Collins Dictionary Names 'Mogging' Word of the Year
The term, popular with Gen Z and Alpha, originated in bodybuilding culture before gaining wider online traction.
Callum Smith
The word “mogging” has been crowned the Collins’ word of the year.
Generations Z and Alpha predominantly use the term in online spaces and everyday conversation. Collins Dictionary lexicographers selected the word after monitoring their extensive database, the Collins Corpus, which analyzes language across social media platforms.
The word went mainstream in 2026, according to Collins English Dictionary. It started around 2016 as a noun within bodybuilding culture, referring to the most physically dominant man in a gym.
The term then morphed into a verb and circulated within the manosphere. Rachel Quin claims the word originates as a shortening of “Amog,” standing for Alpha Male of the Group, spreading through online communities after its appearance in bodybuilding.
It’s a great example of how Gen Z and Gen Alpha have adopted a word and turned it into humorous slang.
‘Mogging’ describes making someone or something appear inferior in terms of appearance, confidence, or status. Other words on the Collins Dictionary shortlist included “ghost job”; the full shortlist featured terms related to transport, politics, climate, employment, and culture.
Alex Beecroft, from Collins, stated, "It’s a great example of how Gen Z and Gen Alpha have adopted a word and turned it into humorous slang."