Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” its 2024 Word of the Year, but what about the words that didn’t quite make the cut?
“Brain rot” was first recorded in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book called Walden. Thoreau wrote: "While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain rot — which prevails so much more widely and fatally?"
In modern usage, “brain rot” describes the experience of mindlessly scrolling through social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, a compulsive and often unhelpful behaviour.
Candidates are identified through a 26-billion-word database of global language data, with a shortlist developed throughout the year. The winner is then chosen at the end of the year (in this case, on December 2) after a public vote.
While “brain rot” took the top spot, several other words came close. Here are some of the most noteworthy contenders:
Shrinkflation
Repechage
Sussy
Doomscroll
Election
In addition to “brain rot,” the shortlist of contenders for Word of the Year highlighted emerging trends and cultural shifts. These included:
The Oxford Word of the Year has previously included culturally significant terms such as “chav,” “selfie,” and “sudoku”. In 2023, “rizz” took the title, capturing a term popularised by online youth culture.
As Fiona McPherson, a senior editor in Oxford’s New Words team, told the BBC, the Word of the Year encapsulates something essential about the time. Whether reflecting societal concerns, trends, or collective experiences, these words offer a linguistic snapshot of the past year.
