‘Gaslighting’ Is the Word Americans Most Want Defined in 2026

The national list reads less like a vocabulary quiz and more like a record of which concepts Americans are encountering.

An entry in the Oxford English Dictionary, defining a dictionary, pictured August 29, 2010. — An entry in the Oxford English Dictionary, defining a dictionary, pictured August 29, 2010. AP Photo

JOSEPH CURL

Published: Jul 13, 2026, 10:47 AM ET
Updated:Jul 13, 2026, 11:23 AM ET