• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

‘Surreal’ is Merriam-Webster’s Completely Apt ‘Word of the Year’ for 2016

Andy Towle December 19, 2016 Leave a Comment

surreal

“Surreal” is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2016, the publisher announced on Monday. Surreal is defined as “marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream.”

Surreal is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year because it was looked up significantly more frequently by users in 2016 than it was in previous years, and because there were multiple occasions on which this word was the one clearly driving people to their dictionary.

There are essentially two kinds of high-volume lookups that we track: perennial words that are looked up day-in and day-out, and words that spike because of news events, politics, pop culture, or sports. By analyzing these spikes, we can get a sense as to what significant events sent people to the dictionary, and sometimes, what people think about those events.

Surreal had three major spikes in interest that were higher in volume and were sustained for longer periods of time than in past years. In March, the word was used in coverage of the Brussels terror attacks. Then, in July, we saw the word spike again: it was used in descriptions of the coup attempt in Turkey and in coverage of the terrorist attack in Nice. Finally, we saw the largest spike in lookups for surreal following the U.S. election in November.

1) 'Surreal' is one of the most common lookups following a tragedy
2) 'Surreal' is our 2016 Word of the Yearhttps://t.co/O7azAyRQC1

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) December 19, 2016

The publisher also offered nine more “notable” words people looked up this year:

Revenant
Icon
In Omnia Paratus
Bigly
Deplorable
Irregardless
Assumpsit
Faute de Mieux
Feckless

What do you think was the most surreal moment of 2016?

Topics: Uncategorized More Posts About: language, Nation

Related Posts
  • Bright Light x 2, ‘The One’, Taylor Swift, Donny Deutsch, Sarah Paulson, Demi Lovato, Mohammed Bin Salman: HOT LINKS
  • Marco Rubio, Tina Turner Trailer, Amazon Data, Stanley Tucci’s Italy, NYC Pride, Jamal Khashoggi, Nick Jonas: HOT LINKS
  • Yucatan, John Waters, Ted Cruz Piñata, J+J Vaccine, Hillary Thriller, Tom Holland’s Legs, Boris Johnson’s Blind Spot: HOT LINKS
  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed the birth of their son as they got stuck in traffic on their way to the hospital. The couple – who have been …Read More »
  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

      Published by Radar Online   MEGA Fresh off his loss in a primary election in North Carolina, soon-to-be outgoing Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn is now calling for a new party to form on the right. …Read More »
  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department will release $5 million for states to establish hotlines to report hate crime, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Friday, as a mass shooting in …Read More »
  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common …Read More »
Previous Post: « Did the New Star Wars Film ‘Rogue One’ Just Debut the Franchise’s First Gay Characters? [SPOILERS]
Next Post: Activists Targeted in Brutal Homophobic Assault by Men Yelling ‘Trump, Trump, Trump’ »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

    New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

  • Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

    Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

  • NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

    NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

  • Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

    Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

Break

  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

    Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

  • Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

    Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

  • Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

    Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

  • Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

    Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

RSS Partner Links

  • Song of the Day: 'Push It' by Salt-N-Pepa
  • Saturday 'Stache
  • Duchess Kate wore Roland Mouret to the ‘Top Gun’ premiere: sleek or boring?
  • “Gisele Bundchen breaks down some of her most iconic looks” links
  • Marion Cotillard Wears Shorts to 'Brother & Sister' Premiere During Cannes Film Festival
  • Jessica Chastain Reunites With Oscar Isaac For 'Scenes From A Marriage' Event in NYC
  • Four 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Members Are Leaving After the Season Finale on May 21
  • Tilda Swinton & Idris Elba Generate Oscar Buzz at Cannes with 'Three Thousand Years of Longing'
  • Let's Talk About Sex

Most Recent

  • Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

    Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

  • Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

    Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

  • 25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

    25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Log in