What Is A 'Chad?'

Everywhere you look online, people seem to be talking about Chad. "Chad" gets all the girls. "Chad" is the platonic ideal of a man. "Chad" once fought off a bear to save his sick kittens before flying the kittens to his local vet in his helicopter. You come across this iconic clip from Law and Order and think to yourself, "That's it, I need to find out who this Chad person is."

Luckily, we have you covered as we explain the history of the internet's favorite ubermensch, the "Chad."

Where Did "Chad" Come From?

The term "Chad" initially started as a pejorative for a type of airheaded alpha male who was all brawns, no brains, yet very successful with women — think a stereotypical high school quarterback. The term picked up steam in Illinois in the 1990s before getting to Urban Dictionary in the mid-2000s. In the mid-2010s, the term would evolve into Chad Thundercock and would come to be defined by a picture of tech entrepreneur Jay Gould from his football-playing days.

"Chad" Usage In Memes

"Chad" began seeing more sympathetic and humorous usage when it started being used in memes. Memes involving "Chad" strayed away from insulting so-called "Chads" and instead insulted those who despised "Chads" by painting them as lonely, unsuccessful with women, and socially inept. This was exemplified by the Virgin vs. Chad meme, which started developing in 2017.

From there, "Chads" became a stand-in for an alpha who generally had the correct opinion, or at the very least, didn't listen to the opinion of others. Subsequent memes Gigachad and Yes Chad depicted Chads with so-called "ideal" features such as a square jaw and strongly defined muscles, and they tended to be unbothered by other people, even if it was to their detriment.

Where Can I Use "Chad"?

At this point, "Chad" has become a universally understood term online, so you can use it across social media and most people will understand what you're saying. Typically, you'll want to use it when talking about a person who is displaying a DGAF attitude, particularly if they're doing something particularly badass. Alternatively, you can use one of the many Chad meme characters, and people will generally understand the type of person you're invoking.

How To Use "Chad" In A Sentence

• “Saving that baby from the burning building was a real Chad move.
• "The Chad Elden Ring play is no armor, only club.
• "Chads and Stacies! Stacies and Chads! Winners of the genetic lottery!"

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