List of the New Words in English in 2024 to Improve Vocabulary (Update)
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| Full List of New Words in English Today |
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What Are The New Words in English
According to data from the Global Language Monitor (GLM), there are roughly 1,019,729 words in the English language.
Additionally, according to the GLM, a brand-new word is produced globally roughly every 98 minutes! You can develop your vocabulary by keeping up with the new English words that have been included in dictionary editions recently. Vocabulary is divided into four main categories by educators all over the world: listening vocabulary, speaking vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only served to emphasize the importance of being able to communicate as clearly, succinctly, and effectively as possible. With so much of our daily life moving online, having an impressive vocabulary in English can help develop excellent language skills.
Here are the new English words with definitions if you've decided to expand your vocabulary in order to improve your language abilities.
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Top 15 Most Important New English Words in 2024
1. Side Hustle
Meaning: Are you trying to "scrimp" and save for your holiday but you still haven’t got enough money? Perhaps you need a "side hustle".
A "side hustle" is the term we use for a way to earn extra money on top of your regular income.
Example:
I wasn’t earning enough money in my full-time job, so I started a side hustle making and selling crafts.
2. Sentient
Meaning: To be sentient means to be conscious, to be able to sense, to be alive. So, hang on a minute … this is definitely not a new concept!
With the rise of A.I. (artificial intelligence) and the growing interest in making bots as human-like as possible, there is constant conversation about the distinction between a bot and a human. This quality is being sentient. Expect this to be a controversial topic!
Example:
Wow! This new chatbot seems so realistic. It has an answer for everything. It is almost sentient!
3. Permacrisis
Meaning: Does it ever seem as though nothing is working out for you? as if the situation is getting worse and worse? Maybe you're experiencing "permacrisis" right now.
A crisis that lasts forever is referred to as a "permacrisis". As you can probably tell, we combine the words crisis and permanent to create it. The term "portmanteau" refers to the creation of new words by combining two existing ones.
The ongoing series of global events that have had a negative impact on people has been referred to as a "permacrisis."
Example:
I thought everything would improve after the pandemic finished, but the effect it had on the economy and job market put us in a permacrisis. When will things get better?
4. Sportswashing
Meaning: This year, this media phrase became well-known. It's a term we use to describe how sporting events are advertised in an effort to divert attention from other things.
Another portmanteau, this time originating from the words "brainwashing" and sports. "Sportswashing" is the practice of using a major sporting event to "deflect" attention away from something unfavorable, as might be done by a newspaper.
In the "buildup" to the World Cup in Qatar, sportwashing was a hot topic. When the first game "kicked off" in this case, some of the controversy surrounding the tournament was put to the side of everyone's thoughts.
Example:
The public soon forgot about their anger towards their president when he posed for a photo with the national team before the big match. They were all victims of sportswashing.
5. Jabbed/Vaxxed
Meaning: It was inevitable that words associated with the global pandemic would enter our daily lives in a world so affected by it.
To be "jabbed/vaxxed" means to have received a vaccination. Although it is not a new word, it has become such a necessary part of life. We often use it with prefixes like double-, triple- and fully-.
Example:
I had to prove I was double-jabbed in order to travel. Luckily, I’d had two vaccinations.
6. Gaslighting
Meaning:
Have you ever had the impression that someone isn't communicating with you clearly? Maybe you've had the impression that someone is telling you lies so they can exploit you or a circumstance. You may have fallen victim to gaslighting.
The term "gaslighting" refers to psychological exploitation that is perpetrated on a person over an extended period of time. This may cause the individual to feel perplexed, lose their sense of self, and even start to doubt their own sanity!
"Gaslighting" is frequently associated with psychological abuse, and the victim often suffers severe long-term emotional harm. In a world where we're always looking for the truth, proceed with extreme caution if you suspect gaslighting.
Example:
The therapist made him feel like he was going insane, just to make him continue paying for sessions. Absolute gaslighting!
7. Cringe
Meaning:
Have you ever wanted to run away from an embarrassing situation? Most likely, that was a cringe moment.
For a very long time, we have been using the verb cringe. The expression you make when something is incredibly embarrassing is what it refers to. However, the word cringe has recently replaced the adjective cringeworthy.
Example:
Did you see her dad trying to dance like a teenager? Oh my god, it was absolutely cringe!
8. Copypasta
Meaning: 'Copypasta' refers to online data (including text) that has been copied and pasted. It could be amusing material shared for likes or it could be a serious political statement. People claimed that "Copypasta" was widely used during the pandemic to spread false information about the virus and its treatment.
Example: The copypasta on Twitter is getting out of hand.
9. Trip stacking
Meaning: A method for booking several distinct vacations at once. Trip stacking entails reserving lodging, dining, and activities for various locations all at once. When travel plans were severely disrupted by the pandemic, the tactic gained popularity.
Example: We’re trip stacking for the summer break.
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10. Deplatform
Meaning: The process of preventing someone from widely disseminating a message. Deplatforming someone from a social media platform is a figurative action that is frequently used. The term "deplatform" refers to cancel culture and the obligation of tech firms to control hate speech and disinformation.
Example: The website has taken action to deplatform the brand after recent events.
11. Hard pass
Meaning: To vehemently decline something or an offer. 'Pass' is a weaker and more polite version of 'hard pass' that works better in casual settings. The phrase became well-known during the pandemic when people were more likely to reject social invitations (especially if they were in ‘goblin mode’).
Example: They want to go to the city center on a Saturday? Hard pass from me.
12. Greenwash
Meaning: the action of falsely representing something as being more environmentally friendly (or less environmentally damaging) than it actually is, usually to attract more customers or boost brand perception. In 2022, after new laws to encourage lower carbon emissions were introduced, numerous organizations were accused of "greenwashing."
Example: We’ll greenwash the public if we don’t include all operation numbers in the report.
13. Level up
Meaning: To advance or improve. ‘Level up’ originates from games, where users unlock new levels as they progress. Normally refers to a person or a particular skill.
Example: I want to level up my wardrobe with some new clothes.
14. Churn rate
Meaning: the quantity or proportion of workers who quit a company within a certain time period. When The Great Resignation occurred in 2022 and millions of workers quit their jobs, the phrase "churn rate" experienced a surge in popularity. The term "churn rate" can also refer to a metric that counts the number of customers who have stopped using a good or service.
Example: The company’s churn rate increased after it required employees to work from the office.
15. Shrinkflation
Meaning: goods that get smaller over time while maintaining the same price. Usually applies to food purchases, but it can also be used for other purchases. Customers pay more per unit as a result of "Shrinkflation." 'Shrinkflation' in the 2022 recession and economic unpredictability alarmed many people.
Example: Shrinkflation made it difficult for Tony to buy groceries for a big family on a budget.
The Full List of the New Words in English to Learn in 2023/2024 (Update)
These are just a sample of the hundreds of new words in English this year. For a more extensive list of new words in 2023/2024.
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| New English words you need to know |
Abnegation - Denial; renunciation of a doctrine or belief.
Abrogate– To revoke something formally.
Abstruse– Difficult to understand.
Accede- Yield to anothers’ wish or opinion.
Ambigue - An ambiguous expression or statement.
Athleisure - Comfortable and casual footwear & clothing designed for exercise and rigorous activity.
Blandishment– Flattery intended to persuade.
Broigus - Angry or irritated.
By-Catch - A catch of fish that cannot be put to commercial use.
Blert - A cowardly person, someone who is weak.
Calumny– A false accusation of an offense.
Circumlocution– An indirect way of expressing something
Comp - Providing products or services free of charge as a token of appreciation, a favor.
Cryptocurrency - Virtual or digital currency used on the internet. (This is among the new words in English that have emerged as a result of technological advancements in the industry of finance.)
Cringe - To feel ashamed or embarrassed by what someone else is doing or saying.
Deepfake - A recording or image that has been altered convincingly to misinterpret what someone is doing or saying. (This is among the new words in English that have emerged as a result of technological advancements in the industry of finance.)
Demagogue– A leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions
Delicense - To deprive a vehicle, business, or person of their license (official permission to operate).
Destigmatizing - The process of removing social stigma or negative connotations associated with someone or something.
Ebullient - Unrestrained joyously.
Efface - To remove, typically by erasing or rubbing.
Enervate– Weaken physically, emotionally, or morally.
Eradicate - To destroy something completely down to its roots.
Fantoosh - Showy; flashy; stylish; exotic; sophisticated. Used often to imply pretentiousness & ostentation.
Hench - A person with strong musculature; an individual with a remarkable physique
Hir - A gender-neutral adjective is used to indicate possession.
Hair Doughnut - A doughnut-shaped sponge used to support a specific hair-do.
Gratuitous - Unwarranted or uncalled for.
Gaffe - A tactless or socially-awkward act.
Galvanize - To stimulate action
Influencer - An individual who changes or affects the way a larger group of people behave.
Infirm - Lack of vitality, or bodily & muscular strength.
Incessant - Without any interruption.
Jovial - Displaying high-spirit merriment.
Jaunt - A journey taken typically for pleasure.
Jaded - Apathetic or bored after experiencing an excess of something.
Kwell - To talk proudly, admiringly, or enthusiastically about something.
Knell - The sound of a bell rung very slowly; a toll.
Kip - Informal word for ‘sleep’.
LOL - Abbreviated form for ‘Laugh Out Loud’. Used commonly for communicating informally on social media platforms.
Lethargy - To display an unusual lack of energy or inactivity.
Largesse - Generosity or kindness in bestowing money or gifts.
Multifarious - Diverse, or multifaceted.
Municipal - Related to a self-governing district.
Microfinance -Financial services that are provided to individuals & communities in rural & developing areas.
Nomophobia - Anxiety about lack of access to a smartphone or mobile phone services.
Naivete - Lack of worldliness & sophistication
Oat-Milk - Milk prepared from oats; used commonly in cooking and in drinks.
Onset - The early stages, or beginning of.
Pronoid - A person who is convinced of others’ goodwill towards themselves.
Quaff - To swallow greedily or hurriedly in a single draught.
Rat-Tamer - Informal for a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
Recalcitrant - Resistant to authority or force.
Raconteur - A person who is skilled in telling anecdotes.
Sandboxing - The restriction of a code or piece of software to a specific environment on a computer system that can be run securely.
Self-isolate -To deliberately isolate oneself from others; to undertake a period of self-imposed isolation.
Shero - A heroine; a hero of the female gender.
Sesquipedalian– A foot and a half long.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious– Something that is extraordinarily good.
Topophilia - An emotional connection to a physical environment or a particular place.
Truthiness - Something of a seemingly truthful quality that is not supported by evidence or facts.
Tract - An area of land that is extended.
(Updating now...)
FAQs
How can I learn new words in English daily?
Learning new words is made easy by reading a variety of books and articles. Keep a dictionary close at hand so you can check the definitions of words. You may also find it easier to remember them this way.
Why have dictionaries been adding so many new words each year?
Technology has significantly contributed to the rise in irrational word creation. This is largely a result of the requirement for prompt and effective communication.
What do 'portmanteau' words mean?
'Portmanteau' or 'blended' words combine the meaning of two distinct terms. For instance, the word "bromance" is a combination of the words "romance" and "brother."
In Conclusion
The list of words above is a fantastic resource for expanding your vocabulary overall and learning new English words.
Every year, dictionaries add new words in English that are constantly being developed. Adding new words to your vocabulary is a great way to communicate clearly.
There are four categories of vocabulary: reading, speaking, listening, and writing.
Remember that using personal examples and attempting to use new words in both your speaking and writing are the best ways to help you remember and use new words. You can always get assistance from your teacher. Perfect practice makes perfect!
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