“Taskmasking” and “Micro-Retirement”: The New Language of Workplace Escape and Disillusionment

The 2025 Collins Dictionary word list reveals a deep-seated tension in our modern work lives. The inclusion of two new terms, “taskmasking” and “micro-retirement,” paints a picture of a workforce that is simultaneously faking productivity and plotting its escape from the daily grind.
“Taskmasking,” defined as the act of giving a false impression of being productive, has become a key word in the age of remote and hybrid work. It captures the “productivity theater” required when output is hard to measure, and “looking busy” on a screen becomes a skill in itself.
In direct opposition to this is “micro-retirement.” This term describes a deliberate, extended break taken between jobs to pursue personal interests. Its rise, as tracked by the 24-billion-word Collins Corpus, signals a rejection of the traditional “work-until-65” model in favor of periodic, rejuvenating sabbaticals.
These two words capture a powerful cultural narrative of burnout and disengagement. They were part of a diverse 2025 list that was ultimately won by “vibe coding,” an AI term for natural language programming. This winner suggests that the very technology (AI) that is transforming the workplace may also be contributing to the anxieties that lead to “taskmasking.”
The list also featured “clanker” (an AI insult), “broligarchy” (the tech elite), “Henry” (high earner, not rich yet), and “coolcation” (a cold-climate holiday), all reflecting the economic, environmental, and technological pressures of 2025.