word

‘Manifest’ becomes Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year

From social media trends to celebrity dreams, the word captures the essence of turning aspirations into reality

Since the 2020 COVID lockdown, the word ‘manifest’ has gained immense popularity on social media. Its use has reached beyond viral reels, with global celebrities like singer Dua Lipa, USA gymnast Simone Biles and England and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins openly embracing and crediting the power of manifestation for their success.

The Cambridge Dictionary follows three key criteria when choosing its Word of the Year — which word saw the highest or most notable spike in searches, which best reflects the year’s events and which has an interesting linguistic story. According to Wendalyn Nichols, publishing manager of the Cambridge Dictionary, manifest stood out in 2024 due to its significant rise in search, its widespread use across various forms of media and its evolving meanings.

Whether or not you believe in the power of manifestation, manifest has come to symbolise the pursuit of turning dreams into reality. For Bollywood fans, Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic monologue in Om Shanti Om offers the perfect analogy: “Itni shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai, ki har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai,” — remember?

So, why not share this with a friend and remind them how the word manifest continues to inspire millions to chase their goals?

— Debrup Chaudhuri