TIME for Kids | Word of the Year

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The dictionary publisher highlights a word every year. The selection is based on searches on the company’s website and on world events. One definition of authentic is “not false or…" /> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2023-12-01T15:31:15+00:00" /> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2023-12-01T15:31:15+00:00" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Time for Kids" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231208_news_word.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1024" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="683" /> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta name="twitter:text:title" content="Word of the Year" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231208_news_word.jpg?w=640" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Merriam-Webster has announced its 2023 word of the year: authentic. The dictionary publisher highlights a word every year. 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</div> </div> </div> </div> </header> </div> <div id="scrollable-content"> <main> <a id="main-content"></a> <div class="site-container--full"> <div class="article-show" > <div class="article-show__wrapper"> <div class="article-show__conatiner"> <div class="article-show__header"> <ul class="article-show__content-sections"> <li> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/sections/arts-and-culture/">Arts</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/topics/culture/">Culture</a> </li> </ul> <h1 class="article-show__content-title">Word of the Year</h1> <div class="article-show__content-meta"> <h3 class="article-show__content-date">December 1, 2023</h3> <h4 class="article-show__content-author"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/authors/cristina-fernandez/">Cristina Fernandez</a> <span class="article-show__content-date"> </span> </h4> </div> </div> <div class="article-show__availabilities dont-print"> <ul class="availabilities"> <li 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Recent choices include gaslighting and pandemic.</span> <span class="credit">STEPHEN BLUE FOR TIME FOR KIDS</span> </figcaption> </div> </figure> <div class="article-show__content-article"> <p>Merriam-Webster has announced its 2023 word of the year: <em>authentic</em>. The dictionary publisher highlights a word every year. The selection is based on searches on the company’s website and on world events. </p> <p>One definition of <em>authentic</em> is “not false or imitation: real, actual.” The word has been used in this sense because of the rise of AI-generated images and text. “We don’t always trust what we see anymore,” says Merriam-Webster editor Peter Sokolowski. </p> <p>The word also means “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.” This year, celebrities and global leaders have said they strive to be authentic in their words and actions. Other top words of 2023 are <em>deepfake</em>, <em>indict</em>, and <em>rizz</em>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="site-container"> <div> <div class="article-show__related-articles dont-print"> <h3 class="list-header">More from Arts</h3> <div class="articles g34"> <div class="c-article-preview " > <div class="c-article-preview__image"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/medals-of-honor/" tabindex="-1" > <div class="c-article-preview__image-container"> <img src="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/G3G5_250214_medals_of_honor.jpg?w=1024" alt=""/> </div> </a> </div> <div class="c-article-preview__wrapper"> <div class="c-article-preview__content"> <h3 class="c-article-preview__section"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/topics/books/">Books</a> </h3> <h2 class="c-article-preview__title"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/medals-of-honor/" >Medals of Honor</a> </h2> <div class="c-article-preview__date"> February 6, 2025 </div> <p class="c-article-preview__text"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/medals-of-honor/" tabindex="-1" >Now read this! The Newbery and Caldecott Medals were given out by the American Library Association on January 27. The yearly awards are important distinctions in children’s literature. The Caldecott Medal is given to a remarkable picture-book illustrator. This year’s…</a> </p> <div class="c-article-preview__availability"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon c-article-preview--audio"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-image"></div> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-text">Audio</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-article-preview " data-platform="yhj"> <div class="c-article-preview__image"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/your-hot-job/articles/real-talk-with-jackie-bae-storyboard-artist" tabindex="-1" data-platform-modal="yhj"> <div class="c-article-preview__image-container"> <img src="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/themes/tfk/build/assets/images/curl-yhj.png" alt="Content available on Your Hot Job" class="c-article-preview__platform c-article-preview__platform--yhj" /> <img src="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/G3G5_250131_YHJ_Jackie_Bae.jpg?w=1024" alt=""/> </div> </a> </div> <div class="c-article-preview__wrapper"> <div class="c-article-preview__content"> <h3 class="c-article-preview__section"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/topics/careers/">Careers</a> </h3> <h2 class="c-article-preview__title"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/your-hot-job/articles/real-talk-with-jackie-bae-storyboard-artist" data-platform-modal="yhj">Real Talk with Jackie Bae</a> </h2> <div class="c-article-preview__date"> January 28, 2025 </div> <p class="c-article-preview__text"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/your-hot-job/articles/real-talk-with-jackie-bae-storyboard-artist" tabindex="-1" data-platform-modal="yhj">TFK Kid Reporter Disha Rai spoke with Jackie Bae, a storyboard artist living in Los Angeles, California. As a storyboard artist, Bae helps visually outline animated TV shows, turning text into images that tell a story. She’s worked for various…</a> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-article-preview " > <div class="c-article-preview__image"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/apeeling-artwork/" tabindex="-1" > <div class="c-article-preview__image-container"> <img src="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/G3G5_241129_apeeling_artwork_1.jpg?w=1024" alt=""/> </div> </a> </div> <div class="c-article-preview__wrapper"> <div class="c-article-preview__content"> <h3 class="c-article-preview__section"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/topics/business/">Business</a> </h3> <h2 class="c-article-preview__title"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/apeeling-artwork/" >Apeeling Artwork</a> </h2> <div class="c-article-preview__date"> November 21, 2024 </div> <p class="c-article-preview__text"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/apeeling-artwork/" tabindex="-1" >How much would you pay for a banana taped to a wall? That question was on everyone’s mind at Sotheby’s, the New York City auction house, on November 20. The artwork was auctioned to the highest bidder. Final price: $6.2…</a> </p> <div class="c-article-preview__availability"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon c-article-preview--audio"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-image"></div> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-text">Audio</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-article-preview " > <div class="c-article-preview__image"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/droid-for-sale/" tabindex="-1" > <div class="c-article-preview__image-container"> <img src="https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Snapshot_20240223.jpg?w=1024" alt=""/> </div> </a> </div> <div class="c-article-preview__wrapper"> <div class="c-article-preview__content"> <h3 class="c-article-preview__section"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/topics/movies-and-television/">Movies and Television</a> </h3> <h2 class="c-article-preview__title"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/droid-for-sale/" >Droid for Sale</a> </h2> <div class="c-article-preview__date"> February 15, 2024 </div> <p class="c-article-preview__text"> <a href="https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/droid-for-sale/" tabindex="-1" >Star Wars fans will soon bid on this light-up C3PO head from the film Return of the Jedi. It will be auctioned with other film and TV items  by Propstore in Val…</a> </p> <div class="c-article-preview__availability"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon c-article-preview--audio"> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-image"></div> <div class="c-article-preview__icon-text">Audio</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="share-container"> <div class="share-container__wrapper"> <div class="share-container__content"> <div class="share-container__col"> <div class="share-container__col-image share-container__col-image-link share_link" id="copy-link"></div> <h2>Share a Link</h2> <ol> <li>Click the icon above to copy the url link to your clipboard.</li> <li>Paste the link into the location in which you share assignments with students. 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TIME for Kids | Word of the Year