HTML

<h1 split-by="word" word-animation="hover">
  hover the words
</h1>

CSS


        @media (prefers-reduced-motion:no-preference) {
  [word-animation] {
    display: inline-flex;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    gap: 1ch
  }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion:no-preference) and (hover) {
  [word-animation=hover] {
    overflow: hidden;
    overflow: clip
  }

  [word-animation=hover]>span {
    transition: transform .3s ease;
    cursor: pointer
  }

  [word-animation=hover]>span:not(:hover) {
    transform: translateY(50%)
  }
}

JS


        const span = (text, index) => {
  const node = document.createElement('span')

  node.textContent = text
  node.style.setProperty('--index', index)
  
  return node
}

export const byWord = text =>
  text.split(' ').map(span)

const {matches:motionOK} = window.matchMedia(
  '(prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference)'
)

if (motionOK) {
  const splitTargets = document.querySelectorAll('[split-by]')

  splitTargets.forEach(node => {
    let nodes = byWord(node.innerText)

    if (nodes)
      node.firstChild.replaceWith(...nodes)
  })
}