In 1999, we started documenting the language that traditional dictionaries ignored. 26 years later, we are doing the same thing, and in the age of AI, it’s even more important.
AI can write a sentence, but it can’t write slang, and it can’t make “fetch” happen. Only you can do that, when you need a new word to describe who you are and how you feel.
ChatGPT can answer “What does this word mean?”, but Urban Dictionary can answer “Does anyone else feel the way I do?”. Every definition makes a connection between someone who felt something and someone else who needed to know they weren’t alone.
In the near future, you can expect more tools for contributors, more features, and stronger community. The next 26 years for us is about protecting authentic human expression.
Thank you to everyone who has defined, voted on and read definitions. You’re helping create an archive of how humans actually speak in the 21st century.
Happy Birthday, Urban Dictionary!
Aaron
CEO
Earlier this year, I made a difficult decision to temporarily remove a critical feature Urban Dictionary has had since 1999: voting on definitions.
As the internet changed, our voting system had become increasingly vulnerable to manipulation. What worked in 1999 doesn't work in 2025.
When the feature went offline, we heard from many of you: Urban Dictionary's democracy doesn't function without voting. You were right.
One person, one vote
As of election week, voting is back, but it works differently. We've rebuilt the system with modern anti-bot verification to ensure that every up and down vote comes from a real human, not from a machine.
The new voting process is a little slower, but it's worth it to ensure votes are real. The internet is flooded with AI-generated content. Urban Dictionary will continue to choose human authenticity over inflated numbers.
Urban Dictionary has always been about documenting modern language, and responding to the needs of the people who use it. Thank you for caring, noticing that something was missing, and for telling us about it.
Go vote!
Aaron
Urban Dictionary
For 25 years, Urban Dictionary has been the home of modern language. Now, with Urban Dictionary Promote, we're launching a simple way for you to advertise here.
How it works:
No confusing pricing or complicated targeting. Just pick a word and go.
We built this for indie brands, creators, and anyone who wants a straightforward way to advertise. Every ad is reviewed by our team.
When you're ready to try it, click here: urbandictionary.biz
❤️ Aaron and the Urban Dictionary Team
Urban Dictionary is not affiliated with any cryptocurrency, token, or blockchain project.
Recently, we’ve seen “Urban Dictionary” used as a category label for various meme coins and tokens on trading platforms. While we appreciate the role Urban Dictionary plays in internet culture, we do not endorse, support, or participate in any cryptocurrency projects.
We encourage everyone to exercise caution with speculative assets, especially those that reference popular brands or cultural platforms without authorization.
If you see any token claiming an official association with Urban Dictionary, please be aware that it is unauthorized and has no connection to us.
- Urban Dictionary Team
As a member of the Urban Dictionary team, I am incredibly frustrated and angry at the failure of political leaders to recommend masking to protect the immunocompromised and prevent the spread of long covid.
Masking has been shown to be effective in preventing the spread of covid-19, yet many political leaders continue to ignore the evidence and put people’s well-being at risk. This is unacceptable.
As an online-only web site, it may seem like the issue of covid-19 doesn't directly affect us. However, the reality is that the virus affects us all, whether we are online or offline. The spread of covid-19 can impact the overall health of our community.
Therefore, it is important for us to do our part in preventing the spread of the virus. This means wearing high-quality, well-fitting masks whenever we are in public.
Let's not wait for political leaders to do the right thing. Let's take action and protect ourselves and each other by wearing high-quality, well-fitting masks.
Sincerely,
Aaron Peckham
Urban Dictionary