Gaslighting in Merriam-Webster's word of the year.
The dictionary defines gaslighting as “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.”
Merriam-Webster says it saw a 1,740% increase in lookups for the word in 2022.
Gaslighting is a word that has taken on renewed interest in the digital age. Various types of "gaslighting" can be seen on social media, dating websites and apps, and the dark web.
Merriam-Webster notes that it's different from a lie for a fraud.
"Unlike lying, which tends to be between individuals, and fraud, which tends to involve organizations, gaslighting applies in both personal and political contexts," Merriam-Webster notes.
The dictionary says gaslighting's origins date back to a 1938 play based on a man attempting to make his wife believe she was going insane.
