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Oxford University Press has declared ‘brain rot’ as the word of the year for 2024, summing up widespread concerns over mindless social media habits and the consumption of low-value content. More than 37,000 people participated in the public vote, choosing from a shortlist of six contenders shared by the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary.
What is ‘brain rot’?
‘Brain rot’ is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.”
According to a report in The Guardian, Oxford University Press noted that the term gained traction throughout 2024 and became synonymous with worries about the impact of excessive engagement with low-quality online content, especially on social media platforms.
Though it has gained new relevance in recent years, the phrase can be traced back to Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 book, Walden. The expression has now come to represent a cultural critique, highlighting how today’s society uses its free time in an age dominated by digital spaces.
“Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time. It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year,” Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
Grathwohl also observed an interesting demographic shift. He said, “I also find it fascinating that the word brain rot has been adopted by gen Z and gen Alpha, those communities largely responsible for the use and creation of the digital content the term refers to.”
The shortlist included other contenders, such as ‘demure,’ popularised by a social media movement that celebrated reserved behaviour during the summer, ‘dynamic pricing,’ which refers to the fluctuation of prices based on demand, ‘lore,’ signifying background information associated with people or topics, ‘romantasy,’ a genre that blends romance and fantasy, and ‘slop,’ a term for low-quality, AI-generated online content.
Oxford University Press factored in public input, social commentary, and analysis before the announcement was made on December 1.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Dictionary named ‘manifest’ as its word of the year for 2024. The term relates to a wellness practice where individuals imagine achieving their goals to make them more attainable. This word has been searched over 130,000 times on the Cambridge Dictionary website.
Social media-driven trends were also reflected in other dictionary awards. Dictionary.com chose ‘demure,’ tied to a TikTok trend that encouraged people to act with more reservation, while Collins Dictionary selected ‘brat’ after Charli XCX’s album of the same name gained popularity over the summer.
