"Rizz" and "simp" among Merriam-Webster's newest dictionary entries

The Merriam-Webster dictionary wants to get with the times, and its September update makes that plenty clear.

“Signs of a healthy language include words being created, words being borrowed from other languages, and new meanings being given to existing words,” Merriam-Webster said. “Based on our most recent research, we are pleased to inform you that English is very (very!) healthy.”

New words have been added to the dictionary, including “rizz,” “simp,” “bussin’,” “thirst trap,” and “girlboss.” And if you don’t know what they mean, perhaps you ought to hang out with some young ‘uns or expand your friend circle.

Last month, Dictionary.com also updated its database, adding words such as “nepo baby,” “jawn,” and “Blursday.”

While many of these words might come off as “teen speak,” they aren’t always just that. Several have been around for ages and are part of African-American Vernacular English or slang.

“Bussin’,” for example, is one such word. It describes something excellent but is mainly used as an adjective for something delicious.

“Smashburger” also made the dictionary this month, even though you’ve seen it on menus for decades.

Another word that describes an action you might already be doing is “doomscroll.” The verb means “to spend excessive time online scrolling through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.”

And after months of being used in think pieces and tweets, the term “quiet quitting” is also part of the dictionary. It was added so late that there’s already a phenomenon called “loud quitting.”

What do you think of these words? Are any of them new to you?

Check out the complete list of new words here.