Our 2026 Word of the Year (& 91 Ideas to Inspire Your Own)

Have you set a word of the year for 2026?

It’s not too late. It’s never too late to live and work with more intention.

As a creative copywriter, I recently settled on a word of the year to set the tone for both for my personal life and for my business, Quotable Copy, in 2026.

In this post, I’ll share what that word is — and why and how to pick your own word of the year (including 91 ideas for inspiration).

Why You Should Set a 2026 Word of the Year

Do you set New Year’s resolutions?

I don’t. I used to try, but I can’t confidently say I’ve ever fully finished one. Right now, I can’t even remember one.

That’s why I like this whole “word of the year” concept. It’s easy to set, and almost impossible to screw up.

By choosing only one word to sum up your vision for the upcoming year, you create a sense of purpose for this season of life.

It’s intention without the weight of expectation. There’s nothing really to “fail” — it’s just a general aspiration to move toward.

While SMART goals are indeed smart, there’s value in more abstract goals, too. They represent the big picture that all the little pictures are part of.

Sarah’s 2026 Word of the Year

Although I’ve considered choosing a word of the year the past several years, I’ve never committed to one.

That changes now.

After mulling over several options for my 2026 word of the year, I’ve finally settled on one that encompasses my desires for both my personal and professional lives:

Hope: To expect with confidence; to intend if possible to do something

I chose “hope” because it represents my mindset toward optimism in 2026. As I continue to refine our business systems at Quotable Copy (and my personal systems at home), I aim for harmony. And I anticipate positive results.

My hope (ha) is that by declaring this word publicly, and ruminating on it privately, I’ll hold myself accountable to remembering and sticking to it throughout the year.

How to Pick Your 2026 Word of the Year

Want to come up with your own word of the year?

Start by exploring all your options. Brain-dump any words that come to mind — almost like a Pinterest mood board, but in written form.

Need some inspiration? Check out our 91 word of the year ideas below.

If you find a word you like, look up the definition on dictionary.com to make sure it’s aligned with your vision for 2026.

If you can’t find the perfect word, pick one that’s close, and pop it into thesaurus.com. See if a more creative alternative applies.

Try playing around with the part of speech, too. For example, you might prefer “create” over “creativity” because it’s more actionable. Or you might like “creative” to describe your overall approach.

If you’re stuck on finding a word of the year, ask for help. A close friend, family member, or even ChatGPT (if you use it) could clarify your goals in ways you were too close to see.

Once you know your 2026 word of the year, keep it front and center! Both figuratively, as you work and live, and literally, so you can see and reference it often.

Then, everything (or at least most things) you do this year can flow from this one overarching goal.

Note: You may want to consider a separate word of the year for your business and personal lives. I picked one that applies to both, so I can direct all my efforts toward one focus.

91 Inspiring Word of the Year Ideas

Here are 91 ideas to consider for your 2026 word of the year. Do any of them stir something inside you?

Action Words

1. Adventure
2. Ambition
3. Bloom
4. Build
5. Consistency
6. Create
7. Dare
8. Explore
9. Finish
10. Flourish
11. Gumption
12. Grow
13. Momentum
14. Start
15. Thrive
16. Travel
17. Try

Mindfulness Words

1. Attention
2. Be
3. Breathe
4. Calm
5. Cherish
6. Chill
7. Cozy
8. Ease
9. Focus
10. Here
11. Intuition
12. Listen
13. Peace
14. Perspective
15. Prayer
16. Presence
17. Simplify
18. Today

Strength Words

1. Able
2. Audacity
3. Boundaries
4. Confidence
5. Courage
6. Endeavor
7. Fearless
8. Grit
9. Onward
10. Persevere
11. Renew
12. Resilience
13. Resolve
14. Rooted
15. Steady
16. Vulnerability
17. Wellness
18. Whole

Joy Words

1. Abundance
2. Beauty
3. Bright
4. Community
5. Connection
6. Expansive
7. Gratitude
8. Harmony
9. Imagination
10. Play
11. Rejoice
12. Rest
13. Smile
14. Soar
15. Sparkle
16. Vibrant
17. Wonder
18. Yes

Purpose Words

1. Aspire
2. Balance
3. Breakthrough
4. Centered
5. Clarity
6. Commit
7. Deeper
8. Discipline
9. Excellence
10. Focus
11. Generosity
12. Intentional
13. Leader
14. No
15. Nurture
16. Refine
17. Seek
18. Stewardship
19. Stretch
20. Structure

And For All the Other Words of the Year…

We’ll be here, writing them, refining them, and helping you write them.

Okay, not all the words of the year. That’s physically impossible. And sounds horribly exhausting.

But we can help you pick at least some of the perfect words in 2026. Join our copywriting newsletter below, or explore our copywriting services to see how we can help you grow your business with creative, purposeful words.