Oxford University Press (OUP) announced “brain rot” as its 2024 word of the year, reflecting the term’s surge in popularity. Defined as the deterioration of mental or intellectual capacity due to overconsumption of trivial online content, “brain rot” has seen a 230% increase in usage between 2023 and 2024. The phrase, originally found in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden in 1854, has taken on new significance in the digital age, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Gen Alpha, comprising children born after 2010, often uses the term humorously or self-deprecatingly in online communities. It frequently appears alongside other trending lingo like “sigma” (a leader), “gyatt” (an exclamation for a curvaceous woman), and “Skibidi,” a reference to a YouTube series used to describe virtually anything.

OUP selected “brain rot” from a shortlist of six terms, including “demure,” “dynamic pricing,” “lore,” “romantasy,” and “slop,” following a public vote with over 37,000 participants. Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, noted the term captures younger generations’ self-awareness about the impact of social media on mental well-being. It highlights “a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology,” he added.