Rizz may be one of the most common terms used in Gen Z slang, but to be fair, the translation can be rather vague, depending who you speak to. That’s why we put together this article. It’s going to tell you everything you need to know.
We’ll kick things off with the key question, what does “rizz” mean in slang, followed by an exploration into how the term originated, and how it was popularised. Then we’ll go through how and when to use the slang, and give you a summary of different words and phrases that can often be used in its place. Finally, we’ll round off with a quick run down of notable uses of the phrase in the media.
So, without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What’s the meaning of the slang word “rizz”?
Simply put, “rizz”, being the middle syllable of “charisma”, is actually a short form of the word charisma.
People don’t use the word charisma as much as they used to, so you can be forgiven for being unsure as to what charisma is. It’s the ability to charm or seduce someone, and is often used to describe someone’s skill in flirting and attracting potential romantic or sexual partners.
What’s the origin of the slang word “rizz”? How was it popularised?
The slang word “rizz” had been in use by the American YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat and his friends for a while before he started using it on his videos in mid-2021, and since then he has been widely credited with coining and spreading the term.
Cenat often used the word in his “Rizz Academy” livestream segments, where he judged people’s flirting skills, and would share how to have rizz, and he categorised people as having L rizz, meaning low level rizz, and W rizz, meaning having excellent charisma. There were rizz competitions and tutorials on a regular basis. “Unspoken rizz” was used to refer to the ability to charm someone through non-verbal cues such as body language, smiling and oozing confidence.
This went viral on various social media platforms, and by the year 2023, you had celebrities such as Tom Holland using the slang word in televised interviews. He explained to BuzzFeed “I have no rizz whatsoever… I need to pull out the big guns like my Spider-Man suit.” This interview clip went viral on TikTok and Twitter, leading to a spike in Google searches for the word. The self-deprecating humor and association with a high-profile celebrity gave the slang significant exposure, and from this, a number of related memes were created and shared around extensively.
Later that same year “rizz” was entered for the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year for 2023. It won the award, even beating the word “Swiftie” meaning a Taylor Swift fan.
Following on from this, outlets such as The New York Times and UK’s BBC started putting out articles on explaining “rizz,” often in the context of intergenerational language gaps, indicating that the term is now broadly recognized and established beyond digital subcultures.
How do you use the slang word “rizz”?
Here follows a few examples of the word “rizz” used in sentences. This should provide context and help understanding:
- Steve’s not that good looking, but he’s got some serious rizz - look at him charming those two hot girls by the speakers.
- Well, I don’t see a ring on her finger, I’m gonna try my luck and rizz her up.
- If you had real rizz, you wouldn’t be hiding under a fake profile.
- I think I could use a rizz tutorial. I’ve been single too long.
- I should be on one of Cenat’s videos. I’m a Rizz God. I could teach you a thing or two.
Similar and synonymous words and phrases
While the slang word “rizz” may be quite common and familiar with Gen Z, and to a lesser extent Gen Alpha, it may feel unfamiliar to others, so it’s handy to know similar and synonymous words and phrases that can be used in its place, depending on who you might be talking to. Here are some examples:
- Charisma
- Style
- Attractiveness
- Seduce
- Charm
- Flirt
- Game
- Chat up
Notable usage of the slang word “rizz”
The most notable usage of the word “rizz” has already been covered here, but to summarise, the word was first originated and put forward by Kai Cenat, the American YouTuber and Twitch streamer, with his rizz academy video footage in the year 2021.
A couple of years later, the slang word rizz went viral when it was used in an interview with Hollywood celebrity Tom Holland. Not long after this, the word was appropriated by the Oxford English Dictionary, who made it their Word of the Year for 2023. This enabled bigger publications such as NYT and BBC to publish pieces discussing the new slang.
The phrase “Rizz God” is used in countless videos, remixes, and memes, particularly in hip hop–oriented communities, and many artists such as Ice Spice and Lil Mabu have used the term “rizz” in fan edits or lyrics on the platform TikTok.
As of now, “rizz” is not yet prominent in traditional literature such as novels, poetry, or memoirs, but it is increasingly found in:
- YA fiction dialogue drafts (especially Wattpad stories and fanfic)
- Screenplays and teleplays aimed at Gen Z audiences
- Online writing communities, where slang helps establish character voice and realism
Given its meteoric rise, it’s likely to appear in traditionally published fiction within the next few years.
Final word
So, to summarise, the slang word “rizz” is short form for the word “charisma”. Someone could be described as having good rizz when they are chatting someone up and charming or seducing them with their look and their confidence.
The word was first put forward in 2021 to internet subcultures, but it became mainstream thanks to celebrity usage thanks to Tom Holland a couple of years later, and it was then made Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2023.
