This one really wasn’t much of a surprise I don’t think.
Dictionary.com named “Demure” as its Word of the Year for 2024.
This is mainly because of the viral tiktok video by Jools Lebron. Who popularized the phrase “very demure, very mindful” in a series of videos that shook the internet.
@joolieannie
But what does “Demure” actually mean? At its core, being “demure” means embracing a soft, quiet confidence. Think: staying composed, neat, and unassuming while still managing to get things done with grace.
TikTokers gave the word a glow-up, turning it into a cultural shorthand for mindfulness and minimalism, minus the drama.
No wonder its usage skyrocketed by 1,200% this year between January and August, according to Dictionary.com.
“Demure” had some stiff competition in the race to become Word of the Year. Honourable mentions included:
- Brat: Popularised through “brat summer,” a cheeky, carefree season of self-expression.
- Brainrot: A hilarious (and maybe a bit too relatable) term describing the mental fog caused by overindulging in trashy online content.
- Weird: A simple yet highly relatable descriptor for the quirks of 2024.
Last year, Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year was “hallucinate,” inspired by the rise (and occasional blunders) of AI tools and chatbots.
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