Merriam-Webster Declares ‘Polarization’ the Word of the Year: A Reflection of America’s Divided Landscape

Merriam-Webster, the esteemed American dictionary publisher, has selected “polarization” as its Word of the Year for 2024.

On Monday, Merriam-Webster announced the selection of this year’s word.

The publisher explained, “Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected Americans’ desire to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world.”

Merriam-Webster defines polarization as “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially, a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.”

The publisher noted that the media extensively used the term “polarization” during this year’s U.S. presidential election period.

Fox News reported, “Vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance’s response during the debate regarding the immigration crisis showed voter polarization.” MSNBC also stated, “The U.S. has become more polarized than ever as the 2024 election approaches,” according to Merriam-Webster.

Meanwhile, on December 1, Oxford University Press, publisher of the renowned Oxford English Dictionary, chose “brain rot” as its Word of the Year. This term refers to the deterioration of an individual’s mental and intellectual capacity due to excessive consumption of trivial or seemingly insignificant information.