bio-baiting noun [U]
UK /ˈbaɪ.əʊ.beɪtɪŋ/ US /ˈbaɪ.oʊ.beɪtɪŋ/
writing an online dating profile that makes you seem much more interesting, attractive etc. than you really are

Like catfishing, bio-baiting involves a bit of deception – but this time it’s all about overselling your dating app bio in ways that don’t quite hold up in real life. A poll found that nearly 63 per cent admitted to feeling let down after meeting someone who didn’t live up to their carefully polished dating app profile. Ultimately, the best defence against bio-baiting is to move the conversation off the app and into real life quickly.
[indy100.com, 26 September 2025]

See also catfishing

chatfishing noun [U]
/ˈtʃæt.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/
using AI tools to write messages to other people on dating apps

It’s a well-worn adage of the Internet age: people often aren’t what they seem to be online. But until recently, you could at least be assured that they were people. Now, though, “chatfishing,” a new wave of online deception, is taking over dating apps. Instead of “catfishing”—using an entirely fake identity—people are using artificial intelligence to help them chat up prospective love interests and secure dates.
[scientificamerican.com, 22 October 2025]

grim-keeping noun [U]
/ˈgrɪm.kiːpɪŋ/
forming a relationship with someone based on disliking the same things

Grim-keeping flips the script on dating compatibility. Forget matching over favorite TV shows or whether you both like long walks on the beach. This trend is about uniting over the stuff you can’t stand. From universally annoying habits to oddly specific gripes, grim-keeping makes negativity the new love language.
[huffingtonpost.co.uk, 30 October 2025]

About new words

readaway noun [C]
/ˈriːd.ə.weɪ/
a short holiday where the main activity is reading and talking about books

Weekends away have had an intellectual upgrade, where small groups of friends are now heading off for the purpose of reading and discussing literature. The Unpack 2026 report, revealing the top travel trends for the year ahead, shows “readaways” – a weekend getaway focused on reading, relaxing and quality time, is the next big thing in travel.
[thepost.co.nz, 15 October 2025]

thrift tripping noun [U]
/ˈθrɪft ˌtrɪpɪŋ/
the act of planning a holiday around visiting vintage shops, flea markets etc. to buy second-hand clothes and other items

Google search data reveals demand for market tours increased 61% over the past year, whilst location-specific vintage shopping queries have exploded. The trend, dubbed “thrift tripping,” sees travellers specifically planning destinations around vintage shops, flea markets and thrift stores.
[globetrender.com, 10 September 2025]

salvaged stay noun [C]
/ˈsæl.vɪdʒd ˌsteɪ/
an old building that has been converted from its original purpose into a hotel

“Travellers are craving more than just a place to sleep; they want a story to tell,” explains Melanie Fish, spokesperson for Expedia Group. “Salvaged stays are the perfect blend of character, culture and comfort. This year alone I’ve stayed in an old post office, a prison and a warehouse – the past definitely has a future in hospitality.”
[countryliving.com, 21 October 2025]

About new words

frost-jacking noun [U]
UK /ˈfrɒstdʒæk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈfrɑːstdʒæk.ɪŋ/
the act of stealing a car that has been left unattended with the engine running to defrost it in very cold weather

Drivers have been issued a warning after three cars were stolen during a “frost-jacking” spree in Fife on Friday. The thefts occurred between 8am and 8.50am while the vehicles were left defrosting outside properties. Detective inspector Sammi Davidson said: “With temperatures expected to remain low I would urge residents not to leave their cars unattended as it only takes seconds for an opportunist to take the vehicle.”
[news.stv.tv, November 2025]

See also carjacking

ghost charging noun [U]
UK /ˈgəʊst ˌtʃɑː.dʒɪŋ/ US /ˈgoʊst ˌtʃɑːr.dʒɪŋ/
the act of using a charging bay for an electric vehicle as a parking space and not actually charging your car while you are parked there

Ghost charging is when an EV driver uses a dedicated charging bay simply to take a handy parking space. They park up and plug in when they don’t need to charge, to the annoyance of other EV drivers who do need to charge.
[www.petalite.io, 2 April 2025]

T-plate noun [C]
/ˈtiːpleɪt/
a square, white sign with a green letter T on it, attached to the back and the front of a vehicle that is being driven by a tourist in an area where road accidents are frequent

Tourists driving in the Highlands are being encouraged to display “T-plates” in the hope it will reduce accidents. The signs are intended to alert other road users that the driver might not be familiar with Scotland’s roads. It comes after Transport Scotland warned earlier this year that the number of crashes caused by “inexperience of driving on the left” had increased sharply.
[bbc.co.uk/news, 11 September 2025]

About new words

Rad noun [C]
/ræd/
abbreviation for “rich autumn dad”: a man who dresses in the style of wealthy country gentlemen, for example wearing tweed and corduroy clothes, even if he is young and has no children

The leader of this new style pack, known among fashion watchers as the Rads, is David Beckham. The former England football captain appears in Country Life in a variety of looks including a tweed blazer and corduroy trousers. British country attire is now being embraced by men of all ages who want to emulate old money style. They may not be rich. They may not be a dad. But they can still look like a Rad.
[theguardian.com, 24 October 2025]

Gen Z stare noun [C]
UK /ˌdʒen zed ˈsteə/ US /ˌdʒen ziː ˈsteər/
a facial expression, used of young people, where the face appears blank and emotionless, generally to signal indifference or boredom

The Gen Z generation is getting a lot of press lately, sending shock waves through the work world with something called the “Gen Z stare.” It’s described as a long, blank and expressionless stare in a variety of social situations. Although many critics reduce the look to a silly, disengaged expression, experts argue that … the ‘Gen Z stare’ is more than just a viral buzzword; it is not a new problem, but it is a pervasive one, highlighting a larger issue in today’s workplace: a growing generational disconnect in employee communication and expectations.
[forbes.com, 21 July 2025]

hub-son noun [C]
/ˈhʌb.sʌn/
an adult male who continues to live with his parents, contributes little or nothing financially, but does housework and other household chores

Basically, a hub-son (a play on husband/son, obviously) is a son who lives at home with his mom/parents, holding no job other than performing traditional household tasks. Think of them like a stay-at-home tradwife, but … just an unmarried son who doesn’t want to move out of mommy’s house. But hey, in this economy, can we blame ’em?
[vice.com, 8 October 2025]

About new words

vibe working noun [U]
UK /ˈvaɪb ˌwɜː.kɪŋ/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌwɝː.kɪŋ/
a way of completing work tasks, such as creating documents or spreadsheets, by prompting an artificial intelligence tool with a general idea of what you want rather than giving it detailed instructions

Microsoft describes “vibe working” as collaboration between people and AI agents inside its productivity apps. Instead of giving a one-time response, the updated Copilot AI tools generate, test, and refine content while users steer the direction, more like a dialogue.
[geekwire.com, 29 September 2025]

boomerslop noun [U]
UK /ˈbuː.mə.slɒp/ US /ˈbuː.mɚ.slɑːp/
low-quality internet content that has been created by artificial intelligence and that is designed to appeal to people from the baby boomer generation

First, let me explain boomerslop: It’s AI slop that’s particularly appealing to a Facebook-loving boomer. I say this with love and affection for baby boomers. Time comes for us all, and every generation gets roasted for its digital foibles. Boomerslop isn’t even necessarily made by boomers. (Meta told me that boomers aren’t the majority of Meta AI users.) But, let’s say, this stuff is spiritually boomerish — it appeals to a boomer sensibility.
[businessinsider.com, 6 November 2025]

See also boomer, slop

clanker noun [C]
UK /ˈklæŋkəʳ/ US /ˈklæŋkɚ/
a derogatory way of referring to a robot, chatbot or anything else that uses artificial intelligence

Clanker has become a go-to slur against A.I. on social media, led by Gen Z and Gen Alpha posters. In recent months, posts about clankers have amassed hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and Instagram and started thousands of conversations on X.
[nytimes.com, 31 August 2025]

About new words

throning noun [U]
UK /ˈθrəʊnɪŋ/ US /ˈθroʊnɪŋ/
dating someone because they increase your social status and reputation

“Throning is when someone positions their partner as a status symbol,” Chan says. “It’s about dating someone specifically because they elevate your image. The name comes from the idea of putting someone ‘on a throne’ to boost your own clout/social capital.”
[usatoday.com, 21 October 2025]

swag gap noun [C]
/ˈswæg ˌgæp/
a situation in which one partner in a relationship is widely seen as much more stylish, confident, or successful than the other

We’ve all seen them. Couples strolling down the street, totally loved up but worlds apart in style. One might be effortlessly chic, while the other looks… less so. Now, the internet has a name for it: enter the “swag gap”, a new term used to define couples with obvious style differences (as well as disparities in confidence or just all-round vibe).
[graziadaily.co.uk, 28 October 2025]

shrekking noun [C]
/ˈʃrekɪŋ/
dating someone you think is less physically attractive than you, in the belief that they will treat you better and be a more appreciative and loyal partner

Now another new and potentially toxic trend has arrived — shrekking. For lack of better words, the idea is that you date a conventionally unattractive suitor vis-a-vis Disney’s Shrek and keep your fingers crossed that their amiable character eventually makes you fancy them … Many have branded shrekking as one of social media’s nastiest trends. Experts have said the trend is inherently unfair to the partner that you see as being less attractive.
[standard.co.uk, 2 November 2025]

About new words

fambushing noun [U]
/ˈfæm.bʊʃɪŋ/
using a location-sharing app to find out where your parent is and then turning up without warning, often hoping to eat with them, get a lift home, or be given some other help

Gen Z is taking digital surveillance to the next level with a trend called “fambushing,” where kids show up unannounced at their parents’ hangouts to ask for snacks, Starbucks, or rides. According to YPulse, 75% of tweens have their location tracked by parents, but now many parents are finding themselves tracked just as closely, or even more so, by their own kids.
[ypulse.com, 23 June 2025]

no-habiting noun [U]
UK /nəʊ.ˈhæb.ɪtɪŋ/ US /noʊ.ˈhæb.ɪtɪŋ/
the situation where you do not live with someone you are in a committed sexual relationship with

Just when you thought dating couldn’t get any more complicated, along comes “no-habiting” – the revolutionary concept of not moving in with your partner. Groundbreaking stuff, really. Who would’ve thought that maintaining your own space while dating could be considered a “trend”?
[totalapexliving.com, 17 September 2025]

See also cohabiting

mankeeping noun [U]
/ˈmæn.kiː.pɪŋ/
the efforts some women make to support their male partner, especially when he does not have many friends and relies on her for most of his emotional or social needs

“Mankeeping” captures how women often act as emotional anchors, social organisers, and unofficial therapists for their male partners, largely because men have fewer close friendships and support systems,” explains integrative therapist Dr Isabel Kloiber.
[cosmopolitan.com, 6 August 2025]

About new words

dry texting noun [U]
/ˌdraɪ ˈtekstɪŋ/
sending very short text messages, sometimes with one-word answers to questions, which may suggest the sender is not interested in the person they are texting

Sometimes, dry texting is harmless. Other times, it can quietly erode a connection, making you or the other person feel ignored or unimportant. In relationships, whether romantic, friendly, or professional, the tone of communication matters as much as the words themselves.
[makeheadway.com, 21 August 2025]

social snacking noun [U]
UK /ˌsəʊ.ʃəl ˈsnækɪŋ/ US /ˌsoʊ.ʃəl ˈsnækɪŋ/
short or casual interactions that make someone feel more connected to others

Social snacking is something different. It’s usually quick and incidental—it just happens to occur while we’re doing something else—but it’s not the primary focus or intention. It might be a few brief words exchanged with the barista while they’re making your morning order [or] a shared joke with someone in a supermarket queue.
[signsmag.com, 1 August 2025]

otrovert noun [C]
UK /ˈɒt.rə.vɜːt/ US /ˈɑː.trə.vɝːt/
someone who may be outgoing and friendly but does not enjoy interacting with groups of people and often feels on the outside of society

If you’re not a joiner, secretly feel like an outsider in any group, feel awkward in groups and uneasy in public, you might be an otrovert, a personality type defined by a sense of “non-belonging”. Otroverts are outsiders who are treated like insiders. Contrary to being shunned, like other outsiders, they are always welcome into the fold. They simply don’t feel like they belong to the group and never did.
[afr.com, 23 July 2025]

About new words

broccoli perm noun [C]
UK /ˈbrɒk.ᵊl.i ˌpɜːm/ US /ˈbrɑː.kᵊl.i ˌpɝːm/
a hairstyle where the back and sides are short but the top is longer and curly

The first images from the movie’s set showed that Kent’s new look consists of voluminous curls on top, with short, discreet sides — a style that is now being referred to as the “broccoli perm.” From TikTok to bros, and from bros to the streets, today, the broccoli perm is everywhere. Or at least, everywhere there are kids under the age of 20.
[english.elpais.com, 17 January 2025]

bixie noun [C]
/ˈbɪk.si/
a hairstyle that is a cross between a bob and a pixie cut

The bixie is exactly what it sounds like. Half-bob, half-pixie, the vibe is casual and undone, like a grown-out pixie cut, or a choppier, more mussed-up bob. Pixie Geldof has the most perfect bixie cut, in my opinion (hers used to be a pixie, but she let it grow out).
[vogue.co.uk, 13 June 2025]

mullet gardening noun [U]
UK /ˈmʌl.ɪt ˌgɑː.dᵊn.ɪŋ/ US /ˈmʌl.ɪt ˌgɑːr.dᵊn.ɪŋ/
an approach to gardening that leaves the front part well-maintained and neat while allowing the back to grow wild, in a similar way to the mullet hairstyle

Meet mullet gardening: tidy at the front, wild at the back. This approach to the management of borders, lawns and even entire gardens puts wildlife at the forefront while saving you effort – here’s how it works and why you should try it in your garden.
[rhs.org.uk, 18 July 2025]

About new words