To say 2017 has been a rough year would be an understatement. If you need some proof of the struggle look no further than Dictionary.com's word of the year: Complicit.
On Monday the online dictionary announced that the not-so-reassuring adjective is 2017's standout word because it's "indicative of larger trends that resonated throughout the year."
🙃 🙃 🙃 🙃 🙃
SEE ALSO:Trump really, really, really wants you to believe he came up with 'fake news'Defined as "choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act," Dictionary.com said the word is associated with everything from Russia's involvement with the U.S. election and Trump's decision to opt out of the Paris Climate Agreement to the ever-growing sexual harassment allegations in today's society.
While the word could surely be applied to several 2017 events, many remember the word "complicit" making waves back in April after Ivanka Trump sparked a debate about whether or not she understood the meaning of the word.
In an interview with CBS, Gayle King asked Ivanka about media reports calling her and her husband Jared "complicit." Ivanka casually replied, "I don't know what it means to be complicit," and naturally the internet had a field day.
"If being complicit is wanting to be a force for good and to make a positive impact, then I’m complicit," Ivanka went on.
FYI, girl — that's definitely not what the word means.
Credit: dictionary.comAfter Ivanka's comments, Merriam-Webster Dictionary shared that "complicit" had become the top on-site lookup, referencing an SNLsketch from March that showed Ivanka (played by Scarlett Johansson) promoting her new perfume, called, "Complicit."
In the months since, the word has been associated with other aspects of Russia's involvement in U.S. politics — from Facebook ads to email scandals and more.
“Lookups for the word complicit increased by nearly 300 percent in searches in 2017 as compared to 2016," Liz McMillan, CEO of Dictionary.com, said in a press release. But the curiosity wasn't solely pegged to the Trump administration and Russia.
Dictionary.com noted that by pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and not taking enough action against climate change "many feel that we are all directly complicit in the worsening extreme weather patterns that continue to impact people across the globe."
In the entertainment industry and beyond, as more and more sexual assault allegations come to light, complicity of those who aided in the longtime coverups is being discussed. And as tragedies like the opioid epidemic and mass shootings raise important discussions, many argue that complicity can no longer be an option.
Though complicit isn't exactly a positiveword, Dictionary.com also revealed some feel-good terms that trended throughout the year too.
Earlier in 2017, the world "intersex" trended thanks to model Hanne Gaby Odiele's open discussion, "shrinkage" trended because of a Seinfeldepisode, and "tarnation" gained popularity from that famous meme, to name a few.
It seems not everything is bad.
TopicsDonald TrumpPolitics
(责任编辑：時尚)
More than half of women in advertising have faced sexual harassment, report says
Frontline nurse wins contest to watch movies in a remote lighthouse by herself
Uber buys Drizly for $1.1 billion, adding booze delivery to Uber Eats
Tesla drivers can set their horn to fart sounds — or record their ownDid our grandparents have the best beauty advice?PlayStation Now game streaming is coming to PC
Sony's PlayStation Now service is launching for Windows PC, meaning subscribers will soon be able to
...[详细]Twitter explains how to apply for a verification badge
Your New Year's resolution to get verified on Twitter just got slightly more realistic.Three years a
...[详细]Yelp unveils a tool to help users avoid businesses accused of racism
On Thursday, Yelp announced that businesses accused of racist behavior will have a new consumer aler
...[详细]'Baby Shark' is now the most watched YouTube video of all time
Where were you when you first heard "Baby Shark"? When did those "doo doo doo doo doo dooos" first p
...[详细]Man stumbles upon his phone background in real life
Life imitates tech. Or, perhaps it's the other way around.Reddit user xbshooterwas traveling near Sa
...[详细]Meet Vic Barrett, who's suing the U.S. government over climate change
When Hurricane Sandy hit Vic Barrett’s home, he was 12. It was the first time the weather had
...[详细]Key & Peele, four other Comedy Central hits come to HBO Max on Nov. 1
HBO Max is about to get a whole lot funnier.A fresh lineup of Comedy Central series' is coming to th
...[详细]Parler left its content, even deleted posts, out in the open — and archivists have saved it all
If you ever posted content on the right-wing social media platform Parler, odds are that it’s
...[详细]Michael Phelps says goodbye to the pool with Olympic gold
Michael Phelps left as he began: Winning.。The most decorated athlete in Olympic history won gold in
...[详细]The 13 best tweets of the week, including GameStop jokes, LMFAO, and Thanos
Somehow another week has passed. Days, weeks, months, it's all the same isn't it? Pandemics are weir
...[详细]Make money or go to Stanford? Katie Ledecky is left with an unfair choice.
Johnny Depp will no longer play Grindelwald in 'Fantastic Beasts'
