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Jan 18, 2026 This week’s theme New words This week’s words touch grass doomscroll shadow ban edgelord nepo baby How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Blend words Send a gift that keeps on giving, all year long: A gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day or the gift of books AWADmail Issue 1229 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language Sponsor’s Message: ONEUPMANSHIP 3.0 is “a rollicking excuse for mad, mutually-abusive annihilation.” One Up! -- guaranteed to turn your whole family into “greedy, self-serving punks.” Wise Up! will “ruin Christmas and friendships” or your money back. All our fun and games are BOGO today only. Shop now. From: Kimberly Breeze (kwbreeze gmail.com) Subject: touch grass I think touching grass is what my dog is doing when he rolls around on the lawns during our afternoon walk. Hopefully it’s grass, not dirt or real filth, but he very much enjoys it. I call it the happy dog dance. Kimberly Breeze, Florence, Italy From: Tom Tyson (ttyson125 gmail.com) Subject: Touch Grass You wrote: “...one apparently needs an app to stop using apps.” Reminds me of this one: “Addicted to Internet? Help is just a click away.” Tom Tyson, Sheboygan, Wisconsin From: Mardy Grothe (drmardy drmardy.com) Subject: Murakami A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: People’s memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. -Haruki Murakami, writer (b. 12 Jan 1949) I absolutely love today’s quote. It comes from the character Korogi in Murakami’s 2004 novel, After Dark. What Korogi went on to add was equally important: “Whether those memories have any actual importance or not, it doesn’t matter as far as their maintenance of life is concerned. They’re all just fuel.” For many more quotations on the fascinating theme of MEMORY, go here. Mardy Grothe, Southern Pines, North Carolina From: Jenni Elion (jenni.elion gmail.com) Subject: Doomscrolling I thought you’d appreciate this Loose Parts comic. Jenni Elion, Raleigh, North Carolina From: Brenda Marie Osbey (osbeynola gmail.com) Subject: MLK Quotation A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way. -Martin Luther King Jr., civil-rights leader (15 Jan 1929-1968) See here. Brenda Marie Osbey, New Orleans, Louisiana Thanks for alerting us. We have added a note with the quotation now. -Anu Garg Email of the Week -- Brought to you buy ONEUPMANSHIP -- Are you a G? From: Kent Rhodes (krho1 aol.com) Subject: Nepo baby Let me suggest coining the word poli baby: a person who receives their position due to political loyalty. Emphasis on loyalty, not ability. Usage: Many in the administration are poli babies. Kent Rhodes, Charlotte, North Carolina From: Ron Brawer (RonBrawer1 gmail.com) Subject: nepo baby Texas Democrat Jim Hightower said of George H.W. Bush, “He was born on third base and thought he’d hit a triple.” Ron Brawer, New York, New York From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: nepo baby and edgelord Neophyte Donald received a major chunk of moolah from papa Fred Trump, to help launch his real estate career. Similarly, he’s financially supported sons Don Jr. and Eric, majorly facilitating their business aspirations... in the Trump name. Both sons qualify as nepo baby poster boys. Marvel Comics’ Deadpool, archvillain-turned-antihero, manifests the quintessential edgelord persona. He combines the traits of the practical joker with a deadly samurai spirit, on occasion transforming into a raving psychotic. Yet he often uses biting sarcasm to defuse tense situations, disarming his opposition. Here, Deadpool, with his one-arm pushup marathon, is trying to get a rise out of X-Man Wolverine. One of Deadpool’s superpowers is his ability to quickly heal from his flesh wounds, even a few times regenerating his severed head. (Yikes!) Next thing, he may be making a cutting remark about Wolverine’s scary knuckle blades. Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams New words Touch grass Doomscroll Shadow ban Edgelord Nepo baby = Yes, go outdoors! Search news A clamp-down Blowhard Gold-bred snob -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) This week’s theme: New words Touch grass Doomscroll Shadow ban Edgelord Nepo baby = Be earthed Browses down news pages Mute, block A troll Oh, gosh dad showed cronyism = Switch, go web sober Look at lead bul***** news Ghost her Hop & swear Daddy recommends son= -Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) The theme this week: New words Touch grass Doomscroll Shadow ban Edgelord Nepo baby = Get out Browse hellish web news on Chrome Cork Goad Son's helped by the MD dad or wasta -Robert Jordan, Lampang, Thailand (alfiesdad ymail.com) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks touch grass Do you never look up from your phone? Can’t you ever just leave it alone? Get up off your a**; Go forth and touch grass -- Don’t miss out on a life of your own. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) “You spend too much time on ya phone.” Complaining, her mum’s voice would drone. “It is just too much, lass. Stop ya scrolling, touch grass.” Her daughter replied with a groan. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “No guy will be snoggin’ you much, lass, With your head in your phone. You must touch grass!” Said the therapist. “Girl, You could marry an earl! But be open; you shouldn’t prejudge class.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) doomscroll Our world’s in bad shape, I would say. I know, for I’ve doomscrolled all day. This has left me depressed, So I think it’s not best To spend all one’s time in this way. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) I’m not a doomscroller; are you? It isn’t at all what I do... No, I rack my poor brains To avoid news that pains So I’m more of a sunscroller! True? -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) If Poe were alive, he would doomscroll, Thinking stories that lead to the tomb droll. But not so with Freud; He’d find joy unalloyed Seeking those who would back to the womb roll. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) shadow ban A shadow ban seems apropos For posts that are nasty, you know. The hate that some spew We won’t have to view Since nowhere those comments will go. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Her show is the best on TV, And all those on the left do agree. I’m a big Rachel Maddow fan, Others I’ll shadow ban. Rachel is tops, yes to me. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) As Donald is surely a shallow man, Could we fool him with some sort of shadow ban? Himself he would see On closed-circuit TV, With ovations supplied by some callow fan. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) edgelord An edgelord who’s seeking attention Obnoxiously breaks with convention. He’s merely a dope Who harbors the hope That his name all the world will soon mention. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) We elected the ultimate edgelord, And must live with the ends that we head toward. From his car full of clowns Come the stupidest sounds; Every day we hear what they allege, bored. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) nepo baby What a real nepo baby is she, With no talent, we all can agree! Her family name Is her kind’s claim to fame -- She’s resented by people like me. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Today Groucho might say, “Zeppo, maybe You could play a debauched nepo baby. While buying a tool You’d be played for a fool By the charms of a Home Depot lady.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “When he tried his hand at legitimate enterprises, Trump had the reverse Midas touch grass-ping at valuable assets only to turn them to ash,” wrote the historian. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “As a rule I don’t touch grass, but today I’ll make an exception,” joked the hippie. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Brothers and sisters, to save yourselves from doomscroll down on your devices and click ‘Donate!’ “ shouted the televangelist. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Dr. Doomscroll-ed through his memory deciding which of the Fantastic Four to target next. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “There be no such thing as ghosts; thou canst be but a shadow ban-quo,” Macbeth quavered. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) She played a Me and My Shadow ban-jo solo for the talent show. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Don’t go near the edgelord-es!” Madonna warned her daughter on their trip to the Grand Canyon. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “My faith is unshaken, but I must admit to feeling a bit on edgelord,” said Job. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I love a roasted tur-nepo baby thank you for making my favorite dish!” said the vegan. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: If I knew of something that could serve my nation but would ruin another, I would not propose it to my prince, for I am first a man and only then a Frenchman ... because I am necessarily a man, and only accidentally am I French. -Montesquieu, philosopher, lawyer, and writer (18 Jan 1689-1755)

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