What's Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself

Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2023 is 'authentic.' Photo: AP

In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is "authentic.”

Authentic cuisine. Authentic voice. Authentic self. Authenticity as artifice. Look-ups for the word are routinely heavy on the dictionary company's site but were boosted to new heights throughout the year, said editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski.