What do you get when you ask hundreds of teenagers around the world to invent words for feelings and situations that English doesn’t quite capture? A goldmine of creativity—and inspiration for authors.
In a New York Times Learning Network challenge, over 500 students submitted made-up words that fill real gaps in our language. The results? Clever, emotional, and wildly relevant terms that reflect how Gen Z sees and experiences the world.
As a writer of romance and women’s fiction, I was especially drawn to words like heartdown (that raw, guarded stage after heartbreak), nonexiwort (the thoughts we never say), and mnemonty (that vivid awareness that you’re living a memory in real time). But the one that stole my heart?
🏆 Oblivionaire (noun):
By Rohana Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan
A billionaire who chooses to be blind to the inequality and suffering their wealth perpetuates.
Not only is it timely and sharp, it’s dripping with character potential. You can almost see the satire, the conflict, the arc that could be born from one well-placed oblivionaire in a novel.
Why writers should pay attention to teen-invented words
These invented words don’t just make for quirky trivia—they offer fresh language for deeply felt emotions. And in a world saturated with clichés and recycled tropes, original language is powerful.
Here’s how authors can benefit:
- Deepen character voice: Use words like solumidnox (feeling invisible at night) or tilent (so tired you go quiet) to craft vivid internal monologues.
- Capture Gen Z authenticity: Writing YA or characters who are teens or young adults? These words are rooted in their actual lived experiences.
- Name the unnameable: Ever struggled to describe a feeling in your story? Now you have a new toolbox.
- Spark dialogue that resonates: Imagine a character dropping faux-star mid-convo, confessing they mentally rewrite their life like a movie script. Instant relatability.
Favorite invented words writers should try
| Word | Definition | Why it’s useful |
|---|---|---|
| Oblivionaire | A willfully blind billionaire | Great for satire or social commentary |
| Heartdown | Post-heartbreak emotional shutdown | Perfect for romance arcs |
| Mnemonty | Knowing you’ll remember a moment forever | Excellent for bittersweet, cinematic scenes |
| Nonexiwort | The thoughts left unsaid | Use it in character-driven tension |
| Fick | To fake sick to avoid something | Adds realism to teen/child characters |
| Noscipate | Nostalgia for something that hasn’t ended yet | Beautiful in coming-of-age narratives |
Writers: Use these words in your next project
Don’t just admire them—try one in your next scene, poem, or journal entry. Invented language like this keeps your writing current, resonant, and emotionally layered. And who knows? Your readers might start using these words in real life.
If you’re building fictional worlds or contemporary stories, language should evolve with your audience—and these student-created words are up to the times.
👉 Read the full New York Times article and all 24 words here.
Which one is your favorite? I’d love to hear how you’d use oblivionaire, eustricity, or skocean in your work. Drop it in the comments or tag me on socials!
Melissa Harkin 
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