Why is ‘Polarization’ Merriam-Webster’s 2024 Word of the Year?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary chose polarization as their 2024 Word of the Year. Our divides take up so much of our thoughts and focus these days, so it makes perfect sense. After all, we’ve been shouting it from the rooftops for a while.

In one way, the choice is a depressing reminder of where we’re at, as a people. But in another more positive and hopeful sense, this can perhaps be a call for us, as a society, to talk more about this problem. 

Because we do need to talk about it more. We need to talk about it more in depth, with seriousness, and humility — and not just talk superficially and in passing, as is often done by pundits and leaders. 

​Merriam-Webster chooses the word of the year based on an increase in searches for that and related words. As they put it: “Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world.”

This tracks on our end: Our research tells us 87% of Americans are tired of the toxic political division in this country.

Merriam-Webster’s entry for polarization reads, “division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially, a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes.” 

One example sentence they give is “the relationship between partisan polarization and legislative gridlock is direct, with stalemate more frequent as the political center shrinks.” Ugh. Tell us something we don’t know. 

Do “both sides” agree about this word?  

Merriam-Webster’s editor, Peter Sokolowski, said the word is used by people across the political spectrum and, “in a little bit ironic twist to the word, it’s something that actually everyone agrees on.” 

But we’d disagree with Peter on that. 

Even among people who use the word “polarization,” many would deny the framing that “both sides have grown more extreme.” Many do not see our toxic divides as a “both sides” problem; they see it as largely — or even solely — a problem caused by the “other side.” (For example, Republicans focus on Democrat-associated beliefs they see as having grown more extreme, while Democrats focus on the rhetoric and actions by Trump and his allies they see as extreme and dangerous.)

Leaving aside who is more right or wrong, it’s easy to construct different narratives about the nature of a conflict. 

Some people use the word polarization to politely discuss our divides without assigning blame — even as the person using the word and their audience can have their own ideas of who is to blame.  

New Years resolution: In 2025, let’s talk more about polarization

We see this Word of the Year as a call to talk with more nuance and vulnerability about this problem — not to treat the word superficially and simplistically. We need more people to see and acknowledge how they and their allies contribute to our divides. 

For example, our distorted, overly pessimistic views of each other are a major source of contributions to toxicity. Put simply, we constantly anger each other with false, insulting, inflammatory statements. We need to be brave enough to admit and face that, for a start. 

As we often say, you can join the movement to decrease political toxicity while still thinking, “The other side is worse.” All it takes to join this movement is acknowledging that there are things we can all do to help build a healthier, less toxic future. All it takes is a willingness to participate and the courage to question your assumptions about others and your instincts on how to disagree.  

Want to dive into more nuance on this word? Read “4 Myths About Toxic Polarization.” 

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