Oxford Chooses ‘Brain Rot’ as Word of the Year 2024: Definition and Reasons Behind the Choice

Oxford University Press has crowned ‘brain rot’ as its Word of the Year for 2024, highlighting growing concerns over the impact of excessive online content consumption, particularly on social media. The term, which captures the perceived intellectual and mental decline resulting from overindulging in trivial or mind-numbing material, has gained significant traction in recent months, especially among younger generations.

More than 37,000 people participated in the vote to select Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year, with ‘brain rot’ emerging as the winner from a shortlist of six words. Other contenders included ‘demure,’ ‘dynamic pricing,’ ‘lore,’ ‘romantasy,’ and ‘slop,’ the latter referring to low-quality online content generated by artificial intelligence. Oxford said the voting process reflected widespread concern over the quality of content in the digital age.

What is ‘Brain Rot’?

Oxford defines ‘brain rot’ 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.” In other words, it refers to the idea that spending too much time consuming low-effort content—such as viral videos or mindless scrolling—could lead to a decline in critical thinking and cognitive health.

The term was first recorded in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden, where Thoreau advocated for a simpler, more thoughtful lifestyle away from the distractions of modern society. Today, it has taken on a new meaning in the context of our increasingly digital lives.

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Why Was ‘Brain Rot’ Chosen?

Oxford University Press explained that ‘brain rot’ gained prominence in 2024 as a term reflecting growing anxiety about the impact of social media and the consumption of low-quality digital content. The term saw a 230% increase in usage from 2023 to 2024, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where Gen Z and Gen Alpha have adopted it to describe the effects of excessive screen time and trivial content.

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, noted that the term captures one of the major cultural concerns surrounding technology: how people are spending their free time in the digital age. He also pointed out that ‘brain rot’ resonates particularly with younger generations, who are both the creators and consumers of much of the online content that fuels this phenomenon.

“Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life and how we are spending our free time,” Grathwohl said. “It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year.”

The Rise of ‘Brain Rot’ in Popular Discourse

The term ‘brain rot’ has become part of the broader conversation about the effects of social media, with many expressing concern about the mental toll of endlessly scrolling through feeds filled with unchallenging and sometimes harmful content. From memes to viral challenges, much of the content circulating on social media platforms is designed to capture attention quickly, but often lacks substantial intellectual or emotional depth.

While the term initially gained popularity among TikTok users, its usage has now spread into mainstream media and public discourse. The term’s adoption highlights a growing awareness of how pervasive online content can shape our mental and intellectual well-being.

Previous Words of the Year

‘Brain rot’ follows in the footsteps of other memorable Words of the Year chosen by Oxford. In 2023, the word was ‘rizz,’ a slang term referring to someone’s ability to charm or attract others. In 2022, ‘goblin mode’ was selected, describing a self-indulgent, lazy, or unapologetically messy attitude, while ‘vax’ topped the list in 2021 amid the global pandemic.

As digital life continues to evolve and become a larger part of daily existence, terms like ‘brain rot’ reflect the ongoing cultural conversation about the intersection of technology, mental health, and our evolving relationship with the virtual world.