Gloss · Slang · brain rot

What does “brain rot” mean?

Brain rot is the dull, foggy feeling that comes from too much low-quality online content, and the content itself.

Where it comes from

Oxford University Press named it Word of the Year for 2024. It is older than it sounds: Henry David Thoreau used brain-rot in Walden in 1854.

Brain Rot in a sentence

• Three hours of cat videos: full brain rot.
• Kids now call nonsense memes brain rot.

Can you say it at work?

Fine; it’s self-mocking and widely understood.

Related

Slang: doomscrolling · AI slop · rage bait

Words: lethargic · apathy

More slang

lowkey · stan · sus · spill the tea · it’s giving · understood the assignment · All 49

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