Missouri’s Top-Searched Word on Dictionary.com During Pandemic Is Embarrassing

Dictionary.com posted a map this week showing the top-searched terms by state during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Missouri subsequently outed itself as having its priorities in all the wrong places.

For many of the states, the search terms are the kind of things you'd expect to see during this health crisis and the subsequent economic turmoil that comes with it. "COVID-19" unsurprisingly tops the list in many states, along with words such as "furlough," "disinfectant" and "rona."

"Stir-crazy" topped the list for Kansas, which is probably the case for that poor boring state even in the absence of lockdowns, while Alaska's was "hunker down," which is kind of charming in its own way.

Meanwhile, Missourians apparently don’t know the definition of the word “looting.” Forget valuable public health information; here in Missourah it was all about the loot.

The map is color coded, with search topics separated into four categories including "science," "economy" and "social behavior." Missouri’s search of “looting” stood in a category all of its own called “social unrest,” and stands out in bright hot pink.

Well, this is embarrassing. Looking at the map, you’d think Missourians care more about looting than about the worst pandemic in a generation.

What’s that you say? It’s just Governor Parson who seems to think that? Yeah, you’re right.

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