Americans increasingly are turning to language that reflects emotion and understanding, according to a new analysis that found "empathy" emerged as Kentucky's most-searched word definition of 2026. The commonwealth joined a growing group of states prioritizing words centered on values and interpersonal understanding.

The analysis by Word Unscrambler examined Google Trends data from January 1 through July 7, pairing it with search-volume estimates from Ahrefs to identify definition searches across the country. Nationally, "gaslighting" ranked first with approximately 286,900 monthly searches, followed by "love," "empathy," "fascism," and "integrity."

The study reveals Americans are increasingly seeking definitions for abstract concepts rather than tangible objects, with terms related to emotions, society, and education dominating search activity. Other popular definition searches included "narcissist," "democracy," "metaphor," "culture," and "bias."

Kentucky's focus on empathy reflects broader patterns in neighboring states. Tennessee residents most frequently searched for "equity," while West Virginia residents sought definitions for "integrity."

A Word Unscrambler spokesperson said the findings suggest that Americans are leveraging online dictionaries and search engines to better comprehend personal experiences and public discourse. "The prevalence of emotionally charged and civically significant terms indicates a desire to navigate increasingly complex social conversations and everyday interactions," the spokesperson said.

Researchers identified the most-searched definitions by analyzing Google Trends queries containing phrases such as "define," "definition of," and similar terms, then aggregating search-volume estimates for 130 variations of leading keywords.