'Brain Rot' Named Oxford Word Of The Year 2024

Oxford has announced ‘brain rot’ as the definitive 'Word of the Year' for 2024. The word was chosen following a public vote, in which more than 37,000 people had their say. The word beat five other finalists—demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore.

After last year's word of the year 'rizz', 'Brain rot' is another example of how language is increasingly formed, shaped and shared within online communities.

‘Brain rot’ is a word that has been used more consistently in reference to online culture by both social media and mainstream media. Usage of the term increased in frequency by 230% between 2023 and 2024.

"Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time. It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year," Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, said about this year’s selection process and the 2024 winner.

‘Brain rot’ is defined 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". It is also something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration.

Oxford experts noticed that ‘brain rot’ gained new prominence this year as a term used to capture concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media.

The word of the year is intended to be “a word or expression that reflects a defining theme from the past 12 months.”

Now a modern phenomena, the first recorded use of the word ‘brain rot’ was found in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden. “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?" wrote Thoreau.

In the digital age, especially over the past 12 months, the word has gained new traction and popularity—particularly on TikTok among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities.

The word is often used in a humorous or self-deprecating manner by online communities.

Apart from the world of humorous content, the word is now also gaining momentum is a broader, more serious conversation about the potential negative impact that excessive consumption of digital content might have on mental health, particularly among children and young people.

Earlier this year, a mental health centre in the US even published advice online about how to recognise and avoid ‘brain rot’.