Dictionary.com names 'maxxing' its 2026 Word of the Year

Derived from words such as “max”, “maximum” and “maximise”, the term is often spelt “maxxing”, with an additional “x” becoming popular in online communities. One possible explanation for the spelling is its connection with the gaming expression “min-maxing”, which describes optimising a character’s strengths and abilities to achieve the best possible results.

The term has since spread beyond gaming forums to social media, where it is used in a variety of contexts. Among its prominent forms are “looksmaxxing” and “token maxxing”. Looksmaxxing refers to efforts to improve physical appearance through grooming, clothing, fitness and other lifestyle choices.

Token maxxing, meanwhile, relates to maximising the use of artificial intelligence tools, particularly language models, in workplace tasks. AI language models process text using units known as tokens. The word can also be used on its own to describe efforts to maximise performance or results in a particular activity.

Dictionary.com said the popularity of “maxxing” reflects a wider cultural focus on achieving better results and continuously improving performance. The website selects its Word of the Year by analysing social media trends, news coverage, search data and other indicators, while also considering a word’s cultural significance.

Dictionary.com has been selecting a Word of the Year since 2010, when “change” was chosen for its inaugural selection. Other words on the 2026 shortlist included “affordability”, “data centre”, “odyssey” and “unc”, but “maxxing” emerged as the winner.