The Ultimate Glossary of TikTok Slang for 2025: Best Definitions

If you want to go viral on TikTok in 2025, you need to speak the language. TikTok slang constantly evolves, and knowing the latest terms helps creators and businesses connect authentically with their audiences. 

Whether you’re monetizing TikTok content or just getting started, staying fluent in the app’s slang keeps you relevant and boosts engagement.

This glossary breaks down what each slang term means and how to use it correctly in comments, captions, or videos.

Why TikTok Slang Matters in 2025

Slang on TikTok spreads faster than anywhere else. It influences pop culture, brand messaging, and humor online. 

When you use slang correctly, your content feels more relatable and people can connect with it. 

Not only that, but it shows cultural awareness, which may also improve engagement and watch time.

Ultimately, slang on TikTok builds community with your audience and boosts your performance with your target audience. 

If you’re a business, understanding slang prevents cringey marketing moments and makes your brand feel like a real member of the TikTok community, something that is super important! 

Let’s take a look at the most common TikTok slang words and how they’re used with an example for each one. 

Alpha

Means confident, dominant, and a natural leader. Often used jokingly, but some content creators, like fitness creators, or podcasters, use this because that connects with their target audience and they believe themselves to be an alpha. 

Example: He took control of the entire collab and everyone followed his lead. That is alpha behavior.

Altered My Brain Chemistry

Used when something is so incredible or intense that it changes you forever.

 

Example: That series finale was so good it genuinely altered my brain chemistry.

Aura Points

Imaginary points awarded for style or confidence.

 

Example: You earned major aura points with that entrance.

Beige flag

A mildly odd trait that isn’t a dealbreaker.

 

Example: Her beige flag is she eats every meal with a spoon, even pasta.

Beta

Opposite of alpha: shy, passive, or easily influenced.

 

Example: He apologized even though he wasn’t wrong. That was beta of him.

BDE

Short for Big Energy. Quiet confidence without arrogance.

 

Example: She didn’t say much in the meeting, but she had serious BDE.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

Refers to dramatic transformation or a flashy lifestyle.

Example: Her vacation pictures are giving total BBL energy.

Be so for real

A reaction to something unbelievable or dramatic. Something similar to “are you kidding me?” Sometimes it can be abbreviated: BSFR. 

 

Example: You think I’m waking up at 4 AM to film? Be so for real.

Bones Day or No Bones Day

Refers to whether the day will be productive or lazy.

 

Example: Woke up tired after one alarm. Definitely a No Bones Day.

Brain rot

Being overly obsessed with a meme or media trend. This could be used to discuss things like TikTok music or other viral elements of the platform. 

 

Example: I cannot stop quoting that audio. My brain rot is severe.

Brat

Playfully rebellious and mischievous behavior.

 

Example: She ignored the dress code on purpose. She is in her brat era.

Bruh

Used to express disbelief, frustration, or disappointment in a casual and humorous way. It can react to something ridiculous, embarrassing, or unexpected.

Example: He spilled his drink right after saying he’s never clumsy. Bruh.

Cap

A lie or exaggeration.

 

Example: He said he gained a million views overnight. That is cap.

CEO (of Something)

Title given when someone excels at something.

 

Example: She has the best transitions. She is the CEO of editing.

Chat

Refers to the audience as a group. This is commonly used in TikTok LIVEs and also in videos where the creator directly references the audience.

 

Example: Chat is really enjoying this unboxing! 

Coconut tree

Describes someone cute but clueless. It is also tied to the viral speech that Kamala harris gave where she mentions falling from a coconut tree in relation to where our life begins. 

 

Example: He tried to microwave a fork. He is such a coconut tree.

Coded

Suggests a behavior fits a specific vibe or group.

 

Example: That outfit is very main character coded.

Cooked

Means ruined or beyond saving.

 

Example: My video froze mid-transition. It’s absolutely cooked.

Cheugy

Outdated or cringe, usually in a playful way.

 

Example: Using Live Laugh Love signs in 2025 is so cheugy.

Dead

Used when something is hilariously funny, surprising, or incredible. 

 

Example: That comment made me dead from laughing so hard.

Delulu

Delusional in a lighthearted or romantic way.

 

Example: She thinks her celebrity crush noticed her video. She is delulu.

Demure

Exaggerated fake shyness for dramatic effect.

 

Example: He hid his face after the compliment like he was being demure.

For the plot

Doing something bold just to make life interesting.

 

Example: She quit her job to travel for the plot.

E-Girl

Aesthetically emo, gamer, and internet-styled.

 

Example: Her winged eyeliner and dyed streaks scream E-Girl.

Energy Unmatched 

Incredible and enjoyable energy or attitude about something.

Example: She hosted that live stream like a pro and kept everyone laughing the whole time. Energy unmatched.

Fit

Short for outfit.

 

Example: My fit is perfect for this trend.

Fridgescaping

Organizing the fridge in a visually pleasing way.

 

Example: She spent hours fridgescaping before her grocery haul reveal.

Fire or Lit

Means cool, impressive, or exciting.

 

Example: That transition was fire and the concept was lit.

Girl math

Funny logic to justify spending money. There are so many great TikTok content ideas using girl math and other kinds of math, which could be a fun spin for businesses to go viral and get more TikTok followers. 

Example: The shoes were fifty percent off, so girl math says they were free.

GYAT or GYAAT

Reaction to someone with noticeable curves.

 

Example: Everyone yelled gyat when he walked into the gym.

Heather

Someone admired or seen as perfect.

 

Example: She is the Heather of her friend group.

Holding space

Providing emotional support without trying to fix things. 

 

Example: He just listened while she vented. He was holding space for her.

Hawk tuah

Funny viral line referencing exaggerated sass or spitting energy.

 

Example: The way she laughed so hard she hawk tuah’d was iconic.

Ick

A sudden turn-off after something cringe.

Example: He clapped when the plane landed and she immediately got the ick.

It’s Giving

Used to describe the vibe of something, the energy it gives, or how something appears.

 

Example: It’s giving runway even though we are at the grocery store.

In da clerb we all fam

Silly trend phrase meaning everyone is included.

 

Example: We are hanging out tonight. In da clerb we all fam.

L

A loss or fail.

 

Example: He dropped his phone in the pool. Huge L.

Let them cook

Let someone try something unconventional.

Example: I don’t know what he is planning, but let him cook.

Lore

The backstory behind someone’s dramatic personality or story.

 

Example: Her roommates are fighting again and I need the lore.

Looksmaxxing

Improving appearance through habits or style upgrades.

 

Example: He started looksmaxxing and now his confidence is up.

Lowkey

Secretly true, possible very true, but trying to be subtle.

Example: She is lowkey the funniest creator on my For You Page.

Lock In

Focusing intensely on a goal.

 

Example: He is posting daily because he is locked in for TikTok growth.

Main Character Energy

Acting like the star of life’s story.

 

Example: She walked in slow motion for no reason. Main Character Energy.

Math ain’t mathing

Used when something doesn’t make logical sense.

 

Example: They spent more on ads than they made in sales. The math ain’t mathing.

Mid

Something average or unimpressive.

 

Example: His new drop was mid compared to his last one.

Morning Shed

A morning routine focused on emotional reset or reflection.

Example: Her morning shed is journaling by the window.

OPP List

A list of personal enemies, usually as a joke.

Example: He ate my leftovers, so he is officially on my OPP list.

Period

Used to emphasize a point.

Example: They are the best at this trend, period.

Point of View (POV)

Video style filmed from a character’s perspective. This is incredibly common for TikTok video captions or adding as a tagline for your content. 

Example: POV: you just found out your TikTok video went viral overnight.

Pookie

A sweet nickname for someone you love.

 

Example: Come on pookie, we are filming this again.

Pick Me Girl

Someone seeking validation by putting others down. A female who wants a lot of attention but doesn’t support or jive well with others. 

Example: She said she is not like other girls. Pick Me Girl behavior.

Preen

Showing off confidently.

Example: He preened after winning the challenge.

Make it Make Sense

Used when something is confusing.

Example: They raised the price and lowered the quality. Make it make sense.

No Cap

Used to emphasize that you’re telling the truth with no exaggeration. Often added to the end of a statement to show honesty or seriousness.

Example: That video you posted is your best one yet, no cap.

NPC

Non-player character, someone acting oddly robotic or predictable.

Example: He waved at the wall instead of the people. Total NPC moment.

Ratio

When a reply gets more likes than the original post.

Example: His comment ratio’d the creator within minutes.

Rent Free

Something stuck in your head.

Example: This sound is living rent free in my mind.

Rizz

Charisma or flirting skills.

Example: He asked one question and got the number. The rizz is real.

Romantasy

Romance meets fantasy genre, big on BookTok. This is a sub-community on TikTok where authors and book lovers come together. 

Example: My entire reading list is romantasy now thanks to TikTok.

Sigma

A lone-wolf alpha archetype.

Example: He sat alone during lunch like a sigma.

Simp

Someone (usually a man) who shows too much affection, not in a good way, usually in hopes of gaining some kind of sexual attention. 

Example: He liked every post she made. What a simp.

Skibidi Toilet

Absurd chaotic humor inspired by a viral meme.

Example: That edit is pure skibidi toilet energy.

Slop

Fun chaotic behavior without caring how it looks.

Example: They danced off-beat the entire video and it was slop in the best way.

Spicy

Bold, slightly risky, or related to something sexual. 

Example: Her hot take was very spicy but she said it anyway.

Suspect

Suspicious or questionable behavior.

Example: He turned his camera off right when we asked a question. That is suspect.

Tea

Gossip or interesting news. This is an incredibly common TikTok slang word. 

Example: Spill the tea about that collab.

Unalive

Soft alternative to the word death to avoid moderation, post removal, or comment blocking. 

Example: The character got unalived halfway through the movie.

Vibe Check

Judging whether someone fits the mood.

Example: He failed the vibe check when he booed during karaoke.

W

A win or success moment.

Example: That brand deal is a huge W for you.

Yap

Talking too much.

Example: She kept yapping during the reveal and ruined the surprise.

Zesty

Expressive or flamboyant personality.

Example: His dance moves were extra zesty and the crowd loved it.

Conclusion

Understanding TikTok slang makes you a better creator, marketer, and community builder. 

Language evolves quickly, and staying current helps your content connect in the moment. 

Use this glossary to level up captions, scripts, and comment interactions, and you’ll see your engagement and monetization opportunities grow in 2025 and beyond.

It’ll be lit!

FAQs: TikTok Slang

Here are some common questions regarding TikTok slang for quick reference.

What does 🥀 mean in TikTok slang?

The wilted rose emoji often represents sadness, heartbreak, or a dramatic emotional moment. Creators use 🥀 to add a poetic or dark aesthetic to captions and edits. It can also reference rejection or a failed love story, especially in romantic TikTok communities.

What does “DC” mean on TikTok?

DC stands for “Dance Credit” or “Design Credit.” It’s used to give proper credit to the original creator of a dance, trend, edit, or audio idea. TikTok values creator attribution, so adding “DC @username” helps support originality and keeps the platform fair.

What does “GOAT” mean on TikTok?

GOAT stands for “Greatest Of All Time.” It’s a high compliment used when someone’s skill, content, or achievement stands above everyone else. When viewers call a creator the GOAT, it means they’re dominating their niche or trend.

What does “mid” mean on TikTok?

Mid is used to describe something that is average, unimpressive, or not living up to the hype. If someone calls your video “mid,” they’re saying it’s okay but not great. It’s often used humorously in comments and roasting content.