What does ‘agile’ mean? It’s the word KZN is searching for most
From “gaslighting” and “narcissist” to “integrity” and “resilience”, new search data reveals the words South Africans are turning to Google to understand in 2026.
Ever found yourself typing a word into Google just to make sure you really understand what it means?
You are definitely not alone.
An analysis of Google search data for 2026 has revealed the most searched word definitions across South Africa - and in KwaZulu-Natal, the word people are most curious about is “agile”.
The word generally refers to being able to move, think or adapt quickly and easily, and it is commonly used in everything from sport and fitness to business and the workplace.
Across the country, however, the words South Africans are searching for tell an interesting story about the things occupying our minds.
Among the most searched definitions nationally are “narcissist”, with an estimated 38,200 monthly searches, “gaslighting” with 36,300 searches, “love” with 34,500, and “anxiety” with 31,000.
Other popular searches include “integrity”, “fatigue”, “stress”, “clingy”, “democracy”, “empathy”, “resilience” and “corruption”.
Researchers behind the analysis say the results suggest South Africans are increasingly looking for language to better understand their relationships, emotions and the world around them.
“One of the most striking findings is that South Africa's top searched definitions in 2026 are dominated by abstract concepts rather than objects,” a spokesperson for Word Unscrambler said.
Words linked to emotional wellbeing featured heavily, including gaslighting, narcissist, anxiety, stress and empathy, while searches for words such as integrity, democracy, ethics and corruption reflected an interest in values and wider societal conversations.
What each province is searching
The most searched definition also varies depending on where you live.
In KwaZulu-Natal, it is “agile”, while Gauteng residents are searching for the meaning of “grace”. In the Western Cape, “integrity” tops the list, while people in the Eastern Cape are most interested in “resilience”.
Mpumalanga's top word is “nonchalant”, Limpopo's is “narcissist”, and the North West is searching most for “gaslighting”.
Both the Free State and Northern Cape have “spiritual” at the top of their lists.
Researchers analysed Google Trends data from 1 January to 15 July 2026 and used Ahrefs search data to estimate monthly search volumes across different variations of definition-related searches.
The findings were compiled by word-unscrambling website Unscramblerer.com.
So, KZN, be honest: which word have you recently had to Google the meaning of?
Listen back to the latest interviews and content from Darren, Carmen and Sky in the East Coast Breakfast channel below.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
1. Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
2. Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
3. Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet
4. Switch to the audio bouquet on your OpenView decoder and browse to channel 606.
5. Listen to us on Amazon Alexa
Follow us on social media:
· TikTok