Merriam-Webster named "authentic" the word of the year, in its annual list of the most searched terms.
"Although clearly a desirable quality, authentic is hard to define and subject to debate—two reasons it sends many people to the dictionary," Merriam-Webster said on its website.
The dictionary publisher mentions that celebrities like singers Sam Smith and Taylor Swift made statements this year about seeking their "authentic voice" and "authentic self."
The use of technology to manipulate reality through the use of artificial intelligence is another reason for more interest in authentic content.
"Authentic is what brands, social media influencers, and celebrities aspire to be. Elon Musk made headlines when he said that people should be more 'authentic' on social media," Merriam-Webster said.
Other words that were among the highlights of the year include "rizz," which means "romantic appeal or charm."
"Deepfake," or "an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said," was also on the list.
Another highly searched word was the verb "indict," as it became popular in the news this year because of indictments against former President Donald Trump, the dictionary publisher said.
