The outcomes of the 2024 US presidential election reverberated throughout the nation and the world, sparking deep divisions, which have been captured in Merriam-Webster’s alternative for Phrase of the Yr, “polarization.”
In response to Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at massive, “polarization” describes a particular sort of division, one which tends towards extremes reasonably than a balanced center floor.
The election, marked by intense political friction, led many citizens to view the opposing candidate as an existential risk to the nation.
AP VoteCast’s survey of over 120,000 voters revealed that about 8 in 10 Kamala Harris supporters noticed Donald Trump’s views as excessive, whereas round 7 in 10 Trump voters felt the identical about Harris.
The time period “polarization” has developed to mirror not simply political discord but in addition broader social and cultural rifts. It highlights the stark disagreements that permeate politics, race relations, popular culture, and extra. Merriam-Webster’s entry for “polarization” factors out its use in contexts just like the divide between tech developments, celeb controversies, and even memes.
As per the information company AP, in a world the place the idea of fact is more and more contested, Sokolowski sees the dictionary as a impartial arbiter. “It’s a type of backstop for that means in an period of faux information, different details,” he defined.
Different high phrases
Merriam-Webster’s high phrases of 2024 embody phrases that captured the general public’s consideration throughout varied sectors.
Demure
TikToker Jools Lebron’s 38-second video describing her workday make-up routine as “very demure, very conscious” lit up the summer season with memes. The video has been seen greater than 50 million instances, yielding “enormous spikes” in lookups, Sokolowski mentioned, and prompting many to study it means reserved or modest.
Fortnight
Taylor Swift’s track “Fortnight,” that includes rapper Publish Malone, undoubtedly spurred many searches for this phrase, which implies two weeks. “Music can nonetheless ship folks to the dictionary,” Sokolowski mentioned.
Totality
The photo voltaic eclipse in April impressed awe and far journey. There are tens of tens of millions of people that stay alongside a slender stretch from Mexico’s Pacific coast to japanese Canada, in any other case referred to as the trail of totality, the place locals and vacationers gazed skyward to see the moon absolutely blot out the solar. Usually, the phrase refers to a sum or mixture quantity — or wholeness.
Resonate
“Texts developed by AI have a disproportionate share of use of the phrase ‘resonate,’” Sokolowski mentioned. This can be as a result of the phrase, which implies to have an effect on or attraction to somebody in a private or emotional means, can add gravitas to writing. However, paradoxically, synthetic intelligence “additionally betrays itself to be a robotic as a result of it’s utilizing that phrase an excessive amount of.”
Allision
The phrase was regarded up 60 instances extra typically than standard when, in March, a ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. “When you’ve one shifting object into a set object, that’s an allision, not a collision. You’re exhibiting that one of many two objects struck was not, in reality, in movement,” Sokolowski mentioned.
Bizarre
This summer season on the TV information present “Morning Joe,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referred to as Republican leaders “bizarre.” It could have been what launched his nationwide profession, touchdown him because the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Although it is a phrase that folks sometimes misspell — is it “ei” or “ie”? — and seek for that purpose, its rise in use was notable, Sokolowski mentioned.
Cognitive
Whether or not the phrase was used to lift questions on President Joe Biden’s debate efficiency or Trump’s personal age, it cropped up typically. It refers to acutely aware mental exercise — akin to considering, reasoning, or remembering.
Pander
Pander was used extensively in political commentary, Sokolowski mentioned. “Conservative information retailers accused Kamala Harris of pandering to totally different teams, particularly younger voters, Black voters, gun rights supporters.” Whereas Walz mentioned Trump’s go to to a McDonald’s kitchen pandered to hourly wage employees. It means to say, do, or present what somebody — akin to an viewers — needs or calls for despite the fact that it’s not “good, correct, affordable, and so forth.”
Democracy
In 2003, Merriam-Webster determined to make “democracy” its first phrase of the 12 months. Since then, the phrase — which, in fact, means a type of authorities by which the folks elect representatives to make selections, insurance policies and legal guidelines — is constantly one of many dictionary’s most regarded up. “There’s a poignancy to that, that individuals are checking up on it,” Sokolowski mentioned. “Possibly essentially the most hopeful factor that the curiosity of the general public exhibits, is that they’re paying consideration.”
Merriam-Webster’s annual phrase choice not solely mirrors societal developments but in addition sheds gentle on what the general public is being attentive to. The previous decade of phrases, from “genuine” in 2023 to “tradition” in 2014, highlights a broader cultural shift, emphasising the evolving issues and values of society.
