How 'goblin mode' became Oxford's word of the year

It’s mindlessly binge-watching television without worrying about the time. It’s eating snacks in bed without a care about leftover crumbs. And it’s wearing the same pair of pajamas all week while working from home. Welcome to “goblin mode.”

The slang term is defined as a “type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”

This year, Oxford Languages, the creator of the Oxford English Dictionary, titled “goblin mode” as the 2022 Word of the Year, meaning it best reflected the ethos and mood of the past 12 months.