THE WORD OF THE YEAR 2024 IS "BRAIN ROT"

After a public vote with over 37,000 participants, we are thrilled to announce that the Oxford Word of the Year for 2024 is ‘brain rot.’

Reflecting the Zeitgeist

This year’s Word of the Year was selected from a shortlist of six words curated by Oxford’s language experts, each representing the moods and conversations shaping 2024. Over two weeks, the public cast their votes, igniting widespread discussion. Combining this input with language data, our experts concluded that ‘brain rot’ perfectly captures the cultural landscape of the past year.

What Is Brain Rot?

Defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially due to overconsumption of trivial or unchallenging material (now particularly online content),” ‘brain rot’ has seen a remarkable resurgence. The term encapsulates growing concerns over how excessive consumption of low-value online content—especially on platforms like TikTok—may affect mental health and intellectual engagement. Usage of the term surged by 230% between 2023 and 2024.

A Historical Term in a Digital Age

Although ‘brain rot’ feels distinctly modern, its first recorded use dates back to 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, where he critiques society’s preference for simplicity over complexity. Thoreau’s observations resonate even more in today’s digital age, where the term has evolved to capture anxieties about the impact of viral, low-quality content.

From Humor to Social Concern

Initially popularized by Gen Z and Gen Alpha on TikTok, ‘brain rot’ gained traction through humorous memes and viral series like Alexey Gerasimov’s Skibidi Toilet. However, it has since grown into a broader conversation, addressing concerns about the effects of overexposure to this type of content, particularly on young minds.

Mental health professionals are now weighing in, with some publishing guidance to help individuals avoid ‘brain rot.’ This shift from humor to serious discussion reflects the word’s cultural significance in 2024.