Oxford Picks ‘Brain Rot’ as Word of the Year: What It Means

Oxford's Word of the Year for 2024 is 'brain rot,' reflecting growing concerns about the impact of excessive social media use and the consumption of mind-numbing content online. The term 'brain rot' was chosen as the definitive Word of the Year for 2024 after a two-week voting period by language experts. Over 37,000 participants voted to help select the winner from a shortlist of six words compiled by Oxford University Press.

The five words shortlisted for this year's Oxford Word of the Year included demure, which surged in popularity, thanks to a social media trend that emerged during the summer, highlighting reserved or responsible behavior; dynamic pricing, a term used to describe the practice of adjusting the price of a product or service based on market demand; lore, which refers to a body of knowledge, traditions, and background information related to a particular person, group, or subject; romantasy, a genre that blends elements of romance and fantasy fiction; and slop, a term for low-quality, often AI-generated content that floods the internet. 

These words reflect the evolving language and cultural shifts of the past year. Previous winners of Oxford’s Word of the Year include rizz in 2023, which refers to charm or charisma, goblin mode in 2022, a term for a self-indulgent, lazy, or unrepentantly hedonistic lifestyle, and vax in 2021, which became synonymous with the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Shortlist and Past Winners

The 2024 shortlist included five other terms:

• Demure: Popularised by a summer social media trend referring to reserved or responsible behavior.
• Dynamic pricing: Pricing that adjusts based on demand.
• Lore: Background information about a person or subject.
• Romantasy: A genre blending romance and fantasy.
• Slop: Low-quality AI-generated online content.

In previous years, Oxford honored 'rizz' (2023), 'goblin mode' (2022), and 'vax' (2021).

What Is 'Brain Rot'?

Oxford defines 'brain rot' as “the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, particularly as a result of overconsuming trivial or unchallenging material, especially online.” The term can also refer to content likely to cause such effects.

The phrase was first recorded in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden, which criticised societal distractions while advocating for a simpler, more meaningful life.

Why 'Brain Rot'?

Oxford University Press noted a 230% increase in the term’s usage between 2023 and 2024. Initially popularised on social media platforms like TikTok, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha users, 'brain rot' has since gained mainstream attention. 

It encapsulates societal concerns about the negative impacts of consuming excessive low-quality online content.

Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, stated, “‘Brain rot’ speaks to the dangers of virtual life and how we spend our time. 

It feels like the next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. 

Its widespread adoption, especially among younger generations, highlights its relevance.”

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, remarked, "The term 'brain rot' highlights the growing concerns about the impact of virtual life and how we spend our leisure time. It feels like a natural progression in the ongoing cultural discussion about humanity and technology. It’s no surprise that many voters embraced the term, making it our top choice this year."

He added, "What’s particularly intriguing is that 'brain rot' has been widely adopted by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the very generations behind the digital content that the term refers to."