News by Levels · Level 3 · Student worksheet
Collins Picks “Mogging” as 2026 Word of the Year
Name: __________________________ Date: __________________
Read the story
Collins Dictionary has selected “mogging” as its word of the year for 2026. Announced on November 3, the choice highlights a slang term for making someone or something appear less impressive by comparison.
The term can refer to appearance, confidence or other qualities, according to Collins. It is often used playfully: a baker might say a friend’s cake “mogged” their own if it turned out more impressive.
Collins says the term is believed to have roots in bodybuilding culture and later circulated in online communities focused on masculinity. Euronews reports that younger generations have helped take it into wider use.
The expression is informal and context matters; it should not be treated as a standard choice for formal writing.
Source: Collins Dictionary, 2026-11-03. https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-lovers/collins-word-of-the-year-2026-a-year-of-being-outdone/
Read and practise
Which qualities can 'mogging' relate to, according to Collins?
- Appearance, confidence or other qualities
- Only a person’s age
- Only the cost of an object
What does the article say about the word's earlier use?
- It began as a formal baking term.
- It is believed to have roots in online gaming culture.
- It is believed to have roots in bodybuilding culture.
How should a writer treat the term in formal writing?
- As a neutral technical term in formal reports
- As an informal expression that is not a standard formal choice
- As a standard expression suitable for every formal text
Your turn
Explain the cake example and why the word may not suit a formal report.
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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/collins-word-of-the-year-mogging-2026/level-3/