The term refers to the connection that an individual feels with a public figure, despite the absence of a personal acquaintance. This can pertain to both fictional characters from books and films, as well as even artificial intelligence.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, in 2025, the phrases "parasocial relationships" and "parasocial grief" were the most commonly used. In the first case, it refers to the feeling of closeness to a celebrity, as if the person knows them, even though they have never actually met. In the second case, it describes the grief that a person experiences after the death of a public figure or character. Parasocial grief can also arise from the breakup of a music group or the conclusion of a popular series.
At the same time, the word of the year according to Collins Dictionary was "vibe coding," which implies the creation of websites or applications without coding, using artificial intelligence and clearly formulated requests.
