In the summer of 2024, one word took over everyone’s feed: demure. A 17-second TikTok turned a dusty dictionary word into the phrase of the year — and got it named Dictionary.com’s 2024 Word of the Year. Here’s what demure really means, and how the internet rewrote it.
Demure: The Short Answer
Demure traditionally means reserved, modest, and shy. Dictionary.com defines it as “characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved.” The internet gave it a second life in 2024: used playfully to describe a refined, understated, “mindful” appearance or way of behaving — as in “very demure, very mindful.”
What Does “Demure” Mean?
The dictionary actually gives demure two closely related senses. The first is straightforward: shy, modest, and reserved — someone who doesn’t draw attention to themselves. The second is a little more pointed: affectedly or coyly decorous — behaving with a deliberate, almost performative modesty.
For most of its history, demure described a quiet, old-fashioned kind of femininity: the demure smile, the demure young woman in a novel. It was a word your grandmother might use. Then TikTok got hold of it, and Dictionary.com noted that “a new usage has spread through social media” — one describing refined, understated presentation in everyday contexts like work, travel, or getting ready in the morning. It’s the same word, but the vibe shifted from Victorian novel to lifestyle aesthetic. Fans of skibidi chaos and demure calm now sit at opposite ends of the internet.
The “Very Demure, Very Mindful” TikTok Trend
On August 2, 2024, Chicago creator Jools Lebron uploaded a 17-second TikTok titled “How to be Demure at Work.” Sitting in her car, she asked: “You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure, very mindful. I don’t look like a clown when I go to work. I don’t do too much.”
The audio went massively viral. A follow-up video passed 34 million views, and the phrase became a full-blown trend: creators posted their own “very demure, very mindful, very cutesy” videos about everything from boarding planes to ordering coffee. Celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Rodrigo, RuPaul, Joe Jonas, and Penn Badgley joined in. Brands — even NASA — used the phrase in marketing. The White House posted it. Lebron appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on August 19, and by August 25 her following had passed two million.
The joke, Lebron later explained, was satirical — a mockery of influencer culture and the “clean girl” aesthetic. But the phrase escaped the joke and became a genuine compliment: calling something “demure” now means it’s tasteful, understated, and put-together.
Dictionary.com’s 2024 Word of the Year
On November 25, 2024, Dictionary.com named demure its Word of the Year. The numbers were staggering: the word saw a nearly 1,200% increase in usage in digital web media between January and August 2024, with Google search interest peaking the week of August 18 — right after Lebron’s videos took off. The site reported 200 times more searches for the word on its own platform.
Demure beat out a strong shortlist that included brainrot, brat, weird, extreme weather, and Midwest nice. Dictionary.com’s lexicographers said the pick captures how a single viral moment can rewrite a word’s meaning in real time — and how the new social-media sense, describing “refined and sophisticated appearance or behavior,” had become a legitimate part of the language.
Demure vs. Modest: What’s the Difference?
They’re close, but not identical. Modest is the broader word: it covers humility about your abilities (“a modest proposal”), moderate amounts (“a modest salary”), and unshowy behavior. Demure is narrower and more about demeanor — it’s specifically about being reserved, composed, and quietly proper in how you present yourself.
In the viral usage, “demure” picked up an extra layer: it’s not just modest, it’s tastefully modest. A modest outfit covers up; a demure outfit is curated. That’s why the phrase works as an aesthetic judgment now, not just a personality description. If someone calls your morning routine “very demure,” take the compliment.
How to Use “Demure” in a Sentence
- “She gave a demure smile and declined the spotlight.”
- “Very demure, very mindful — that’s how I do my makeup for work.”
- “His demure manner at the interview impressed the hiring panel.”
- “She kept her celebration demure: a quiet dinner with close friends.”
- “The bride chose a demure, elegant dress over anything flashy.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Demure means reserved, modest, and shy. Dictionary.com defines it as “characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved.” In 2024, social media added a playful new sense: describing a refined, understated appearance or behavior — “very demure, very mindful.”
It’s a viral phrase from TikToker Jools Lebron’s August 2024 videos, used to praise tasteful, understated, put-together behavior — doing things in a refined, considerate way without overdoing it. It started as satire of influencer culture and became a genuine compliment.
Dictionary.com chose it after the word’s usage rose nearly 1,200% between January and August 2024, driven by the viral TikTok trend. It beat finalists including “brainrot,” “brat,” and “weird.”
Chicago TikTok creator Jools Lebron, whose August 2, 2024 video “How to be Demure at Work” went viral and spawned millions of imitations, celebrity recreations, and brand campaigns.
Usually, yes — especially in the modern usage. Calling someone demure suggests they’re tasteful, composed, and refined. In older usage it could occasionally sound prim or old-fashioned, but the 2024 revival made it fashionable.
Modest is broader (humility, moderate amounts, unshowy behavior). Demure specifically describes a reserved, composed demeanor — and in current slang, a curated, tasteful presentation. All demure behavior is modest, but not all modesty is demure.
