What Google's 2022 'trending topics' tell us about ourselves and what we care about
Google's Year in Search is like a modern-day time capsule.

Google's 2022 Year in Search report shows what trended this year.
There's a lot you can tell about a person by their search history (unless they're a murder-mystery writer, in which case no one should jump to conclusions). And our search habits on the whole can tell us a lot about ourselves as a collective as well.
For better or for worse, what we look up on the internet is an indicator of what we care about, and Google's Year in Search report gives us some insight into what we cared about this past year.
There are reports for different countries as well as a global report. Let's start with what my fellow Americans looked up, shall we?
To be clear, these search terms were not the "top searches" or "most searched terms" on Google, but rather the top trending searches—the search terms that had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period of time as compared to the year before.
The top 10 trending searches for 2022 overall:
- Wordle
- Election results
- Betty White
- Queen Elizabeth
- Bob Saget
- Ukraine
- Mega Millions
- Powerball numbers
- Anne Heche
- Jeffrey Dahmer
For people, we had:
- Johnny Depp
- Will Smith
- Amber Heard
- Antonio Brown
- Kari Lake
- Anna Sorokin (Delvey)
- Chris Rock
- Andrew Tate
- Adam Levine
- Serena Williams
I just don't think there's even a need to comment about most of these. Yikes.
Movies are fun though!
- "Encanto"
- "Thor: Love and Thunder"
- "Top Gun: Maverick"
- "The Batman"
- "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
- "Black Adam"
- "Jurassic World Dominion"
- "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"
- "Morbius"
- "Turning Red"
Aw, remember the "Turning Red" controversies, the "Encanto" obsessions and "Top Gun: Maverick" being surprisingly amazing?
And oof, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." What a beautifully done film.
Musicians and bands is an interesting mix:
- Adam Levine
- Mary J. Blige
- Lil Tjay
- Kendrick Lamar
- Migos
- Tommy Lee
- Kate Bush
- Ricky Martin
- Young Thug
- Foo Fighters
Let's move away from entertainment and head to food.
Here are the top recipe trends in the U.S. for 2022:
- Sugo
- Cincinnati chili
- Marry me chicken
- Quick pancake
- Mango pie
- Green goddess salad
- Jennifer Aniston salad
- Grinder sandwich
- Bella Hadid sandwich
- The Bear spaghetti
Marry me chicken? I might have to Google that myself. (Don't tell anyone, but I'm also going to Google "sugo" because I'm embarrassed to admit I have no idea what that is.)
Speaking of Googling things you don't know—want to see what definition searches trended in 2022?
- Rupee
- Oligarch
- Cacao
- Homer
- Recession
- Canny
- Foray
- Trove
- Saute
- Tacit
So curious about what prompted most of these trends.
All of the above can be found on the published Year in Search lists, but Google also sent us some trends that didn't make it into the list, such as:
Is it true that …
- Is it true that TikTok is posting drafts?
- Is it true that the pinky is the middle finger in China?
- Is it true that Putin has cancer?
- Is it true that coffee stunts your growth?
- Is it true that cats have nine lives?
- Is it true that Fortnite is ending?
- Is it true that Queen Elizabeth died?
- Is it true that Chuck Norris died?
- Is it true that if you dream about someone they went to sleep thinking about you?
- Is it true that Yahoo is shutting down?
What is …
- What is NATO?
- What is monkeypox?
- What is rsv?
- What is Wordle?
- What is aphasia?
- What is a NFT?
- What is a recession?
- What is vabbing?
- What is Roe v. Wade?
- What is the Wordle today?
How to be …
- How to be a good mother?
- How to be a better lover?
- How to be perfect?
- How to be an adult in relationships?
- How to be a verified fan on Ticketmaster?
- How to be a nun in BitLife?
- How to be emo?
- How to be that girl?
- How to be enough for someone?
- How to be a fashion designer in BitLife?
OK, wait. I am perpetually online and I have three teen/young adult kids. How have I never heard of BitLife when it's in two of these "How to be" trending searches?
I kind of love "How to be an adult in relationships?" Kudos to those trying.
Interestingly, many of the global trends were similar to the U.S. searches, showing how interconnected we all are. However, the global recipes trends are very different:
1. पनीर पसंदा (paneer pasanda)
2. Bolo caseiro (homemade cake)
3. Tuzlu kurabiye (salt cookie)
4. Overnight oats
5. zimtschnecken (cinnamon rolls)
6. Irmik helvası (semolina halva)
7. панкейки (pancakes)
8. Baba ganoush
9. Bulgur pilavı (bulgur rice)
10. Pasta salad
How fun is that?
It's been quite a year and it's good to take a moment to remember and reflect on all that's happened in 2022. There were a lot of big things—the war in Ukraine, the passing of Queen Elizabeth and Betty White, our collective obsession with Wordle, and more. It's also telling what's not in these trends—notably, most references to the COVID-19 pandemic (which we are still in, despite most people being over it at this point).
Kind of makes you wonder what trending searches 2023 will bring, doesn't it? Let's make "street tacos" and "world peace" happen, please.
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.