SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Merriam-Webster has named “slop” its word of the year for 2025, a term that has evolved from describing pig food to characterizing low-quality digital content produced by artificial intelligence.

The Springfield-based dictionary publisher selected the word based on a significant surge in online searches, according to Senior Editor and Lexicographer Emily Brewster. “We base our word of the year on what the words that people have looked up at merriamwebster.com,” she explained. “And ‘slop’ was very clearly in many, many people’s minds in a way that it just wasn’t before ‘AI slop’ became part of our everyday lives.”

The dictionary defines slop in its modern context as digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence. “It’s very interesting what it says about our culture in 2025 and what the human experience online is in 2025,” she added.

The term has gained prominence as AI-generated content becomes increasingly prevalent across digital platforms. Users encounter AI in Google searches and social media feeds daily. “But when people are talking about ‘slop,’ they’re really talking about the effusion of these images that are clearly created by AI and that are just suddenly everywhere,” Brewster said.

The word selection aligns with recent research showing American attitudes toward artificial intelligence. A Pew Research study found Americans are significantly more concerned than excited about AI in their daily lives, contributing to the negative connotation of ‘slop.’ “It’s almost like they’re putting it in its place, you know, saying like, we don’t really like this. We don’t really like you,” Brewster noted.

The study revealed generational differences in AI awareness, with 62 percent of those under age 30 saying they’ve heard or read a lot about artificial intelligence, compared to 32 percent among ages 65 and up. “It’s getting harder and harder to tell,” Brewster said about distinguishing AI-generated content from human-created material.

As AI technology continues advancing, identifying the difference between ‘slop’ and substantial content becomes increasingly important for digital consumers.

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