M axxing is not a new concept. Dungeons and Dragons players have been “min-maxing” character stats for years; Will Smith was maxin’ and relaxin’ in the 90s; as far back as the 40s, the term was used in game theory.

But in the past few years, as all facets of our lives are optimized, the suffix has become inescapable. We’re personalitymaxxing to charm our peers and sleepmaxxing to get the best possible rest; the Pentagon brags about “ lethalitymaxxing ”.

The explosion in the word’s use has made it Dictionary.com ’s word of the year for 2026.

To choose each year’s word, Dictionary.com staffers investigate search trends, social media and the news, “and then we ask ourselves what’s telling the most compelling story of the year”, says Steve Johnson, director of lexicography for the Dictionary Media Group. “This year, maxxing stood out because it really connects to so many different parts of life.…