In a year bursting with unhinged chaos and goblin-like antics, the decision to crown “demure” as Word of the Year feels like the most rebellious act of all.
In a year bursting with unhinged chaos and goblin-like antics, the decision to crown “demure” as Word of the Year feels like the most rebellious act of all.
In a world often dominated by bombastic buzzwords and viral slang, the announcement of 2024’s Word of the Year by Dictionary.com has sent a subtle ripple through the cultural zeitgeist: “Demure.” Yes, in the age of shouty headlines and maximalist everything, a word that quietly whispers “modesty” has managed to outshine its louder linguistic competitors.
The decision, according to Dictionary.com, reflects a growing interest in words that convey restraint, elegance, and timelessness. “This year, people seemed drawn to subtlety,” explained a spokesperson. “In a world of chaos, ‘demure’ is a reminder that sometimes less is more—even in vocabulary.”
Of course, the race for Word of the Year was anything but demure. Other contenders on the shortlist reveal just how varied—and at times absurd—the cultural conversation has been over the past 12 months. Among the finalists:
These flashy contenders couldn’t stand up to the understated grace of “demure,” proving once and for all that loud isn’t always better.
The journey to selecting the Word of the Year is a painstakingly complex process—or so Dictionary.com would like you to believe. According to official sources, linguists spend months analyzing search trends, social media usage, and even TV scripts to pinpoint the word that best encapsulates the year. There are spreadsheets, algorithms, focus groups, and heated debates in windowless conference rooms.
But insiders tell a different story.
“When it comes down to the final call, the committee just walks over to the Gen Z intern and asks what’s trending on TikTok,” admitted one anonymous source. “This year, our intern scrolled through her FYP, saw a viral Jools Lebron post where she described her cat as ‘demure,’ and boom—the decision was made. Very scientific.”
Apparently, the deciding video featured Jools’ cat sitting regally while ignoring a pile of snacks, sparking thousands of comments applauding the cat’s restraint. It wasn’t long before people began describing everything from coffee table decor to their dating lives as “demure.” The rest, as they say, is history.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Traditionalists have hailed the choice as a victory for meaningful vocabulary in an increasingly slang-heavy world. “It’s about time we honored a word with some sophistication,” said one linguist. “This restores my faith in language.”
Others, especially Gen Z, are less enthusiastic. “Demure? Sounds like a Pokémon,” quipped one commenter on Instagram. Another TikTok user said, “Demure is just ‘basic’ with a degree in English literature.”
Still, the selection of “demure” has sparked conversation, which is the ultimate goal of any Word of the Year. Whether people embrace it as a reminder to tone things down or use it ironically to describe the opposite, it’s a choice that’s both quietly bold and delightfully cheeky.
As 2025 looms, experts are already speculating about next year’s contenders. Will it be another quiet classic, or will a chaotic newcomer like “yassify” or “micro-spiral” steal the crown? Whatever the outcome, one thing’s clear: somewhere, a Gen Z intern is waiting to make the call.
And who knows? Maybe “silent screams” will get its chance after all.
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