What does Simp mean?
Simp is an insult for someone seen as excessively attentive to a person they are attracted to.
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Slang. Also written simping.
Where it comes from
Existed in hip-hop as far back as the 1980s as a shortening of "simpleton". It exploded on TikTok around 2019-2020, at which point it became attached to a specific and often misogynistic critique of men who are kind to women.
How it is actually used
The accusation is that affection or generosity is being given without being earned or returned. Its rapid spread made it something of a self-parody — "simping" is often used jokingly about liking anything at all, from a person to a sandwich. The serious use, though, sits inside a set of ideas about gender that many people find objectionable, and that association has not gone away.
Examples
- "stop simping"
- "simping for this new update honestly"
- "he is such a simp"
Can a brand use it? Avoid on a brand account
Directed at a person it is an insult with a misogynistic lineage, whatever the intent. The jokey self-directed use is more benign, but a brand cannot control which reading lands.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does simp mean?
Someone considered to show excessive attention or affection to a person they are attracted to, particularly without it being returned. It is used as an insult.
Where does the word come from?
It appeared in hip-hop in the 1980s as a shortening of "simpleton", then spread enormously on TikTok around 2019 and 2020 with a narrower and more gendered meaning.
Is simp offensive?
It can be. The mainstream use is often joking, but the term is bound up with a critique of men being kind to women that many people regard as misogynistic.
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