Each year the Cambridge Dictionary chooses a Word of the Year and this year they have named “manifest” as the 2024 Word of the Year.
This 600-year-old formal term has found new relevance, championed by Olympians, entertainers, and countless social media users who use it to describe the practice of turning dreams into reality. In fact, the word manifest was looked up nearly 130,000 times on the Cambridge Dictionary website, securing its place as one of the most searched terms of the year.
Originally rooted in Latin and French, manifest entered English as an adjective meaning “easily noticed” or “obvious.” Over time, it evolved into a verb meaning “to show something clearly.” But in recent years, its meaning has expanded, particularly in the self-help and social media realm, where it now refers to using mental focus and specific practices to make desires a reality.
This modern sense of manifest gained traction with the rise of “manifesting influencers,” who promote the practice online despite its lack of scientific backing. In May 2023, this new usage was officially added to the Cambridge Dictionary.
The popularity of manifest soared during key moments in 2024. From late July to early September, the Olympics and Paralympics spotlighted the concept as athletes like Simone Biles, Ezra Frech, and Mallory Weggemann credited their gold medal wins to manifesting. Earlier in the year, fans of Sabrina Carpenter dubbed her a “manifesting queen” after she performed with Taylor Swift during the Eras Tour. Similarly, Dua Lipa attributed her headlining act at Glastonbury Festival, in front of over 100,000 fans, to manifesting.
Searches for the word peaked on August 8, 2024—a date celebrated by many as a powerful day for manifesting. Social media and podcasts buzzed with advice on how to “manifest your best life,” particularly in terms of financial success.
The concept of manifesting gained widespread appeal during the pandemic, when searches for the word surged online. People shared their aspirations for everything from dream homes to romantic texts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, further embedding the term in popular culture.
To qualify as Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year, a word must already be in the dictionary. While some terms are added rapidly—Covid-19 made it in just 34 days—others, like manifest, require sustained and widespread use.
Manifest now sits alongside brat, which Collins Dictionary picked as its 2024 Word of the. Oxford Dictionary hasn’t announced its choice yet, but their shortlist includes brain rot, demure, dynamic pricing, lore, romantasy, and slop.
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