Why was '67' chosen by Dictionary.com as the word of the year?

Dictionary.com chose '67' as its word of the year 2025. The seemingly meaningless term became a widespread cultural phenomenon, reflecting the change of language in the age of social media.

67 became the word of the year even though it doesn't have any special meaning - Photo: AFP

2025 is still two months away, but the world of languages ​​already has a winner for its most anticipated title of the year.

Dictionary.com has just announced "67" (pronounced six-seven, not sixty-seven) as the word of 2025 after the word exploded on social media platforms and was widely used by young people.

"67" becomes a global language phenomenon

According to Dictionary.com, "67" is a slang term for "brain rot" - a deliberately meaningless word used for fun, absurdity, and connection.

It is the ambiguity and lack of specific definition that makes "67" stand out from many other candidates to win the top position.

"67" began appearing in widely shared clips, songs, and memes in late 2024. The word quickly became a linguistic phenomenon among middle school students in the US, then spread globally thanks to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

The origin of "67" is unclear as some believe it started with rapper Skrilla - Photo: CBS Morning

"67" is both a joke and a social symbol for the new generation, says Dr. Steve Johnson, Director of Lexicography at Dictionary Media Group.

"When someone says 'six seven' they're not just repeating a meme, they're shouting out an emotion.

"It's one of those first-year words that acts as an interjection, carrying an explosive energy that radiates and connects people, even if no one has agreed on what it actually means," he said.

According to ABC , the origins of "67" are quite vague, but clues suggest it was sparked from many different directions. One of the starting points was rapper Skrilla's song " Doot Doot (6 7)" released in 2024.

The phrase "67" is widely used on TikTok - Photo: Mashable

Around the same time, many people associated the number with NBA player LaMelo Ball, who stands exactly 6 feet 7 inches tall. Then a viral video of a boy dubbed “The 67 Kid” shouting “67” during a youth basketball game further fueled the term’s popularity.

Dictionary.com statistics show that the occurrence of "67" in October 2025 is six times higher than in all of 2024 combined. This shows the incredible speed of language spread in the age of social media, when a new generation can turn a meaningless word into a "global language" in just a few months.

In addition to "67," the shortlist for the 2025 word of the year also includes: agentic , aura farming , Gen Z stare , overtourism , tariff , and tradwife .

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vi-sao-67-duoc-dictionary-com-chon-la-tu-cua-nam-20251031103315285.htm