This year's words

Hello, I’m Mandeep. Welcome to my Watch and Learn English substack. My aim is to teach “real-life” English using videos and topics that are in the news.

Today we look at how the English language is changing, and what those changes tell us about modern life. Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2025 is parasocial, a word that describes the one-sided connections many people now feel with celebrities, influencers, and even AI.

Parasocial is just one of several new words added to dictionaries this year. Others, like ragebait, delulu, and aura farming, come directly from social media and online culture. Together, these words help us talk more clearly about how we communicate, form relationships, and present ourselves online.

This week we explore what these new words mean, how they are used in real English, and how you can understand them when you hear them in conversations, podcasts, or the news.

This week we have:

1. Video of the week. A short video about new words and modern online culture.

2. Vocabulary focus. New dictionary words from 2025 and how to use them naturally.

Let’s get started!

In this week’s video, presenters react to the news that Cambridge Dictionary has chosen ‘parasocial’ as its Word of the Year. Starting with the public reaction to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, they reflect on why so many people feel emotionally invested in the lives of people they’ve never met.The conversation raises an interesting question:

When does following someone online start to feel personal and where should the line be?

As you watch, think about whether you’ve ever felt this kind of connection yourself.

You can click here to watch the video for free with clear, accurate captions (not auto-generated) and even slow the playback to catch every word.

If you’d like to go deeper, click on any word in the subtitles. With unlimited access (€1.99/month), you’ll get:

• Words and phrases explained in context

• Comprehension exercises

• Mobile-friendly study on your phone

• A weekly vocabulary summary to help you remember what you’ve learned

  

Have you heard the word 'parasocial' before? Let me know in the comments!

Language is constantly changing, especially when it comes to how we talk about online life, media, and relationships. This week, we’re looking at some new words added to English dictionaries in 2025 and how they are used in real situations.

Parasocial
Definition: A one-sided relationship in which someone feels emotionally connected to a person they do not know, such as a celebrity, influencer, or AI.
Example: Many fans develop parasocial relationships with YouTubers they watch every day.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker describes feeling close to someone they have never met.

Ragebait
Definition: Content created to provoke anger or strong emotional reactions in order to attract attention or engagement.
Example: The article was pure ragebait, designed to make people argue in the comments.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker explains why they stop interacting with a post.

Skibidi
Definition: A nonsensical word or phrase from viral internet videos, often used humorously without a clear meaning.
Example: The video was full of skibidi moments and didn’t make any sense at all.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker talks about a viral video that makes no sense.

Delulu
Definition: An informal word meaning delusional, often used jokingly to describe unrealistic beliefs.
Example: Thinking your favourite celebrity will reply to your message is a bit delulu.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker gently makes fun of an unrealistic idea.

Tradwife
Definition: A woman who promotes or follows a traditional homemaker lifestyle, often discussed online.
Example: The tradwife trend has sparked a lot of debate about modern relationships.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker describes this lifestyle and the reactions to it.

Slop
Definition: Low-quality digital content, often mass-produced or AI-generated, with little originality or care.
Example: People are getting tired of online slop and want more meaningful content.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker expresses frustration with online content.

Biohack
Definition: To change habits or use technology to improve the body’s performance or health.
Example: She biohacks her sleep to feel more focused during the day.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker talks about changing their daily routine.

Aura farming
Definition: Carefully creating an online image or persona to appear attractive, powerful, or impressive.
Example: Some influencers spend hours aura farming instead of sharing real moments.
Listen: Listen to how the speaker describes influencers’ behaviour on social media.

Language changes because our lives change.These new words give us better ways to talk about online culture, identity, and how we connect with others.

Which of today’s words have you heard or used before?Try using one in your own sentence and share it in the comments.

Thank you for being part of this community of 20,000 English learners around the world.
See you next time,

Mandeep

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