Merriam Webster

Merriam-Webster has chosen "authentic" as its word of the year for 2023, citing a substantial increase in searches for its definition. According to CNN, the heightened interest is attributed to talks about truth, facts, AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media. Celebrities like Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, and Elon Musk have also contributed to the popularity of the term by highlighting the importance of being "authentic" in any given situation.