Every year, Webster’s Dictionary likes to add new words. This makes sense, as new words are constantly being made and used by people. It would only make sense for one of the most official dictionaries to keep up with these newer words. But this year, they went in some…interesting directions. 

Among the list of new words, are a few that make genuine sense. Supply chains are something that we have been hearing a lot about recently from the pandemic. And terraforming is a word that I am honestly surprised was not already in there. Shrinkflation even makes some sense due to how many news sources have covered it. But then there are some more questionable words. 

Cringe is a word I never thought I could use in Scrabble, but there it is. Janky is also a bit of a strange term, given it has fairly specific usages. And MacGyver is apparently a word now. Level up also seems just a bit out of place among some of these words. 

Then there are the ones that are really weird. Dumbphone is now an official word, in an official dictionary. Instead of it just being an older phone, now it is a dumbphone. For some reason. Also sus is a word. I honestly do not know how to respond to that. And pwn is an official word now, and it does not even have any vowels. But my personal favorite new word has to be adorkable. I have never heard this word be used before. I mean, it probably does not help that I do not use Twitter, but that is not the point right now.  

I can see why some of these words were added, since some have become fairly common to use. Still, some of these just seem a little off. How is hoglet, which is already a British word, a new addition, but it took until now for pumpkin spice to be added? While it is still a little jarring to see these in an official dictionary, a good chuckle can still be had with some of them. Especially yeet. Most certainly yeet.