“Demure” named Dictionary.com’s “Word of the Year for 2024”

Stevian Francis

2 weeks ago

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The craze over the word “Demure” was further solidified after it was named Dictonary.com’s 2024 “Word of The Year.”

“Demure” beat out other contenders like “brat,” “weird”, and “brain rot” following the site’s annual reveal.

According to Dictionary.com “Demure”, reflected a nearly 1,200% increase in usage in digital media alone between January and the end of August.

The word, which means “reserved, modest, and shy (typically used of a woman)” as per the website, rose to prominence after TikTok influencer Jools Lebron made a satirical video series where she coined the phrase “very demure, very mindful.” That focus on the word as a descriptor in a now-viral post led to the phrase becoming an internet buzzword.

“You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure. Very mindful,” Lebron shared in one of the viral videos that has racked up over 12.2 million plays on TikTok.

“The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job. A lot of you girls go to the interview looking like Marge Simpson and go to the job looking like Patty and Selma. Not demure.”