Oxford University Press (OUP), which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), has named “brain rot” as its word of the year for 2024.

Brain rot is the deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of over consumption of material. The word emerged as this year’s winner from a shortlist of six finalist words chosen via public vote.

Other contenders were: Demure – reserved, modest, and shy (typically used by a woman).
Dynamic pricing – a revenue management strategy that involves businesses setting flexible prices for products or services based on current market demands.

Lore – a body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group, typically passed from person to person by word of mouth.

Romantasy – a subgenre of fantasy fiction that combines romance and fantasy, often set in magical worlds.

Slop – dress in an untidy or casual manner.

The first recorded use of brain rot was in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book ‘Walden’, which reports his experiences of living a simple lifestyle in the natural world.

In a recent blog post, OUP disclosed that the term gained new prominence this year, especially on social media. It added that the word usage frequency increased by 230% between 2023 and 2024.

Casper Grathwohl, Oxford languages president, said the increased use of brain rot emphasizes one of the perceived dangers of virtual life.