‘Brain Rot’ is Oxford’s Word of the Year 2024

Oxford University Press has crowned “brain rot” as the Word of the Year for 2024. The phrase saw a 230% increase in usage compared to the previous year, reflecting its resonance in today’s cultural and digital landscape.

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,” brain rot captures the zeitgeist of the digital age, where concerns about screen time and superficial online content have become mainstream.

How Was It Chosen?
Oxford lexicographers used a combination of public voting and linguistic analysis to select the winner from a shortlist that included:

Demure
Slop
Dynamic Pricing
Romantasy
Lore

A Historical Note
Although the term has gained modern relevance, it dates back to 1854, first used by Henry David Thoreau in Walden. However, its current usage highlights anxieties about how virtual life affects our mental states and how we spend our free time.

Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, explained: “’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.”

Past Winners
Last year’s word was “rizz,” a playful term derived from charisma, while Collins Dictionary named “brat”—a nod to carefree living—as their 2024 Word of the Year.

The selection of brain rot reflects broader concerns about technology’s role in shaping modern behavior and mental health. It’s a fitting term for a year dominated by conversations about digital consumption and its impact on society.

Source: AP News