Will “Demure” Be a Thing Left in 2024?

What is one word you’ve heard people say one too many times this year? Well, according to the site Dictionary.com, the Word of the Year 2024 is the one that went viral over the summer: “demure.”

The word took off in popularity earlier this year after TikToker and beauty influencer Jools Lebron popularised the phrase, “very demure, very mindful.” In an announcement on Monday, the site said that the word “demure” saw a huge increase of 1,200% from January to August.

“Demure” has historically been used to describe ‘discrete’ and ‘reserved behaviour,’ but “a new usage has spread through social media,” Dictionary.com said. Even celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and RuPaul used the phrase to promote their brands.

Dictionary.com stated that choosing “demure” for this year was based on a thorough look at social media trends, news stories, and words that moved beyond online discussions.

The word “demure” was also shortlisted for Oxford’s Word of the Year 2024 but didn’t take the top spot. Instead, Oxford University Press announced “brain rot” as the Word of the Year.

Oxford’s decision to choose “brain rot” follows a public vote that amounted to over 37,000 participants from around the world. President of Oxford Languages, Casper Grathwohl, said, “Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life and how we are using our free time.”

The term has become widely used, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and is often seen in reference to viral internet culture. Experts have pointed out that it is “fascinating” how younger generations have both embraced and created the very content associated with “brain rot.”

Other words that made Oxford’s shortlist this year include “lore,” “demure,” “dynamic pricing,” “slop,” and “romantasy.”