In an emblematic move highlighting the shifting dynamics of digital content, Merriam-Webster has named ‘slop’ as its 2025 Word of the Year. Defined as low-quality digital content mass-produced by artificial intelligence, ‘slop’ encapsulates growing concerns about the proliferation of AI-generated material across the internet.
The term ‘slop’ reflects a significant critique of AI’s role in generating content that spans industries, including questionable examples like ARK: Survival Evolved’s AI-driven trailer and AI-generated advertisements from brands such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s Netherlands. This modern usage marks a stark evolution from its 1700s origin, where it referred to ‘soft mud,’ to becoming a descriptor of automated digital content that many perceive as lacking in quality.
Recent studies suggest that nearly 75% of new online content is now created by AI, leading to what some describe as a ‘slop economy.’ Here, advertising revenues increasingly drive the mass production of low-value content, raising concerns about a digital divide. This divide distinguishes those who have access to premium, paywalled material from the broader audience consuming readily available AI-generated content.
Further illustrating its timeliness, the term ‘slop’ joins other tech-linked lexicon additions such as ‘AI slop,’ ‘ragebait,’ and ‘vibe coding,’ chosen by dictionaries this year. These selections continue the trend of capturing the evolving landscape of internet culture, drawing attention to the complexities and criticisms of AI’s expanding influence in content creation.

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Merriam-Webster named 'slop' as 2025 Word of the Year, defining it as low-quality AI-generated digital content. The term reflects growing concerns about AI's role in content creation, with studies showing nearly 75% of new online content is now AI-generated. This has led to a 'slop economy' driven by advertising revenues, creating a digital divide between premium paywalled content and freely available AI-generated material. The selection joins other tech-related terms like 'AI slop,' 'ragebait,' and 'vibe coding' in capturing the evolving landscape of internet culture.

Merriam-Webster Names 'Slop' as 2025 Word of the Year: Highlighting Concerns of AI-Generated Content