The Cambridge Dictionary has declared ‘parasocial’ as its Word of The Year. By definition, it is the relationships one feels between themselves and a famous person they do not personally know. The body actually stated Taylor Swift‘s engagement to Super Bowl jock Travis Kelce as one of the examples for the word.
Often limited to the academic sphere, the term wasn’t widely used in pop culture until recently. It dates back to 1956, when American sociologists had observed viewers engaging in ‘para-social’ behaviours by forming a relationship with on-screen characters. Referring to the Grammy winner, the example added, “”many fans felt a deep connection to the singer and American footballer, even though most had never met them.”
It was first coined by University of Chicago sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl. They noted the vast influence of television and audio-visual media, having a deep impact on real-life relationships between family and friends. They shared how it helped in shaping the homes, choices, and sometimes key decisions.
Examples of para-social relationships
The dictionary also cited other examples of being ‘para-social’, such as Lily Allen’s breakup album, West End Girl. It leaned into the story of her love life and her parasocial relationships with AI bots, which saw people treat them as a confident friend or romantic partner. It has been a true accelerator from human relationships to para-social relationships.
The Cambridge dictionary also went on to add ‘artificial intelligence‘ to its definition. According to the website, it reads, “involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence.”
It defined the various usages of parasocial relationship, relation, interaction, connection, grief, and breakup. Senior editor Jessica Rundell noted, “We’re not here to judge what’s a good word, what’s a bad word and whether it’s valid – it’s more if it stands the test of time and if people are using it all over place.” This came after popular Gen-Z slangs like delulu, tradwife, and skibidi were officially added to the list.
The Internet was quick to point out instances where they celebrated moments in Taylor Swift’s life like their personal win. It included the billionaire pop-star claiming the ownership of her songs, completing her education from New York University, and her engagement, one of the highlight moments in 2025 pop culture.
