Parasocial is word of the year according to Cambridge Dictionary
Delulu, skibidi and tradwife have also been added to the list
‘Parasocial’ is Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year for 2025, with words like skibidi, tradwife and delulu also being added to the dictionary.
Parasocial is defined as involving a connection someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know.
Psychologists have observed how the rise of one-sided parasocial relationships has redefined fandom and celebrity.
For instance, when pop star Taylor Swift and American footballer Travis Kelce announced their engagement earlier this year, many fans felt a strong connection to them despite most not having met them.
Parasocial relationships highlighted as growing trend
The parasocial relationships that people form with online influencers and artificial intelligence chatbots have also been highlighted as part of the growing trend.
The term dates back to 1956, when two University of Chicago sociologists observed that television viewers engaged in parasocial relationships with on-screen personalities, resembling those they formed with ‘real’ family and friends.
They noted how the rapidly expanding medium of television brought the faces of actors directly into viewers’ homes, making them fixtures in people’s lives.
Simone Schnall, professor of experimental social psychology at the University of Cambridge, said parasocial was an “inspired choice” for word of the year.
“We’ve entered an age where many people form unhealthy and intense parasocial relationships with influencers.
“This leads to a sense that people ‘know’ those they form parasocial bonds with, can trust them and even to extreme forms of loyalty.
“Yet it’s completely one-sided."
She also commented on the effect this may have on young people:
“Parasocial trends take on a new dimension as many people treat AI tools like ChatGPT as ‘friends’, offering positive affirmations, or as a proxy for therapy.
“This is an illusion of a relationship and group think, and we know young people can be susceptible for this.”
6,000 new words added to dictionary
Cambridge Dictionary has added some 6,000 new words this year including “delulu”, a play on the word delusional, gibberish word “skibidi” and “tradwife”, short for traditional wife.
Other words noted as having an impact this year include “slop”, in reference to content on the internet that is of very low quality, especially when it is created by artificial intelligence.
Another is “memeify”, meaning to turn an event, image or person into a meme – an idea, joke, image or video that is spread quickly on the internet.