The 2024 words of the year

At the end of each year, most major dictionaries take on the custom and challenge of selecting one word believed to best define the spirit of the times. These choices capture the zeitgeist through novelty, newfound popularity, or descriptive power. Here they are...

Defined as "division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially, a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes." Ironically, the dictionary’s editor noted it was one word that everyone agreed on.

This word leaped from the self-help niche to the mainstream, bolstered by influencers and athletes at the 2024 Olympics. Gold medalists like Simone Biles credited 'manifesting' for their victories. If you're curious, "manifest" now refers to using "specific practices to focus your mind on something you want, to try to make it become a reality."

The online dictionary reported a “meteoric” rise in the use of this word in 2024—up 1,200% in digital web media between January and August. Why? TikTok influencer Jools Lebron (shown) popularized her “demure” makeup look, which became a meme-worthy catchphrase: “very demure, very mindful.” Traditionally meaning “modest or reserved,” the word gained a fresh, strange context this year.

Image: Joolieannie/TikTok

No longer about a spoiled child, brat is newly defined as "characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude." This word owes its inclusion to Charli XCX’s album Brat. 'Brat summer' became a cultural phenomenon, and phrases like 'Kamala is brat' did their thing (meant as a compliment!).

First coined by Henry David Thoreau in 1854, this term saw a 230% rise in usage this year. But what is 'brain rot'? Oxford defines it 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." Yup.

According to the Australian dictionary, this word, coined in 2022, captured 2024's spirit like no other. What does it mean? It's "the gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by a reduction in the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking." A swear word about disappointing online purchases, elevated to a near-formal description.

Looking to other languages, the Spanish dictionary chose a meteorological term, an acronym for an isolated low-pressure area at high levels. It may sound technical, but a DANA caused historic flooding in Spain’s Valencia region that claimed around 230 lives. Everyone in Spain now knows what a DANA is.

The Russian online dictionary selected "Вибе," meaning "vibe," as its word of the year. Although it has been part of slang for some time, its recent surge in popularity mirrors its English usage to describe anything from good to bad feelings.

The Society for Austrian German in Graz picked "renaturierung", or "renaturation," as its word of the year. It describes returning land once used for activities like agriculture or industry to its natural state. Though it may sound idyllic, the Society's jury described it as a "politically highly charged word."

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