Dictionary.com has announced that its 2025 Word of the Year is the viral slang term “6-7.”
The choice of “6-7” reflects the power of internet culture and Gen Alpha slang in shaping contemporary language.
The phrase is intentionally ambiguous and widely used among teenagers on social media. It can mean “so-so” or “maybe this, maybe that” and is often used as a nonsensical interjection to frustrate adults.
It is pronounced “six-seven,” never “sixty-seven.”
The term’s modern use is traced to a 2024 rap song and subsequently reinforced by viral TikTok videos, including one featuring a young boy at a basketball game known as the “67 Kid.”
@mr_lindsay_sped I defined this back in February, but here it is again! #67 #genalpha #genalphaslang #teachersoftiktok #67 ♬ original sound – Mr. Lindsay
Dictionary.com chose the term because it captures the “brainrot” culture prevalent online, ubiquitous, and widely understood by a specific in-group, yet nearly impossible to define with a single meaning, highlighting how quickly language can spread and evolve in the digital age
Other major dictionaries like Oxford, Merriam-Webster, Collins, and Cambridge have not yet made their official announcements for 2025.
