New data reveals the word New Jersey residents wanted defined most

What was the last word you had to Google the definition of? A new analysis of Google search data looked at the most searched-for word definitions in every state in 2026.

Most Searched Word Definitions By State

Across the country, the words people looked up the most include "gaslighting," "love," "fascism," "empathy," "integrity," "metaphor," "narcissist," "culture," democracy," and "bias."

The research was conducted by the word experts at Unscramblerer.com. So, what's New Jersey's most looked-up word?

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

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The most-searched word definition in the Garden State is "metaphor." And New Jersey isn't the only state trying to figure out what metaphor means.

What Words Are We Most Curious About Defining In 2026?

Pennsylvania also had it as its most-searched word, making it a pretty popular search. New Yorkers were looking up the definition of "equity," and in Delaware, the most searched word was "sepsis."

From "metaphor" in New Jersey to "sepsis" in Delaware, this new study offers insight into the words people across the region are quietly looking up.

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According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, metaphor means "a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in swimming in paperwork)."

Now I'm curious, what's the last word you had to look up because you weren't 100% sure what it meant?! Was it "metaphor?"