Cambridge Dictionary Selects “Manifest” as Word of the Year

The Cambridge Dictionary has announced “manifest” as its Word of the Year, following its prominence in a worldwide wellness trend supported by public figures such as singer Dua Lipa. Its conventional definition encompassed the adjective “easily noticed or obvious” and the noun “to show something clearly through signs or actions”. The dictionary’s current entry for “to manifest” also covers the meaning of “imagine achieving something you want, in the belief doing so will make it more likely to happen”. However, Dr Sander van der Linden, a social psychology professor at the University of Cambridge, cautioned that “manifesting wealth, love, and power has no scientific basis and can lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment”. Among other notable figures who discussed manifesting their success in 2024 were US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and England striker Ollie Watkins. Wendalyn Nichols, the publishing manager for the Cambridge Dictionary, stated: “Manifest won this year because it increased notably in look-ups, its use widened greatly across all types of media due to events in 2024, and it shows how the meanings of a word can change over time.” She further explained that three factors are weighed before declaring the word of the year: “What word was looked up the most, or spiked? Which one really captures what was happening in that year? And what is interesting about this word from a language point of view?” Dr van der Linden additionally remarked: “Manifesting is what psychologists call ‘magical thinking’ or the general illusion that specific mental rituals can change the world around us.” He noted that this concept garnered “billions of views” on TikTok throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. He affirmed: “There is good research on the value of positive thinking, self-affirmation, and goal-setting.” “Believing in yourself, bringing a positive attitude, setting realistic goals, and putting in the effort pays off because people are enacting change in the real world. ” “However, it is crucial to understand the difference between the power of positive thinking and moving reality with your mind – the former is healthy, whereas the latter is pseudoscience.” Additional popular terms looked up in the dictionary during 2024 included: Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a division of the University of Cambridge, is responsible for publishing the dictionary. News from Cambridgeshire can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.