Thinking back on 2017, there are several different words that could sum up the year: sexist, racist, hell even just terrifying. But according to Dictionary.com the word of the year is simply, complicit.
The site defines complicit as "choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having partnership or involvement in wrongdoing." And over the course of 2017, searches for the word increased 300% and spiked three separate times.
The first spike occurred after SNL released a mock "Complicit" perfume commercial staring Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka Trump.
View this video on YouTube
It then spiked again when the real Ivanka Trump used the word during an interview, and a third time after Senator Jeff Flake used the word in his retirement speech.
View this video on YouTube
The site decided on complicit both because of how many issues it touched throughout the year, and also to honor those who, even in the face of wrongdoing, chose not to be complicit.
The site warned users that choosing to do nothing, and to say nothing is, in fact, being complicit, "We must not let this continue to be the norm. If we do, then we are all complicit." Naturally people were quick note how shady this word selection seemed.
@Dictionarycom @connortryan
But most applauded the site for making such a bold statement in choosing complicit as word of the year.
"Complicit means 'choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having partner… https://t.co/uiee1qn71U
Here's to hoping 2018's word of the year is something a little more... delicious?
