What Does 'Rizz' Mean? The Meaning Behind The Gen Z Slang Term Explained

A lot of slang terms predate the internet, however, that's not the case with rizz. Often unspoken, "rizz" is taking over TikTok and you probably saw it on there first, scrolling your "For You" page. Some dude was probably talking about his "unspoken rizz," but what does that phrase really mean?

The definition of "rizz" is to attract women easily or to be desirable without trying at all. To have "unspoken rizz," the women come to you and you get girls by your aura alone. So where did "rizz" and phrases like "rizzed up" come from and who started it? Why is it being used in memes in 2022? Let's explain.

Where Did "Rizz" Come From?

Rizz was started by Twitch streamers Kai Cenat, Silky and Duke Dennis, who are all from New York City. It's not known if the word was used before them, but they did bring the concept to the mainstream, as well as being the first ones to use it in a tweet. Going into May 2021, Kai and Silky started hosting streams where they'd silently watch each other go on e-dates, judging each other's rizz in real-time.

Going into summer 2021, they started using the term en masse, subsequently opening up an imagined "Rizz Academy," schooling fellow streamers like iShowSpeed on their pick-up methods. On September 1st, 2021, Duke Dennis coined "unspoken rizz" in a quote retweet about "flirting with your eyes."

"Rizz" Usage In Memes

Rizz moved from Twitch to YouTube and then to TikTok in a steady stream from 2021 to 2022. On TikTok though is where it found its home, used by early adopters beginning in April 2022. These TikTokers who paved the way were mostly men conducting street interviews, trying to gauge their unspoken rizz levels. It quickly became associated with hustle culture, wherein, men tried to teach each other how to rizz, giving rizz tips and rizz advice. From this seriousness reminiscent of Chad discourse came ironic iterations, poking holes in the concept.

Where Can I Use "Rizz?"

Rizzing is an essential part of any young man's life. Looking at the term as a positive thing, it emphasizes confidence in modern dating not reliant on two-dimensional online dating services like Tinder or Hinge. Instead, to have unspoken rizz takes real-world application and can, apparently, be learned.

The pessimistic view of the trend is that it flies too close to incel woes. This dichotomy at play makes the term ripe for content and memes. Because it's both true and too serious, the valley in which to exploit it is both wide and bountiful.

How do you use "Rizz" in a sentence?

• "My guy's got no rizz talking 'bout, 'I'm too shy.'"
• "She just started talking to me, bro, because my rizz is unspoken."
• "My rizz is both silent and loud AF."

For the full history of "Rizz," be sure to check out our entry on the slang term here for even more information.