‘Polarization’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year

By Megan Ziegler
Published  December 9, 2024 10:30am EST
FOX TV Stations

FILE - Image illustration of political polarization. Getty Images

The Brief

    • Merriam-Webster’s 2024 Word of the Year is polarization. 
    • Merriam-Webster chooses its word of the year based on data, and tracked a rise in search and usage of the word. 
    • Other words or terms of the year from various dictionaries include demure, brain rot and manifest.

Merriam-Webster has announced its 2024 Word of the Year: polarization.

Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world, the publishing company said Monday.  

Polarization definition

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."

Polarization, and the verb polarize, date back to the early 1800s, when they first described light waves. 

That physical meaning of polarize-"to cause to vibrate in a definite pattern"-led to the political and cultural meaning that helps define the world today, Merriam-Webster said.

RELATED: Wikipedia's most-viewed articles in 2024

Word of the year

Merriam-Webster chooses its word of the year based on data, and tracked a rise in search and usage of the word. 

Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press that the word was used frequently across the political spectrum, including commentators on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN.

"It’s used by both sides," he said, "and in a little bit ironic twist to the word, it’s something that actually everyone agrees on."

Its use goes beyond the political spectrum as well, and can be applied to trends in pop culture, tech or other industries. 

Merriam-Webster’s top 10 words of 2024

Demure

Fortnight

Totality

Resonate

Allision

Weird

Cognitive

Pander

Democracy

Other 2024 words of the year

Cambridge Dictionary: Manifest

Dictionary.com: Demure

Oxford Dictionary: Brain rot 

The Source: Information in this article was taken from a Dec. 9, 2024 blog post from Merriam-Webster about its 2024 Word of the Year, and from an Associated Press interview with Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, Peter Sokolowski. This story was reported from Detroit.