"Parasocial" gets chosen as word of year for 2025
The term refers to relationships people develop with celebrities, influencers, or even AI chatbots — relationships that feel personal despite being entirely one-directional.
“Parasocial” was first defined by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, who noted that television audiences often felt bonds with on-screen personalities similar to those they had with family or friends.
In its announcement, the Cambridge Dictionary pointed to the high-profile relationship between singer Taylor Swift and American football player Travis Kelce, saying many fans felt deeply connected to the couple, even though most had never met either of them.
The dictionary also noted that parasocial bonds have expanded into the digital world.
“The emergence of parasocial relationships with AI bots saw people treat ChatGPT as a confidant, friend, or even romantic partner,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the dictionary team, the rise of these relationships is reshaping concepts of fandom, celebrity, and — with the rise of AI — how people interact online more broadly.
“Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise. The data reflects that, with the Cambridge Dictionary website seeing spikes in lookups for ‘parasocial,’” the statement added.
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