2022 in U.S. Google Searches

Every year, Google reveals its biggest trending search queries over the previous twelve months. Looking at all searches in the United States compared to last year, a picture of the people and the topics that were in our thoughts in 2022 emerges.

Despite 2022 being a dramatic and shocking year in many respects, the biggest trending search was far from serious and heavy. Wordle, the viral word game which exploded in January, captured the imagination of many people in January - so much so that it was soon bought from its solo creator by the New York Times.

Shedding light on the negative aspects of the year, Ukraine and Hurricane Ian also feature, as do the deaths of Queen Elizabeth, Betty White and Bob Saget. A look at the search trends can also give an indication of what Americans have been talking about: A large increase in those wondering how to pronounce Qatar, Kyiv, and Omicron reflect some of the hottest conversation topics of the year.