Oxford Word of the Year 2024: Gen Z's Brain Rot Takes the Spotlight

Concerns about the potential risks of virtual life have been growing. These include how we spend our leisure time mindlessly scrolling through social media. As a result, Oxford chose "brain rot" as its Word of the Year for 2024.

The word 'brain rot' was selected as the 2024 definitive Word of the Year following two weeks of voting by linguists. The winner was chosen by more than 37,000 voters from a shortlist of six words that Oxford University Press had created.

What is Brain Rot?

The official statement describes it as "a decline in a person's mental or intellectual abilities, often due to consuming too much content, especially online, that is seen as shallow or unchallenging." It also refers to things that are likely to cause this decline.

The term 'brain rot' was first used in writing in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau's book Walden, which describes his experiences leading a simple existence in the natural world.

Why was Brain Rot Selected?

According to Oxford University Press, the phrase "brain rot" gained fresh traction this year as a way to describe worries about the negative effects of consuming a lot of poor-quality online information, particularly on social media. Between 2023 and 2024, the term's use grew by 230%.

The phrase first became popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities on social media, especially TikTok. Oxford pointed out that the term "brain rot" is becoming more popular, even in mainstream news, as people worry about the harmful effects of ingesting too much online content.

Other Short-listed Words

Oxford made a list of 6 words for the selection. The other five shortlisted words were:

• Demure: Gained popularity after a social media trend, referring to modest or responsible behavior.
• Dynamic Pricing: Pricing that changes based on demand for a product or service.
• Lore: A collection of facts and background stories about someone or something.
• Romantasy: A fiction genre blending romance and fantasy.
• Slop: Poor-quality online content created using artificial intelligence.

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