Collins Dictionary names 'mogging' its word of the year
The word, which has origins in bodybuilding circles, has become a slang term for outshining someone or something.
Collins English Dictionary has declared “mogging” as its Word of the Year for 2026, highlighting the fast-growing slang term used by Generation Z and Generation Alpha to describe someone upstaged or outshined. Collins, a Glasgow-based dictionary known for capturing modern language use, defines “mogging” as outperforming or outshining someone or something.
The term, believed to have originated in bodybuilding culture around 2016, initially referred to the most dominant male in a gym. It has since evolved into a verb and gained widespread usage among younger people to express situations where someone or something appears less impressive in comparison. Collins Managing Director Alex Beecroft noted the word's reflection of younger generations' influence on language.
The dictionary reports a 210% surge in the word's usage in 2026. Other shortlisted terms included "firewave," "ghost job," "carspreading," "Manchesterism," "fricy," "friendslop," "bixie," and "P(doom)."
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