What Oxford’s Word of the Year reveals about humanity’s online addiction

If you thought doomscrolling is dangerous, there is more bad news for those glued to their smartphones.

Oxford Languages has just announced ‘brain rot’ as the Word of the Year for 2024, underpinning growing global concerns over the cognitive toll from endless digital consumption.

The word was selected following an online poll of over 37,000 participants.

The term's usage grew 230 percent between 2023 and 2024, as more people grappled with the effects of endless online content scrolling.

“Word of the Year is a unique way for us to apply and share our language expertise, reflect on the year, and engage people across the world in the evolving nature of language,” says Katherine Connor Martin, Product Director for Oxford Languages.

Oxford's official definition explains ‘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”

Martin explained to TRT World how these annual selections capture cultural moments.

"From 'selfie' (2013) to 'vax' (2021), and 'goblin mode' (2022), previous winners serve as a time capsule, reflecting society's moods and conversations," she says.

Young people on TikTok and other platforms embraced the term, often using it self-referentially to describe their own media habits.

“Word of the Year aims to capture the dynamic and changing nature of language; historically, young people have often been drivers of linguistic innovation, and that continues today, with the addition of online channels which can accelerate the spread and adoption of new words and uses.” Martin tells TRT World.

She further emphasises how digital spaces have long influenced language evolution.

"As early as the heyday of Usenet newsgroups in the 1980s and 1990s, we’ve seen—almost in real time—how online communities of all ages shape their own vocabularies, which then bleed into mainstream usage," she explains.

Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, linked this year’s choice to broader societal shifts.

"Looking back at the Oxford Word of the Year over the past two decades, you can see society’s growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about" he stated.

"Brain rot" emerged as the winner over other contenders, including "demure," "slop," "dynamic pricing," "romantasy," and "lore," solidifying its place as a reflection of the digital culture and linguistic shifts defining 2024.

Brain rot-ing

The conversation extends beyond social media critique - U.S. mental health centres are now offering guidance on identifying and preventing "brain rot."

It has also become a rallying cry for concerns over the detrimental effects of excessive screen time and low-quality content.

Many critics argue that such habits can harm focus, creativity, and mental well-being, especially among younger users.

A study by the Newport Institute found that prolonged exposure to trivial or distressing online content could exacerbate anxiety and depression.

This phenomenon connects to Henry David Thoreau’s critique in Walden, where he coined the term "brain rot" in 1854 as a metaphor for society’s intellectual decline.

Thoreau criticised the tendency to devalue complexity in favour of simplicity, which he saw as indicative of a broader decline of intellectual effort: “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?”

Although Thoreau’s metaphor targeted the superficial ideas of his time, its modern usage intensifies his fears in the digital age.

The term now reflects a generation's struggle with the overwhelming amount of trivial or harmful online content.

“It’s impossible to predict whether these types of words and phrases will have staying power; many may register as blips or fads, while others stand the test of time,” Martin observes.

“However, our language insight over the last two decades highlights just how influential technology, and subsequent online culture, has been in shaping the language we use today.”