Explained: From ‘brain rot’ to ‘kakistocracy’, what Words of the Year tell us about 2024

Nonetheless, Words of the Year are generally related to current events in terms of usage, though it is not necessary that the word should have originated that year. For example, the Cambridge Dictionary’s pick “Manifest” has existed for years but has only recently been used by younger generations in a slightly different sense. Here is what to know about five major picks this year, what they represent and how they were chosen.

1. 01

   “Brain rot” by Oxford Dictionary

   WHAT IT MEANS: “Supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration.”

   WHAT IT REPRESENTS: Oxford said, “The term has taken on new significance in the digital age, especially over the past 12 months. Initially gaining traction on social media platforms — particularly on TikTok among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities — ‘brain rot’ is now seeing more widespread use, such as in mainstream journalism, amidst societal concerns about the negative impact of overconsuming online content.”

   HOW IT WAS CHOSEN: It was based on a public vote in which more than 37,000 people had their say from a shortlist of six words “to reflect the moods and conversations that have helped shape the past year.” Oxford Dictionary’s language experts considered the public’s input, voting results and language data collectively.

   They found the term increased in usage frequency by 230% between 2023 and 2024, though it was first recorded in 1854 in American author Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden. He referred to what he saw as “a general decline in mental and intellectual effort” in society.

2. 02

   “Manifest” by Cambridge Dictionary

   WHAT IT MEANS: “To use methods such as visualization and affirmation to help you imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen.”

   WHAT IT REPRESENTS: Historically, the word “manifest” has been used to mean something showing itself noticeably, with origins in the 14th century. But in recent years, particularly around the Covid-19 pandemic, it came to stand for making hopeful efforts to realise one’s goals, no matter how lofty they seem.

   “Manifesting” may include writing down one’s goals, repeatedly thinking positive thoughts, or simply resolving to focus more on one’s actions. It is similar to some common self-help advice encountered in popular psychology, such as in the 2006 best-selling book The Secret. However, psychologists and experts have cautioned that there is no scientific basis for one’s goals coming true based on thoughts alone.

   HOW IT WAS CHOSEN: The word was searched almost 130,000 times on the Cambridge Dictionary website, making it one of the most viewed words of 2024. The term was also popularised thanks to people (including celebrities) posting on social media platforms about having manifested their goals.

   Wendalyn Nichols, the dictionary’s Publishing Manager, said, “ When we choose a Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year, we have three considerations: user data, zeitgeist, and language. What word was looked up the most, or spiked? Which one really captures what was happening in that year? And what is interesting about this word from a language point of view? Manifest won this year because it increased notably in lookups, its use widened greatly across all types of media, and it shows how the meanings of a word can change over time.”

3. 03

   “Brat” by Collins Dictionary

   WHAT IT MEANS: “Characterised by a confident, independent and hedonistic attitude.”

   WHAT IT REPRESENTS: The word has conventionally been used in the context of children who refuse to follow instructions. It surged in popularity thanks to Charli XCX’s hit summer album of the same name. She said it referred to “that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes.”

   Collins said, “Though it started life as the title of an album… it has clearly captured something of the spirit of the age... Channelling self-acceptance as well as rebelliousness, it’s a fitting word for 2024, a year when hedonism and anxiety have combined to form an intoxicating brew.”

   HOW IT WAS CHOSEN: According to the Associated Press, “Collins experts monitor their 20-billion-word database to create the annual list of new and notable words that reflect the ever-evolving English language.”

4. 04

   “Polarisation” by Merriam-Webster Dictionary

   WHAT IT MEANS: “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.”

   WHAT IT REPRESENTS: The dictionary noted the term’s increasing use by mainstream media outlets when reporting on the 2024 US presidential elections. It said the word was also used to describe divides elsewhere when Forbes warned that in workplaces, “cultural polarization is becoming a pressing challenge.” The increasing divisiveness of online debates, such as those on celebrity news, was also cited as an example of polarisation visible beyond politics.

   HOW IT WAS CHOSEN: The dictionary chooses its word of the year based on data, tracking a rise in search and usage, according to AP.

5. 05

   “Kakistocracy” by The Economist

   WHAT IT MEANS: A government characterised by the “rule of the worst.” In 2019, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote, “Derived from the ancient Greek — the speakers of which were pioneers of democratic practice and knew a thing or two about good governance, or the lack thereof — a kakistocracy is a government by the worst elements in society. The word comes from the Greek ‘kakistos’, which is the superlative form of the word ‘kakos’, meaning ‘bad’; kakistos means ‘as bad as it can possibly get’.”

   WHAT IT REPRESENTS: The Economist chose the word based on what it called the “main event” of 2024 – the electoral comeback of Donald Trump. It came following several legal cases against him and attempts by his supporters to storm the US Capitol and contest the results of the 2020 elections. Despite Trump winning comfortably, many Democrats have raised grave concerns about his future presidency and the appointees he has announced so far, to be confirmed after he takes office in January.

   “Matt Gaetz, accused of sex and drug crimes and the subject of a congressional ethics investigation, was nominated to be the country’s highest law-enforcement officer… Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host sporting tattoos associated with the far right (and who had been accused of sexual assault) was tapped as defence secretary.” Gaetz has since withdrawn from the nomination process.

   “Having spiked on Google Trends the day after Mr Trump’s election, kakistocracy jumped a second time in the wake of these nominations. Searches surged a third time on November 21st, when Mr Gaetz announced that he would withdraw from consideration for attorney-general, suggesting that he was seen as the worst of the worst. The term was particularly popular in Democratic strongholds such as Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota,” The Economist said.

   HOW IT WAS CHOSEN: “Kakistocracy’s snappy encapsulation of the fears of half of America and much of the world makes it our word of the year,” The Economist said. The magazine does not share the exact metrics behind its choice.