Merriam-Webster Adds ‘Beach Read,’ ‘IDGAF,’ and 24 More New Words to the Dictionary

Merriam-Webster recently announced its latest slate of additions to the dictionary—some 200 new words and definitions that, as usual, are an eclectic blend of ones you probably assumed already had entries and others you’re surprised to see at all.

The former category includes burrata, a soft and creamy mozzarella with a 100-year history; and true crime, which Merriam-Webster defines as “a nonfiction genre of literature, film, podcasts, etc. that depicts and examines real crime cases.” Heat index was heretofore unrepresented in this dictionary, too—likely a shock to anyone with a weather eye.

In the latter camp there’s IDGAF, an internet initialism that allows you to drop an f-bomb without actually spelling it out; and badassery, “the state or condition of being a badass.” (Badass already had its own entry.)

Together, the new recruits provide a fascinating snapshot of today’s culture through language, from the political arena (see far left and far right) to the natural world. (The spotted lanternfly, everyone’s least favorite invasive species, has officially infiltrated the dictionary.)

Merriam-Webster highlighted a couple dozen of the buzziest terms, which you can peruse with their definitions in the chart below. To learn more about each one—from its history to how it’s used—you can find its full entry on Merriam-Webster.com.

Term	Merriam-Webster's Definition
Badassery	The state or condition of being a badass: a badass quality or character
Beach read	A usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance)
Burrata	Mozzarella formed into a ball-shaped casing that contains curds and cream
Capicola	A seasoned Italian pork that is cut from the neck and top shoulder that is often brined and sometimes baked or roasted, and that is cured in a casing
Cash grab	The greedy pursuit of an opportunity for making money especially when done without regard for ethics, concerns, or consequences
Classical liberalism	A political philosophy based on the belief that freedom of the individual is paramount and that government’s role should be largely limited to protecting that freedom
Creepy-crawly	An organism (such as a spider, beetle, or cockroach) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground and is often considered unwanted or unpleasant
Dungeon crawler	A video game where the gameplay is primarily focused on defeating enemies while exploring a usually randomly generated labyrinthine or dungeon-like environment
Far left	The group of people whose political views are the most liberal or progressive
Far right	The group of people whose political views are the most conservative
For You page	A social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user’s interests
Freestyle	An improvised performance especially of a rap
Heat index	A value that indicates what the ambient temperature feels like to the human body and that is often derived from a calculation using air temperature and relative humidity
IDGAF	I don’t give a fuck
International Bitterness Unit	A unit of measurement used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is
Jam band	A band (especially a rock band) whose performances are distinguished by frequent and often lengthy jazzlike improvisation
Late capitalism	The current stage of capitalism that began in the second half of the 20th century and that is characterized by globalization, the dominance of multinational corporations, broad commodification and consumerism, and extreme wealth inequality
MAGA	A political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization and especially before the era of globalization that began in the late 20th century
Nepo baby	A person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections
Shadow ban	To cause (a user or their content) to be hidden from some or all other users usually without the user’s knowledge
Snog	To kiss and caress (someone) passionately
Spotted lanternfly	A hemipteran insect (Lycorma delicatula) of Asia and especially China that has grayish-brown forewings with black spots and red hind wings with black spots and that has been introduced to the United States where it is considered an invasive species and agricultural pest
Street corn	Grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder)
Touch grass	To participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions
True crime	A nonfiction genre of literature, film, podcasts, etc. that depicts and examines real crime cases
Ultra-processed	Containing or made primarily with highly processed ingredients including artificial additives (such as coloring, flavoring, and preservatives) and typically having high levels of fat, sugar, or salt

Learn More About Words: