Love was the word definition most frequently searched by Nigerians between January and July 2026, according to a new analysis of Google Trends data conducted by the word unscrambling platform Unscramblerer.com. The study recorded an estimated 61,800 monthly searches for the definition of “love,” placing it at the top of the national list ahead of biology, introvert, narcissist, and gaslighting.
Top 10 Most Searched Word Definitions in Nigeria (2026)
The analysis tracked queries containing “definition,” “define,” and “definition of” across 130 variations from January 1 to July 28, 2026. Monthly search volumes were estimated using data from Ahrefs. The top ten most searched definitions were: love (61,800), biology (40,400), introvert (36,900), narcissist (36,000), gaslighting (35,300), business (34,500), government (34,400), communication (34,000), clingy (33,500), and power (33,400). Other frequently searched words included science, anxiety, empathy, autism, resilience, nonchalant, delusional, insomnia, and obsessed.
What the Findings Reveal About Nigerians
Randoh Sallihall, an official of Unscramblerer.com, said in a statement provided exclusively to Legit.ng on July 29, 2026, that the findings highlight three broad areas of interest: personal relationships and mental wellbeing, education and professional development, and wider societal issues. “One of the most striking findings is that Nigeria’s most searched word definitions in 2026 reflect a strong interest in understanding both personal relationships and professional development. From love and narcissist to business and government, people are searching for words that help them navigate everyday life, careers and human behaviour,” Sallihall explained.
State-by-State Search Variations
The research also broke down search behaviour by state, revealing notable differences. Anambra, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna, and Kwara all shared “love” as their top search. Lagos, Plateau, and Rivers residents most frequently searched for “spiritual.” Ogun and Benue recorded the highest interest in “narcissist,” while Adamawa and Ondo searched most often for “anxiety.” Ebonyi, Jigawa, and Sokoto were among states where “biology” ranked highest. Osun state led searches for “gaslighting,” Kogi for “introvert,” Yobe for “procrastination,” and Zamfara for “communication.” The complete state-by-state list includes: Abia – Dream; Adamawa – Anxiety; Akwa Ibom – Dream; Anambra – Love; Bauchi – Integrity; Bayelsa – Insomnia; Benue – Narcissist; Borno – Naive; Cross River – Nonchalant; Delta – Love; Ebonyi – Biology; Edo – Love; Ekiti – Business; Enugu – Love; Gombe – Designation; Imo – Handicap; Jigawa – Biology; Kaduna – Love; Kano – Nonchalant; Katsina – Curious; Kebbi – Adolescent; Kogi – Introvert; Kwara – Love; Lagos – Spiritual; Nasarawa – Aura; Niger – Clingy; Ogun – Narcissist; Ondo – Anxiety; Osun – Gaslighting; Oyo – Patient; Plateau – Spiritual; Rivers – Spiritual; Sokoto – Biology; Taraba – Curious; Yobe – Procrastination; Zamfara – Communication.
Broader Context: Google’s 2025 Year in Search
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Google’s 2025 Year in Search report for Nigeria showed that former President Muhammadu Buhari topped the list of most-searched death-related queries. The Loss category captured names of public figures from politics, sports, religion, and culture, including Diogo Jota, Charlie Kirk, Pope Francis, and Hulk Hogan.
