TikTok has quickly evolved from a niche-specific video app platform into a global cultural and linguistic phenomenon, getting over 1.9 billion monthly active users worldwide in 2025. The unique algorithm of TikTok and community of creative influencers have made it a powerhouse for trendsetting, content discovery, and social interaction. To boost TikTok engagement, you must develop an understanding for TikTok slang.
The ever-changing language on TikTok reflects the diversity of the user base. Knowing about terms like "IFB", "PMO", “SMH”, and "Ate" can enhance communication and connection within TikTok’s vibrant community. This article will help you explore the world of TikTok, focusing on the slang terms and additional popular expressions, their meaning, and usage to help you get more TikTok views and Likes.
1 in 4 TikTok users are under 20 years old, which means they are highly likely to use and understand TikTok slang actively. To keep pace with these changes, you must understand these slangs. Here is the list of commonly used TikTok slang in 2025.
The main character or main character energy is usually a positive expression. A character is a person, a figure, somebody, or something that is present in a story as the center of attention and has a different personality. The main characters are the most important ones.
If you have the main character energy or you are the main character, in the slang version, it means you have all the focus, all the attention. Main character energy refers to the fact that you have a very strong personality, and you attract other people.
PMO is a repeatedly used term on TikTok. It stands for “Put Me On.” This term is used to introduce someone to something new, or make them familiar to a new person. For example, “PMO with the new girl at the office” or “PMO with the song you were humming.”
There is another full form for this TikTok slang. In some conversations PMO means “Piss Me Off.” People often use the expression when they get annoyed by a situation or a person. For Example, “Don’t PMO with your logic.”
IFB is a TikTok slang commonly used by creators on TikTok. It stands for 'I Follow Back,' and creators who want to grow their following use this slang. It is a different way to engage your followers and get more TikTok views. When people see “IFB,” they go through your content to follow you so they get a follow back.
Menty B is a funny way to talk about something negative, like a mental breakdown. When somebody's situation is distressing and emotionally negative, they might have a mental breakdown, which you can call a Menty B.
Thanks to social media, people talk a lot more about mental health and also living through struggles. So, using a friendly term to address a difficult situation will connect you with more people, and you can get more TikTok followers with similar interests.
Brat is a widely used term on TikTok. It is a negative expression in standard English, but it's a way to describe a childish person or a child who doesn't behave nicely. The term brat has evolved so much this year that now it has an entirely new meaning.
It means incredible, confidently rebellious, or somebody who doesn't belong to a group, somebody who stands out, who likes to go outside some fixed lines and thinks outside the box, acts outside of the box. For example, "She’s such a brat for starting her own trend."
For real has a real meaning when you consider standard English. If something is for real, it means it has happened in real life, something that is anchored to reality. For example, they are friends, for real. Or they are brother and sister, for real.
In the slang version, it is very frequently used to say, “Are you serious?” And very often it could be a question, or it could also be an affirmative expression in a conversation used to make a statement stronger.
CEO is a business term and an abbreviated form of Chief Executive Officer. It refers to somebody who is the boss. When we say that somebody is the CEO of something, it means that that person is extremely good or skilled.
It could be anything, for example, you could be the CEO of drinking coffee, the CEO of teaching languages, or the CEO of multitasking. Terms like this are mostly part of TikTok Trends, aiding you to go viral on TikTok.
The term Ok, Boomer is in the Cambridge Dictionary, which shows how important slang is in today’s world. It is an expression generally used with older people because it's meant to be used by Gen Z.
This expression is used when you know there is no reason to argue with the other person, to have a discussion, or to fight about something, so you try to end the conversation by saying OK Boomer.
Gucci is a famous luxury fashion brand. When you say that something is Gucci, you mean that it's great. For Example, when someone asks, “What do you think about my makeup?” and you say, “Oh! It's Gucci”. So it's a way to say that you like it.
TikTok slang “dead“ is used so frequently online. If you don't know about this, it can be problematic when it comes to communication on social media platforms. It means that someone is laughing so much. They died from laughter.
I’m in my “villain era.” It's one of the most frequently used TikTok slang recently. A villain is somebody who is the negative character, the antagonist of a film, a show, or a story. In TikTok slang, it means that you are reacting to a lot of the negative things that have happened in your life.
Rent free is a cool TikTok slang that means you constantly think about something. So it's rent-free and it's always here. Someone or something occupies a significant space in your mind, in your thoughts. There is a song you listen to on repeat, and you might say this lives rent-free in my head.
Rot is when something goes bad and you can't use it anymore. Similarly, bed rot means you lie in bed because you don't know what to do. Maybe because you are tired. It's usually connected with the idea that you are left idle and inactive.
This TikTok slang can be positive in the sense that you’ve been working very hard the entire week and decided to bed rot in the morning. So you stayed in bed and did nothing. So in that context, it could be positive.
The best part of TikTok slang is that you can find it in everyday life. Especially if you're a frequent user of TikTok. You might have heard or read “SMH” somewhere on TikTok. It stands for Shaking My Head.
This expression means that the other person is expressing frustration or disapproval. It is a way to say I don't agree with you or that something is not good. This TikTok slang might attract people to your account because they find you relatable.
You might not believe but this is one of the most used TikTok slang at the beginning of the year. The best way to encounter new terms and expressions online is by engaging with people in TikTok comments.
This term is a way to say she/he slayed, they responded wittily in a discussion, or their conversation was on point. It is a way to say that you did the best that you possibly could. It's very informal but cool.
Brain rot is very often connected with the shrinking of attention span and the idea that you are ruining your brain because of social media, because of the internet, because you can't engage in some activities like you did in the past without technology.
It was in its prime, and then, because of short content, social media, and what surrounds you, you are creating an environment that doesn't help your brain, cognitive skills, but on the other hand, makes them worse, and they keep deteriorating.
In a nutshell, understanding TikTok slang is crucial to staying relatable and interesting for the users. The majority of TikTok users are Gen-Z, and they frequently use TikTok slang and connect with people who share similar interests.
To stay aligned with your followers and gain more TikTok likes, you must stay aware of any new terms introduced on the platform. This blog has summed up all the major slang being used on TikTok in 2025 so you can use them and engage with your community.
TikTok has its own terms to describe features or elements like "FYP" (For You Page) and "POV" (Point of View), such terminology on the platform is TikTok Lingo. It helps you understand young users on TikTok.
“Yeet” is a TikTok slang that means to forcefully throw something. The origin of this word came from Vine, a video app before TikTok that was discontinued.
"Rizz" is a TikTok slang term, particularly used by Gen-Z. It refers to a person's charm, charisma, or ability to attract others, particularly in a romantic context. This term is often linked with someone good at flirting.
In TikTok slang, "sigma" often refers to a male who is self-assured, successful, and independent. It's used to describe someone who is both admired and lives by their own rules.
Inez Nevaeh
Inez Nevaeh is an author with a passion for social media growth. She specializes in creating engaging content and expert guides for social media success. Skilled in translating complex algorithms into actionable strategies, building striking online presences, and empowering creators to thrive. Inspired by a mission to make social growth accessible and easy.
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