If you haven’t heard the term, well, perhaps you’ve been spending too much time on activities that do rot your brain, like binge-watching or doomscrolling. Oxford said this week that the phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” as it was used about 230% more than in 2023.

BOSTON - Oxford University Press has officially dubbed "brain rot" its 2024 word of the year. It's described as that feeling you get after spending hours scrolling through social media. You could say this news has been 170 years in the making.

Oxford University Press narrowed a list down to six words in November and the world had the opportunity to vote for its top 2024 choice.