʊ ˌeɪˈaɪ/
the use of AI tools in the workplace without authorization from the company’s IT department

The use of unsanctioned AI tools, also known as shadow AI, has become more common in the workplace. Top executives prefer the use of shadow AI because it allows work to get done quicker. But while unsanctioned AI tools can be useful, they come with a price. Shadow AI is ranked 3rd in the list of contributing factors to data breach costs. These tools could store or reuse data and cause compliance and regulatory concerns.
[nojitter.com, 15 April 2026]

About new words

NER noun [C]
UK /ˌeniːˈɑːʳ/ US /ˌeniːˈɑːr/
abbreviation for: neither employed nor retired: someone who does not have a job but is too young to retire

Because 11 months ago I became unem­ployed and, des­pite my determ­ined, increas­ingly des­per­ate efforts, I’ve not been able to get another job since. Yet with state pen­sion age less than nine years ahead of me, there’s no option to “call it quits” and take early retire­ment. So instead, I’ve become an NER – that is, Neither Employed nor Retired. And let me tell you, it’s utterly ter­ri­fy­ing, not to men­tion humi­li­at­ing.
[dailymail.co.uk, 17 April 2026] Continue reading “New words – 18 May 2026” →

full nester noun [C]
UK /ˈfʊl ˌnes.təʳ/ US /ˈfʊl ˌnes.tɚ/
someone whose adult children are still living at home

To cope with the additional cost of having their adult children living at home for longer, the report finds that full nesters are making greater financial sacrifices than empty nesters across the board, with some putting their own financial future at risk … A third of full nesters report that they are contributing less to their savings, while more than one in four are spending their savings to meet the cost of everyday living.
[lloydfp.co.uk, no date]

See also empty nester Continue reading “New words – 11 May 2026” →

superworker noun [C]
UK /ˈsuː.pə.wɜː.kəʳ/ US /ˈsuː.pə.wɝː.kɚ/
someone who works much more productively by using AI tools that can carry out tasks and act on their behalf

Bersin has coined the term “superworker” for how AI is amplifying what an individual can achieve at work. “People don’t have the energy to have another conference call to talk about this and that. But you can wake the digital twin up in the middle of the night and talk to it for an hour – it doesn’t care. It’s incredibly valuable,” says Bersin.
[bbc.co.uk, 17 April 2026] Continue reading “New words – 4 May 2026” →

April Theory noun [S]
UK /ˈeɪ.prᵊl ˌθɪə.ri/ US /ˈeɪ.prᵊl ˌθɪr.i/
the idea that people feel most positive and motivated to set new goals in the month of April

A viral idea born on social media, the “April Theory” frames April as a natural turning point and seasonal reset. After the slower-paced winter and pressure-filled reset of January, spring is the time of year when things start to click, bringing a sense of momentum, clarity, and noticeable shifts in relationships, routines, or personal goals. 
[realsimple.com, 7 April 2026]

slow dopamine noun [U]
UK /ˌsləʊ ˈdəʊ.pə.ˌmiːn/ US /ˌsloʊ ˈdoʊ.pə.ˌmiːn/
a steady, long-lasting sense of satisfaction and achievement caused by doing activities that need patience and concentration

Slow dopamine “refers to anything that requires you to put in effort to attain the result,” says Vignola. That includes going for a walk, washing the dishes, exercising, sauna and cold bathing — really anything that involves time, effort, and delayed gratification. Think: committing to learning guitar, and setting aside time each day to work towards that skill.
[yahoo.com, 10 April 2026]

anxiety bag noun [C]
UK /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti ˌbæg/ US /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.t̬i ˌbæg/
a small bag filled with items to help someone feel less anxious

As someone who has battled anxiety since my childhood, my ears pricked up when I first heard the term “anxiety bag,” now trending all over social media … The idea behind an anxiety bag is really quite practical and self aware: It’s a personalized collection of tools designed to help you regulate your emotions and feel more grounded when anxiety hits.
[yahoo.com, 27 March 2026]

See also analogue bag

About new words