Collins names 'mogging' word of the year for 2026
Mogging, a term meaning to outperform or outshine someone, has been crowned Collins English Dictionary's word of the year.
Collins English Dictionary has named mogging its word of the year for 2026. The term means to make someone or something look inferior by comparison.
The term originated in bodybuilding culture around 2016 as a shortening of "alpha male of the group." It spread through online communities and entered mainstream slang by 2026.
Examples include teenagers outshining athletes or a new video game surpassing an old favourite. The word beat other shortlisted terms: "carspreading" (vehicles getting bigger), "ghost job" (fake job listings), and "firewave" (multiple wildfires in one area).
Collins noted that 2026's lexicon reflected competition and escalation across transport, politics, jobs and culture.
- 2016
- Mogging origin year
- more than half
- SUVs in new car sales 2025
- Imperial College London researchers, 2025
- Firewave coined
- carspreading, ghost job, firewave
- Shortlisted terms
Why it mattersThe choice reveals how language evolves and which ideas dominate public conversation, in this case, a year defined by competition and one-upping.
AustraliaAustralian English speakers now have an officially recognised British dictionary word that has already entered local slang use.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
