'Polarization' word of the year: Merriam-Webster

NEW YORK — Merriam-Webster announced on Monday its 2024 word of the year is "polarization", which it said "happens to be one idea that both sides of the political spectrum agree on".

"We define polarization as '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,'" Merriam-Webster, a US company publishing reference books and mostly known for its dictionaries, said in a release.

The word was widely used across the US media landscape in 2024. Fox News reported that "Vance's debate answer on the immigration crisis shows voter polarization", while MSNBC observed that "the 2024 presidential election has left our country more polarized than ever".