Oxford University Press names "brain rot" as its 2024 word of the year in a nod to modern scrolling habits. "The term has taken on new significance in the digital age."

The phrase “brain rot” spiked 230 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to the makers of the Oxford English Dictionary

“Looking back at Oxford Word of the Year over the last 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,” Grathwohl said.