Cambridge Dictionary traditionally chose the word of the year 2024

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“Manifest” is the word of the year 2024 according to the Cambridge Dictionary. It is the most popular, as it was searched for almost 130 thousand times this year.

“Manifest” means to imagine achieving success and sincerely believe that it will become a reality. This is stated on the dictionary website.

The word “Manifest” was searched for more than 350 times a day, that is, almost 130 thousand times a year. This made it one of the most popular words of the year. And August 8, 2024 is considered a particularly powerful day for manifestos, as the web has been flooded with numerous podcasts, posts, and videos of advice on how to make life better through dream visualization.

When choosing a word of the year, we are guided by three considerations: user data, zeitgeist, and language. What was the most searched word, or what was the most popular? Which one really reflects what happened that year? And what is interesting about this word from a linguistic point of view? “Manifest” won this year because it has grown significantly in searches, its use has expanded significantly across all types of media, and it demonstrates how the meaning of a word can change over time, said Wendalyn Nicholls, Cambridge Dictionary's publishing manager.

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When celebrities or influencers claim to have achieved something because they “visualized” it, they use this verb in a more modern sense: to use certain practices to focus the mind on something desired in order to make the desired reality.

The practice gained popularity during the pandemic. Then people started sharing tips on social media on how to “manifest” anything – from the house of their dreams to a message from a loved one.

The use of this meaning of the word “manifest” has gained popularity with the increase in the number of “manifesting influencers” who promote this scientifically unproven practice on social media – so much so that in May 2023 it was added to the Cambridge Dictionary, experts said.

This practice is especially popular among stars. For example, athletes Simone Biles, Ezra Frech and Mallory Weggemann, who won gold medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, attribute their achievements to “manifesting”. It was this event that attracted the world's attention to this practice.

Even popular singer Dua Lipa “manifested” her concert for over 100 thousand audience at the Glastonbury Festival.

“Manifest”