Welcome to the Brat era: Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year defines 2024's attitude—plus, other words that made the shortlist

Collins Dictionary has crowned "brat" as the Word of the Year for 2024, but the meaning isn’t what you would think! This spicy selection leads a lineup of modern lingo contenders—like "brainrot" (for when your thoughts are stuck on one loop), "rawdogging" (no filter needed, apparently), "era" (because we’re all in someone's era), and "delulu" (delusion, but make it fashion). So if you're feeling a bit bratty, maybe a touch delulu, and can’t help the brainrot—welcome to the vibe of 2024!

A 'Brat' summer

Once a word that just meant “spoiled kid,” brat has taken on a whole new vibe in 2024! No longer just a term for tantrum-throwers, brat now means someone with a "confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude."

Thanks to Charli XCX’s latest album Brat, the term has evolved from an insult to a full-blown aesthetic, even landing it as Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year!

Inspired by the rebellious beats and in-your-face style of Brat, this new wave has taken over everything from TikTok to fashion runways.?

"Brat summer" quickly became the mood of 2024, an anthem for anyone embracing messy club nights, neon green, Marlboro lights, and just a hint of chaos.?

A mash-up of Brat with a Kamala Harris speech even went viral, spreading the bratty energy everywhere!

As Collins Dictionary honours brat with its Word of the Year crown, it’s clear: 2024 is the year we let loose and go full brat mode.

Collins Dictionary's shortlist for 2024 is packed with buzzwords that hit right where the vibes are! Alongside brat, they’ve got:

Brainrot: When you’ve scrolled one meme too many and your brain’s practically mush from low-quality content. Sound familiar?

Era: Not just a chunk of time, but a vibe-defining phase, or as Colline defines, a period of one’s life or career that is of a distinctive character. It’s your main character moment, like “my iced coffee era” or “my hiking phase.”

Looksmaxxing: The ultimate glow-up goal—taking attractiveness to the next level, whether through skincare routines, workouts, or filters!

Rawdogging: Going in with zero prep and loving the chaos. Think spontaneous road trips or a karaoke night without the playlist.

Delulu: AKA “delusional.” Collins defines it as ‘‘utterly mistaken or unrealistic in one’s ideas or expectations,” but we all know?the dreamer in us all is?the only solulu!

Other top picks include romantasy (a library genre that combines romantic fiction with fantasy), supermajority (a winning percentage in legislative votes), and yapping (think oversharing at brunch, or “talking in great detail about inconsequential matters.”)?

With words like these, 2024's lexicon captures every moment, every mood, and every vibe shift.

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