Term symbolizes the division among the population of the United States in the last presidential elections
The chose “polarization” as the word of the year for 2024. The selection reflects the divisions highlighted in the United States elections between President-elect Donald Trump (Republican) and Vice President Kamala Harris (Democrat).
According to the dictionary, “polarization” means “division into 2 clearly distinct opposites; especially: a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer vary along a continuum but are concentrated at opposite extremes“.
Merriam-Webster editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski told Associated Press that the word is relatively recent, dating back to the beginning of the 19th century. He explained that the term has the capacity to intensify the meaning of others, whether in racial, political or ideological relations.
