It’s very mindful, it’s very demure. Dictionary.com is the world’s leading source of all things words, including, of course, definitions, but also word games, words of the day, and popular trends regarding words like declaring the word of the year. Dictionary.com uses AI and analyzers to scan the entire internet with websites from all over the world to find the top words used most frequently in all headlines, articles, searches, and other places. This year Dictionary.com has awarded the word of the year title to the word demure.
The word demure gained traction in August of 2024 after a creator on TikTok, with the username “joolieannie,” made a video using the word to describe her makeup for work. This video currently has over 54.5 million views, and the sound from her video has been used over 102,000 times by other creators. After this video was published, the word demure traveled worldwide in a short time frame. Videos were being made from all over the world saying how different actions in life were demure. The use of the word demure has skyrocketed to about 1,200 percent since before August 2024, all around the world. Even though demure has become increasingly popular in use, there are always arguments about what the word of the year should have been. This year’s word has caused controversy in opinions; some think it was justified, and some think that there have been better words.
When Ella Murphy, a sixteen-year-old who spends lots of time on social media, was asked if she believed demure was the right pick for word of the year she shared, “No I do not think it is the best choice because nobody says that word. It was just a joke from TikTok.” Many people share the same thoughts as Ella. There has also been discussion going on around the internet about how the word of the year should be chosen. Some people think that it should be chosen from a vote, and some believe it should remain the way that it is, while also believing that even though it is chosen as the word of the year, it does not mean that it is the most intelligent or sophisticated choice. Charles Lainhart, an English teacher at Pennridge High School, shared his beliefs about the word of the year being chosen based on the “most popular” word. He believes that “the most popular word is not always the most impressive word.”
Dictionary.com shares the word of the year throughout the entire world. This word can be very influential and even people who had no idea about the trend can be influenced by the word chosen from one of the world’s leading sources of information. Just because a word is popular, does not mean it is a word that people should follow. It is important to follow trends that you love, and even if you do not agree with the word of the year, it is okay to follow a different one.
