The Economist has named “slop” as its word of the year for 2025, describing it as “representative, if not of the whole year, at least of much of the feeling of living in it.” The term “slop,” which was first officially described in the 15th century and referred to “muck” or “mud,” has evolved over time. Today, it is often used to describe something weakly nourishing, such as bad food or information that lacks substance.
According to The Economist, the decision to select “slop” reflects a growing trend on the internet where valuable information has become diluted by less reliable content. The magazine notes that online content has shifted from being highly informative in its early days to what it now describes as “weakly valuable,” culminating in what it calls an unfortunate situation for users seeking quality information.
In the same issue, The Economist discusses a noticeable shift among consumers who are returning to trusted sources of information that are verified and edited. This trend suggests that fewer people are following unreliable content online, even if such material may entertain or reinforce existing beliefs.
The author of the commentary emphasizes the significance of this choice by stating: “Because that a major international magazine has chosen the word ‘slop’ as its word of the year for the English-speaking world at the same time that it highlights a rekindling of interest in real information, only underlines to me the importance of reminding people in our industry of the value of good science. So that while the emphasis of the scientific endeavor on replicability, process and precision of data generation can be time consuming, not entertaining and produce results that don’t always agree with a person’s preconception, it nevertheless, when done well is providing you the best description of what is really going on.”
This focus aligns with broader concerns about misinformation and underscores renewed interest in credible sources and scientific rigor.
