play peter_talk_about_word_of_the_year_2016
Words of the Year

2016 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Editor Peter Sokolowski talks about 'surreal' and the rest of our Word of the Year 2016 selections



How did we choose surreal as our Word of the Year for 2016? Peter Sokolowski explains the data behind our decisions, and what that tells us about what people were thinking this year.

Don't miss our in-depth look at surreal and our gallery of top trending words from 2016.

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play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

play video ending a sentence with a preposition
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

play merriam-webster eggcorns title page
What Is an Eggcorn?

 

And how did it get that name?