What is 'brain rot'? Oxford University names it 2024 word of the year

Oxford's 2024 Word of the Year - 'brain rot', highlights growing concerns over the mental impact of endless social media scrolling and the consumption of low-quality content

Is your daily routine dominated by endless swipes on social media platforms? If so, you might be experiencing ‘brain rot’ — a term now officially recognised as the Oxford Word of The Year for 2024.

 

This culturally resonant phrase captures a growing unease about how our digital habits impact mental clarity and intellectual engagement. Its meteoric rise in popularity — usage increased by 230 per cent in just one year — highlights a worldwide concern about the negative effects of living in an always-connected world.

 

The meaning behind the term 

Brain rot refers to the alleged decline in cognitive or intellectual abilities, often attributed to overindulgence in trivial, repetitive, or low-quality content online. It has become shorthand for the mental toll of mindless scrolling, especially on social media platforms.

 

Interestingly, the term predates the digital era by more than a century. Its earliest recorded usage comes from Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 classic, Walden. In his critique of superficiality in society, Thoreau asked: “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?”

 

Thoreau’s words, once a philosophical warning, have found new relevance in the age of TikTok algorithms and infinite Instagram feeds.

 

A symptom, not a syndrome 

Psychologist and Oxford professor Andrew Przybylski offers a measured take on the term’s significance. “There’s no evidence of brain rot actually being a thing,” Przybylski says. 

 

“Instead, it describes our dissatisfaction with the online world and bundles our anxieties about social media,” he said.

 

This sentiment is echoed by Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, who highlights the broader implications of the word of the year selections. “Over the last two decades, you can see society's growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving. Brain rot reflects one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, especially how we spend our free time.”

 

From niche to mainstream 

Though the term gained traction on platforms like TikTok and Twitter, primarily among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, it has since evolved into a cultural critique embraced by a wider audience. Discussions about brain rot often center around concerns about the addictive nature of algorithms and the diminishing quality of online content.

 

Grathwohl sees this as a reflection of internet culture’s pervasive influence. “Last year’s word, rizz, highlighted the playful side of online communities. Brain rot, by contrast, speaks to the darker undercurrent of our digital experiences.”

 

What words did brain rot beat? 

The competition for word of the year was fierce, with five other contenders that each captured unique facets of modern life: 

1. Demure: A reserved, understated style or behaviour, also a viral trend on TikTok celebrating minimalist fashion and mindful makeup.

 

2. Dynamic pricing: The practice of adjusting prices based on demand, increasingly prevalent in industries like travel and entertainment.

 

3. Lore: A term for essential knowledge or backstory, often used in discussions about pop culture or fandoms.

 

4. Romantasy: A genre blending romance with fantasy, enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to hits like Fourth Wing.

 

5. Slop: A term for low-quality, AI-generated content shared indiscriminately online.

 

A year of words reflecting culture 

The Oxford word of the year isn’t the only linguistic accolade reflecting cultural shifts. Cambridge Dictionary chose manifest as its word, inspired by a growing global fascination with visualisation and goal-setting. 

 

Meanwhile, Collins Dictionary crowned brat — defined as someone with a ‘confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude’ — a nod to Charli XCX’s viral album and the lifestyle it inspired. Even Dictionary.com weighed in with demure, propelled to prominence by a TikTok trend satirising traditional femininity with ‘mindful’ fashion and makeup choices.