earworm

¹ American  

[eer-wurm] / ˈɪərˌwɜrm /

noun

1. a tune or part of a song that repeats in one’s mind.

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verb (used with object)

1. to work (itself or its way) into a person’s mind.

   The Pepsi jingles have earwormed their way into my head.

earworm ² American  

[eer-wurm] / ˈɪərˌwɜrm /

noun

1. corn earworm.

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earworm British  

/ ˈɪəˌwɜːm /

noun

1. informal an irritatingly catchy tune

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Etymology

Origin of earworm¹

First recorded in 1980–85; loan translation of German Ohrwurm “catchy tune, earwig”

Origin of earworm²

First recorded in 1880–85; ear ² ( def. ) + worm ( def. ) (in the sense “small creeping animal”)

Example Sentences

The propulsive soundtrack, full of inescapable earworms, became the first to top the Billboard charts since 2022, when Disney's Encanto created a similar craze.

From BBC

KPop Demon Hunters is also likely to win best original song, with earworm Golden, one of the biggest hits of last year, well ahead of rivals.

From BBC

The song that'll take them over the top is a trashy pop earworm called Internet Girl.

From BBC

Even a recurrent but unadorned lyric like “I hunger and thirst” becomes an instant earworm.

From Salon

Throw in a rotating, addictive playlist of earworms and humorous commercial bumpers, and every moment of “Haikyu!!” feels precious.

From Salon