‘Brain rot’ is Oxford’s word of year 2024

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.