"Merriam-Webster's 2023 Word of the Year Encourages Authenticity"

Merriam-Webster has announced "authentic" as its word of the year for 2023, reflecting a crisis of authenticity in an age of deepfakes and post-truth. The increased interest in the word throughout the year is attributed to the rise of artificial intelligence, leadership crises, and public figures like Taylor Swift and Prince Harry seeking authenticity in their words and actions. Merriam-Webster's definition of "authentic" encompasses various meanings, including being real, true to oneself, conforming to an original, and reproducing essential features. Other notable words that attracted attention in 2023 include "rizz," "kibbutz," "implode," "deadname," and "doppelganger."