This ‘brainrot’ has been named America’s most cringeworthy phrase

ORLANDO, Fla. – Preply has released its list of the nation’s most “cringeworthy” phrases this year — and the top-ranked choice may be familiar to some.

That phrase — “6-7″ — was actually dubbed the “Word of the Year” for 2025, though it’s taken on a bit of an infamous reputation thanks to its popularity among children and teens.

WHAT IS “6-7?”

The phrase is thought to stem from a song by Skrilla titled “Doot Doot (6 7).”

Basketball player Lamelo Ball later created a trending video about being 6 feet, 7 inches by using the song, and within weeks, many children and teens were spouting the term.

However, Dictionary.com also provides a few other potential meanings to the phrase, such as “so-so” or “maybe this, maybe that.”

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“Perhaps the most defining feature of 6-7 is that it’s impossible to define,” the website’s report reads. “It’s meaningless, ubiquitous, and nonsensical. In other words, it has all the hallmarks of brainrot.”

And it appears that many adults agree, as Preply found that roughly one-quarter of those aged 18-64 named the viral phrase their biggest linguistic turn-off.

OTHER CRINGY TERMS

Beyond 6-7, Preply found that slang like “Skibbidi” — a viral phrase, which means to be born out of internet meme culture — has also spread through social media and begun to annoy some.

Terms like “Pookie,” “Wifey,” “Rizz” and “YOLO” similarly turned off many people in the study.

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Slang terms that were especially searched in Florida last year include the following:

• Aura Farming — Refers to a behavior (often referencing anime characters) where a person does something for the sake of looking cool
• Sybau — Acronym for “Shut your b****-a** up”
• Dih — “D**k.” Many algorithms on social media platforms prohibit profane words, so users come up with “Algo speak” like “dih”
• Sigma — Refers to an independent, self-reliant person who operates outside traditional social hierarchies, often described as a “lone wolf”
• Chuzz — This is a combination of two slang words: “Chopped” and “Huzz.” Used to describe an unattractive girl
• Chopped — This term has become a synonym for something that is ugly, undesirable or unattractive
• Clanker — A derogatory term for robots and A.I. technology. An example would be “having to talk to a clanker,” which would mean talking with a chatbot
• Sharking — Actively looking for romantic encounters, like a shark circling prey
• Glazing — To praise someone excessively and insincerely. A way to call out behavior where excessive flattery is used

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

“Cringe isn’t really about the word itself, it’s about context and identity,” said Associate Linguistic Prof. Melissa Berk of the University of Chicago. “Terms like ‘Skibbidi’ or ‘Rizz’ are closely associated with online subcultures and younger generations. When those words cross into everyday offline conversations, they can feel forced or inauthentic.”

Over half of Americans polled said they didn’t just dislike these terms, either; they admitted to no longer liking someone simply because of how they speak.

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“Language is one of the quickest ways we signal who we are. That’s why people say the way someone speaks affects how intelligent they seem,” Berk added. “Vocabulary, pronunciation and tone all shape snap judgements, often unconsciously.”

Meanwhile, the full ranking of most “cringeworthy” phrases is as follows: