In a culture where trends shift overnight and slang spreads faster than most adults can keep up with, Dictionary.com has officially announced “6-7” as the 2025 Word of the Year. Pronounced six-seven, the phrase has quickly evolved from a curious online meme into a full-blown cultural signal dominating daily conversations, especially among Gen Z and younger teens throughout the United States.
The platform’s language researchers reviewed millions of data points across digital media, search engines, comment sections, and social feeds before landing on a phrase that perfectly captures the collective mood of the moment — uncertain, shrugging, playful, and slightly chaotic.
A Word That Barely Means Anything — and Somehow Means Everything
One of the most unusual characteristics of “6-7” is that it has no single, fixed definition. Instead, its meaning shifts depending on:
context,
voice inflection,
hand gestures,
and social energy in the moment.
Young people frequently use it to communicate:
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe.”
“Could go either way.”
“It’s fine… I guess.”
It thrives on ambiguity, often accompanied by a movement resembling a casual shrug — palms raised and alternated while speaking.
“It’s part inside joke, part social signal, and part performance,” said Steve Johnson, PhD, Director of Lexicography at Dictionary Media Group. “When people say it, they’re not just repeating a meme; they’re shouting a feeling.”
Linguistically, experts say it’s rare for a Word of the Year to function primarily as an interjection — a spontaneous emotional marker rather than a structured word.
Tracing the Viral Origins
As with most internet slang, no single definitive origin exists, but several cultural touchpoints helped launch it into the mainstream.
Hip-Hop Influence
Many people credit the rise of “6-7” to hip-hop artist Skrilla and his 2024 track “Doot’Doot”. A single line — “6-7, I just bipped right on the highway” — caught fire on TikTok. Within weeks, the audio became a backdrop for comedy skits, sports edits, and dance challenges.
Basketball Culture
Others point to LaMelo Ball, the 6-foot-7 NBA point guard, whose highlights frequently sparked comment threads repeating the phrase. Youth sports culture amplified the meme through sideline chants and clips shared by sports-focused accounts.
A viral TikTok of a young basketball fan yelling “6-7” courtside at an AAU game turned the expression into a recognizable rally cry.
From Sports and Music to Everyday Speech
Once the phrase penetrated athletic communities, it began spreading into:
gaming chats,
group texts,
school hallways,
livestream comments,
and short-form video captions.
Within months, “6-7” had evolved into the ultimate reaction phrase, fill-in expression, and social glue for younger digital natives.
Teachers across the country have reported hearing the phrase echo through classrooms, often without context. Parents, meanwhile, continue searching online for confirmation that it means nothing dangerous — or meaningful at all.
The Data Behind the Decision
According to Dictionary.com:
digital media mentions of “6-7” in October 2025 were six times higher than the previous year
search queries for “What does 6-7 mean?” spiked nationally
the phrase saw widespread activity across TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Discord, and gaming voice chat
In an era where virality often determines linguistic relevance, the numbers were impossible to ignore.
Slang Evolution: Enter the Spin-Off
Naturally, variations have begun to surface — the most popular being “six sendy”, blending “6-7” with “get sendy”, a term used to describe going all-in or taking bold risks.
These variations show how digital slang mutates, often faster than dictionaries can respond.
Why This Phrase Matters Culturally
Language experts suggest that “6-7” highlights several current cultural realities:
digital-first identity — teens communicate in meme-shaped sentence fragments
comfort with ambiguity — the younger generation often embraces uncertainty
community signaling — slang builds group belonging
performance language — phrases exist for their social vibe, not meaning
Instead of clear definitions, today’s slang thrives on tone, delivery, and shared humor. It’s less about words and more about feeling seen by peers.
Other Top Contenders for 2025
Dictionary.com also released a shortlist showcasing other influential words this year:
Gen Z stare — describing the unreactive, blank facial expression popularized in youth culture
Tradwife — a woman who values traditional homemaking and rejects modern career pressure
Tariff — re-emerging in conversations around global trade and political tension
Overtourism — a growing problem as travel hotspots struggle with crowding
Each term reflects ongoing cultural conversations spanning politics, lifestyle, tourism, and generational shifts.
Parents and Educators: Still Catching Up
For many adults, decoding new slang has become a near-constant chore. The challenge isn’t understanding meanings — it’s understanding vibes. In classrooms, the phrase often interrupts lessons, functioning like a verbal shrug shared between students across the room.
Some schools have even informally discouraged it, citing distraction.
Will It Stick?
Linguists believe that, like most memes, “6-7” will fade. But its impact — demonstrating how modern slang spreads — may linger much longer.
It represents:
meme-driven language
a shift toward non-literal communication
and the rise of “group performance words”
In a world flooded with content, “6-7” is a playful acknowledgment that not everything needs to be defined.
A Signature Shrug for a Confusing Era
Ultimately, “6-7” feels like the perfect reaction to 2025’s cultural landscape — unpredictable, ironic, and slightly absurd.
It’s a phrase that refuses to explain itself… and that’s exactly why it resonates.