enshittification
/ɛnˌʃɪtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun★Intermediate
💻Technology
informal
the process by which a product or service degrades in quality as its owner prioritizes short-term profit over long-term value
Twitter's enshittification accelerated after its acquisition by Elon Musk.
The platform's quality declined rapidly due to management changes.
💡
Coined by tech critic Cory Doctorow in 2022 to describe platform degradation.
Collocations
platform enshittificationthe degradation of a digital platformaccelerated enshittificationrapid decline in quality
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
race to the bottomphrase
competition that leads to lower quality
corporate greedphrase
prioritizing profit over ethics
💡Pro Tip
Usage Context
Use in discussions about tech, business, or policy to describe systemic degradation.
⚡Gold Rule
Avoid Formal Use
This is an informal term; use cautiously in professional settings.
📖Word Origin
Coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022, combining 'en-' (to make) + 'shit' (low-quality) + '-ification' (process of becoming).
📝Usage Notes
Primarily used in discussions about tech platforms, social media, and corporate practices. Often implies corporate greed as the cause.
Word Breakdown
en-
to make
prefixshit
low-quality or worthless
root-ification
process of becoming
suffixEnglish Dictionary