'Mogging' named Collins Word of the Year 2026: what it means

If a teenager has told you recently that you are "mogging" someone, take it as a compliment: Collins English Dictionary has named "mogging" its Word of the Year for 2026.

The slang term, popular with Generation Z and Generation Alpha, means outperforming, outshining or upstaging someone or something. Collins says its use rose by 210% this year as it went mainstream.

How the word is chosen

Collins has picked a Word of the Year since 2013. Its lexicographers look at how often words are used and analyse patterns of usage that reveal the latest trends in the language. Recent winners include "permacrisis", "AI", "brat" and last year's "vibe coding".

Alex Beecroft, managing director of Collins, said: "The selection of 'mogging' as Collins' word of the year shows how each generation leaves its mark on language."

"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."

A word with a past

The word has a darker history. Euronews reports that it can be traced back to the acronym AMOG, short for "alpha male of the group", and was once associated with bodybuilding forums and online spaces promoting aggressive masculinity. Today, younger people have largely moved it on from those roots and usually use it playfully. If a friend says you are "mogging everyone in this room", you are doing something right.

It can also be used as a suffix, giving words like "stylemogging", "carmogging" and "lifemogging", the last meaning leading a more impressive life than others.

The runners-up

The shortlist offers a snapshot of 2026. It included "Manchesterism", a term associated with the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham; "carspreading", for the growing length and width of new cars; and "hydration break", made famous at this year's World Cup.

Other contenders were "ghost jobs", vacancies advertised with no intention of filling them; the "bixie", a haircut somewhere between a bob and a pixie cut; and "P(doom)", an estimate of the probability that AI will bring about the collapse of civilisation.

A city that loves words

Birmingham has always had a gift for language, from the Brummie accent to the city's own slang. Words like "bostin'" (brilliant) and "babby" (baby) have been part of local speech for generations.

Word of the Year lists are a reminder that English never stands still. Today's playground slang can be tomorrow's dictionary entry, and the next one might just start in a Birmingham classroom.