It’s that time of year again.
No, not the shopping, holiday parties, weather delays at midwestern airports, or gift giving, the time of year when Merriam-Webster proclaims what their “word of the year” is.
For 2022, that lucky word is “gaslighting,” which latched itself into public consciousness and didn’t let go.
Here’s what Peter Sokolowski, the editor at large at Merriam-Webster, told the Associated Press.
“It’s a word that has risen so quickly in the English language, and especially in the last four years, that it actually came as a surprise to me and to many of us. It was a word looked up frequently every single day of the year.”
If you aren’t one of those people who looked up the definition at any point in 2022, let me help you with what it means.
“Gaslighting is the psychological manipulation of a person, usually over an extended period of time, that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.”
Or, more straightforwardly, “The act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s own advantage.”
So, gaslighting is a thing in 2022 and probably will be in 2023 as well.
It sure beats last year’s winner; vaccine.
The others that made the top 10 in 2022 are “Omicron,” “Oligarch,” “Codify,” “Sentient,” “LGBTQIA,” and “Cancel Culture.”
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