Wordle is the most searched term on Google in the United States in 2022

It was a year when Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into the Ukraine, Will Smith stormed the Oscars stage to punch Chris Rock, and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

But none of those defining moments in 2022 were top concerns for Americans, according to Google data.

The search engine has today released its ‘2022 Year in Search – Themes and Insights’, which shows the most searched words on Google this year.

Topping the search list is Wordle, the online sensation that saw millions of people around the world trying to crack their daily brain teasers.

The follow-up was “election results” as Americans wanted to find the latest updates on the dramatic midterm elections that saw Democrats strengthen their control of the Senate.

The five most searched terms were Betty White, Queen Elizabeth and Bob Saget, as millions mourned the deceased icons.

Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and Will Smith were the most searched living characters of the year after dominating the headlines.

Heard and Depp were embroiled in a multi-million dollar libel suit earlier this year, resulting in the announcement of a victory for Depp in June.

Around the same time, Smith earned his own place as one of the most popular actors of the year, following his controversial moment at the 94th Academy Awards in March.

During the ceremony, he stormed onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock after comments the comedian made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, returning to the stage moments later to collect the best actor Oscar.

Depp, Smith and Heard also made it into the top three of the most searched actors, followed unsurprisingly by Chris Rock, then Uncut Gems star Julia Fox, who recently dated Kanye West.

Google also released data showing the top searches for movies, songs, and TV shows.

And he revealed that Charm was the number one most searched movie despite having been released in November of last year.

Superhero blockbusters claimed several of the other top films, with Thor Love And Thunder at number two and Top Gun: Maverick at number three.

On the small screen, Gen Z drama Euphoria was the most searched show, followed by Netflix hits Stranger Things, The Watcher and Inventing Anna.

Matt Cooke, head of the Google News Lab, said the list “reflects the arc of emotions experienced.”

“Amid extreme ups and downs, including national mourning and geopolitical instability, it’s humbling to see that a game like Wordle provided solace.”

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