What Word Are People in Your State Googling the Most? Results

A new analysis of Google search data reveals the words Americans have been looking up the most in 2026, and the results offer an interesting glimpse into what's on people's minds. From politics and relationships to school subjects and everyday conversations, people across the country have been searching for definitions more than ever.

And here in Iowa, one word stood out above the rest.

Iowa's Most Googled Definition? "Sociology"

According to the study, the most searched word definition in Iowa this year is "sociology."

Sociology is the study of how people interact with one another, how communities work, and how society is organized. Whether it's for a college class, a curious student, or someone trying to better understand the world around them, it's apparently the word Iowans have been most interested in defining.

Illinois Is Searching for "Bias"

Meanwhile, just across the river in Illinois, the most searched definition is "bias."

Bias refers to a tendency to favor one viewpoint, person, or group over another. With so many discussions happening online, in the news, and on social media, it's not too surprising that people are looking for a better understanding of the term.

America's Top 10 Most Searched Definitions

Across the entire United States, these were the words Americans searched the most for in 2026:

Gaslighting - 286 900 searches.
Love - 274 900 searches.
Fascism - 264 700 searches.
Empathy - 265 600 searches.
Integrity - 262 100 searches.
Metaphor - 242 200 searches.
Narcissist - 186 500 searches.
Culture - 186 300 searches.
Democracy - 183 100 searches.
Bias - 174 200 searches.

Interestingly, the list isn't filled with random vocabulary words. Instead, it's made up almost entirely of concepts tied to emotions, relationships, politics, and everyday life.

America's Most Searched Word Definitions By State:

Alabama - Love.
Alaska - Fascism.
Arizona - Inflation.
Arkansas - Economics.
California - Tone.
Colorado - Adjective.
Connecticut - Bias.
Delaware - Sepsis.
Florida - Philosophy.
Georgia - Democracy.
Hawaii - Revenue.
Idaho - Adjective.
Illinois - Bias.
Indiana - Gaslighting.
Iowa - Sociology.
Kansas - Love.
Kentucky - Empathy.
Louisiana - Love.
Maine - Ursine.
Maryland - Proxy.
Massachusetts - Science.
Michigan - Evidence.
Minnesota - Weather.
Mississippi - Love.
Missouri - Government.
Montana - Gouache.
Nebraska - Psychology.
Nevada - Philosophy.
New Hampshire - Revenue.
New Jersey - Metaphor.
New Mexico - Democracy.
New York - Equity.
North Carolina - Church.
North Dakota - Weather.
Ohio - Fiction.
Oklahoma - Culture.
Oregon - Fascism.
Pennsylvania - Metaphor.
Rhode Island - Providence.
South Carolina - Population.
South Dakota - Purpose.
Tennessee - Equity.
Texas - Republic.
Utah - Stress.
Vermont - Bias.
Virginia - Community.
Washington - Revenue.
West Virginia - Integrity.
Wisconsin - Metaphor.
Wyoming - Gaslighting.

Why These Words?

Researchers say the biggest trend this year is that Americans aren't searching for definitions of physical things; they're searching for ideas.

Words connected to emotions (like gaslighting, empathy, and love), society (such as democracy, bias, and culture), and education (metaphor, adjective, and philosophy) dominated searches.

That suggests many people are trying to better understand personal experiences, social issues, and the conversations happening around them.

Researchers at Unscramblerer analyzed Google Trends searches between January 1 and July 7, 2026, then combined multiple search variations using Ahrefs to estimate monthly search volume for word definitions.

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