Collins English Dictionary Names "Mogging" 2026 Word of the Year

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“Mogging” is mogging extra hard right now.

After all, the slang word—coined by Gen Z and Gen Alpha—has been named the Collins English Dictionary’s 2026 Word of the Year.

“BREAKING NEWS The Collins Word of the Year is…mogging,” the dictionary announced on their official Instagram page Nov. 3. “Although the word has been around since the 2010s, it has now been firmly adopted by Gen Z and Gen Alpha in a playful and ironic way when someone is upstaged.”

As for what it means? 

According to the Collins English Dictionary, “mogging” is a noun defined as “the act of outshining or outperforming someone or something.”

So, in case it’s still not clear, Beyoncé was absolutely mogging when she arrived at the 2026 Met Gala in a crystal-embellished, skeleton-inspired gown. Tate McRae strutting on the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway after her performance? Mogging. 

And who could forget when Alysa Liu said her “main goal for this competition was to mog” shortly after her performance at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics? Living up to her objective, the 21-year-old scored two gold medals during the games. 

Describing the term as a “fast-growing slang word,” the Collins English Dictionary honored “mogging” with its number one spot this year because experts found there was a 210% increase in usage in 2026, the organization shared.

“‘Mogging’ has firmly entered mainstream language this year,” they explained, “becoming widely used online and a part of everyday conversation among younger generations.”

And while younger generations can take credit for the word’s rise in popularity, its origins span back to 2016. 

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

In fact, it was derived from the phrase AMOG (Alpha Male of the Group), the Collins English Dictionary wrote on their Language Lovers blog, a noun initially used in bodybuilding culture “for the most physically dominant man in the gym.”

“Fast forward to 2026 and it’s everywhere,” the blog continued. “Teenagers mog elite athletes, a new video game mogs an old favorite, and your friend’s sourdough mogs the loaf you spent all weekend proving.”

And now, “mogging” is truly outshining all other words this year.  

“The selection of 'mogging’ as Collins’ Word of the Year shows how each generation leaves its mark on language,” Collins managing director Alex Beecroft shared in a statement. “It’s a great example of how Gen Z and Gen Alpha have adopted a word and turned it into humorous slang, making the language their own and ‘mogging’ the rest of us!”’

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