Cambridge Dictionary Names 'Parasocial' 2025 Word of the Year, Highlighting AI and Celebrity Culture Impact

Cambridge Dictionary's Bold Choice for 2025

Cambridge Dictionary has selected "parasocial" as its 2025 Word of the Year, marking only the second time an adjective has received this honor since "paranoid" in 2016 1

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. The dictionary defines the term as "involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence" 1

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Origins and Academic Transition

The term "parasocial" was originally coined in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl to describe how television viewers formed relationships with TV personalities 1

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. Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary Chief Editor, noted the word's evolution from academic terminology to mainstream usage: "It's interesting from a language point of view because it has made the transition from an academic term to one used by ordinary people in their social media posts" 2

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Celebrity Culture and Social Media Impact

The word gained significant traction in 2025, particularly following Taylor Swift's engagement announcement to NFL star Travis Kelce. Cambridge Dictionary reported that "global coverage of the way in which Taylor Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce caused lookups of parasocial to surge as the media dissected fans' reactions" 1

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. Fans posted reactions like "Taylor Swift is engaged and I've never felt more parasocial over someone," with many sharing videos of themselves crying tears of joy 2

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Another notable spike occurred in June when streamer iShowSpeed blocked a fan account that had published extensive assumptions about his private life. The blocked user, who identified as his "number 1 parasocial," pleaded desperately for reinstatement 2

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AI Chatbots and Growing Concerns

The rise of AI companions has added a new dimension to parasocial relationships, with many people treating AI tools like ChatGPT as friends or therapy proxies. Simone Schnall, professor of experimental social psychology at the University of Cambridge, warned about these developments: "This is an illusion of a relationship and group think, and we know young people can be susceptible for this" 1

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In August 2025, attorneys general from 44 states signed an open letter warning AI companies about the dangers of "chatbot parasocial relationships," particularly concerning children. This followed internal reports from Meta revealing that coding in its AI technology allowed chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual" 2

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. AI programs including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Character Technologies' Character.ai were linked to concerning instances of self-harm and suicide in young users 2

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