The slang term "mogging," which emerged from the manosphere, has been named Collins English Dictionary's word of the year. The term has seen a significant rise in usage over the past year, moving from its origins in online communities focused on hyper-masculine content into mainstream discourse, celebrity culture, and even everyday vocabulary.
Collins defines "mogging" as "the act of outshining or outperforming someone or something." This playful interpretation has led to its widespread use in online discussions, particularly concerning celebrity culture. Language consultant Tony Thorne of King's College London noted instances of its adoption into casual conversation, such as someone being "walk-mogged" for walking slower than another person.
The word gained wider traction through influencers like Clavicular, known for content where he attempts to "mog" people in public. A viral moment occurred when a streamer was described as having been "brutally frame mogged."
Linguists trace the term's origins to the acronym AMOG (Alpha Male of the Group), which appeared on bodybuilding and incel message boards in the 2010s. It was later adopted and diffused by a younger audience, initially carrying a connotation of extreme competitiveness and the urge to dominate.
"They started to diffuse it," Thorne explained. "It was a toxic term about extreme competitiveness, the urge to dominate. People then started to use it ironically and teasingly." This evolution is echoed by figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger, who posted footage from his bodybuilding days with a caption acknowledging the term "frame mogging."
Thorne suggests that "mogging" has largely been "detoxified" as its current usage often retains a sense of mockery or irony, rather than aggressive competitiveness. He believes that for many young people using the term today, it no longer carries unhealthy connotations. British Vogue and figure skater Alysa Liu have used the term in contexts reflecting this more mainstream and playful understanding.
Despite its evolution, a competitive element remains inherent in how the word is used. Thorne noted that the language "still retains this element of hyper-individual, competitive performance culture." This is evident in online debates comparing celebrities and performers, such as discussions around People magazine's "sexiest man alive" or comparisons between singers Zara Larsson and Tate McRae, where one's performance was described as having "mogged" the other.