What the “Acktually” Meme Means (Plus, How to Use It)

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The history and evolution of this hilarious meme
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When you comment something and someone responds with an “acktually” in their comment, they’re basically calling you annoying. But that’s not where this meme ends. It’s also used in different ways, depending on how the person is feeling and the situation. In this article, we explain what the “acktually” meme is , how it’s used online , how to make your own “acktually” meme , and more! Read on to learn everything you need to know about this meme (including where it originated ).

Explaining the “Acktually/Actually” Meme

The “acktually” meme depicts a neckbeard or nerdy emoji (🤓) saying “acktually” in response to something incorrect. It’s typically used to poke fun at someone who's being a bit of a know-it-all by pointing out someone else's error. The meme has a lot of variations and may say “actually,” “acktually,” or “ackchyually.”

Section 1 of 6:

What is the “acktually” meme?

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  1. The meme features a nerd saying “acktually” to correct someone. The “ acktually ” meme typically features a cartoon neckbeard (an internet sleuth with unkempt facial hair), a nerd emoji (🤓), or a cat paired with the finger emoji (☝️). The character is saying "Acktually" because they're correcting what someone else is saying in an annoying way. When someone says “well, actually,” they can come off as a mockable “know-it-all,” which is what the meme gets across. [1]
    • When you’re scrolling through a Reddit thread or TikTok comment section and catch someone saying “acktually 🤓☝️,” they’re letting someone know that they’re being annoying.
    • “Acktually” is intentionally misspelled so the reader hears the phlegmy accent that’s typically associated with nerd culture in their head.
    • The meme is typically used as a reaction image to show you’re doubtful about someone’s hopeful claim. In some cases, the meme is used to make fun of yourself and let people know that you know your correction is annoying.
    • A neckbeard is an unkempt, overgrown beard that primarily sits on the neck.
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Section 2 of 6:

Why People Use “Acktually”

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  1. 1
    People use "acktually" when someone is being an annoying know-it-all. When you point out someone's super minor typo or feel the need to chime in with correct info when someone says something slightly wrong, you may be met with an “Erm, acktually 🤓☝️.” People do this to let you know that, even if you have good intentions, you’re being annoying by correcting them. For example, if you were correcting a typo, it’d go something like this: [2]
    • Commenter: “I took my boat out to Lake Michagan, can’t miss out on this weather!”
    • You: “Hey, it’s actually spelled Lake Michigan.”
    • Commenter: “Erm, acktuallyyyy it’s Lake Michigan 🤓”
  2. 2
    Some people say “acktually” because they don’t like being corrected. This goes hand and hand with the previous step, but sometimes, people simply don’t like being corrected, even if they’re wrong. They may know that they’re wrong and not care, so when you come in correcting them, that may set them off and cause them to use the “acktually” meme to express their frustration. For example:
    • Commenter: “I still can’t believe it was the Archduke’s murder that started World War 2. What else aren’t they teaching us 🤔”
    • You: “The Archduke’s murder was actually what started World War 1, not 2.”
    • Commenter: “Erm acktually 🤓☝️it was WW1, not 2 🤓 okay historian 😂 okay yap central 😂”
  3. 3
    Some people say “acktually” to make fun of their own corrections. In some cases, people will use “acktually 🤓☝️” in a self-deprecating way in their own correction to let others know they're aware they're being a bit annoying. They typically do this to beat everyone else to the punch! Even though they may be perceived as annoying, they can't help but correct the person. For example:
    • Commenter: “I can’t believe they found those Minikins lost in the Okefenokee Swamp!”
    • You: “Erm, acktually ☝️ Minikins aren’t real, they’re an AI hoax.”
    • Commenter: “At least you know you’re being annoying 🙄”
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Section 3 of 6:

“Acktually” Meme Origin

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  1. The “acktually” meme originated on FunnyJunk in 2012. FunnyJunk is a content aggregator website where users post memes, funny images, and webcomics. Back in 2012, user pawnderp commented “ackchyually” in a fan thread about the meme character dolan. Although it’s unclear how pawnderp first used the phrase, their usage helped spawn a new way to mock those who can’t help but correct others.
Section 4 of 6:

Spread and Evolution of the “Acktually” Meme

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  1. 1
    In November 2016, the “acktually” image meme went viral. From 2012 to 2016, the meme was regularly used on 4chan, but didn’t receive much traction on the rest of the internet. That’s until November 2, 2016, when a 9GAG post took the picture of a balding, bucktoothed, nerdy neckbeard character and paired it with the caption “Me: says anything Internet: ACKCHYUALLY.”
    • After that, the meme started regularly appearing across the internet.
  2. 2
    In the 2020s, variations of the meme started popping up on social media. Although it’s not clear when the first variations of the meme spawned, the “acktually” meme started evolving in the 2020s, producing variations with a nerd emoji (🤓) and a cat with glasses. These memes still had the core message of calling someone annoying instead of helpful, but they were primarily used on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), as opposed to just the corners of the internet.
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Section 5 of 6:

How to Make an “Acktually” Meme

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  1. 1
    Grab a photo or video of a neckbeard, the nerdy cat, or the nerdy emoji. The picture you choose doesn’t really matter, but it’s essential that it’s a picture or video. If you want to keep the process simple, use a photo, as it’ll be easier to add text to. Depending on your audience, you may want to choose a different photo, but once again, it doesn’t matter in the long run, as the message will still be conveyed.
    • Millennial and Gen X audiences may relate to the meme more if you use the neckbeard photo.
    • Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences may relate to the meme more if you use the nerdy cat or nerd emoji.
    • If you prefer to use a meme generator instead of making the meme yourself, try sites like Kapwing and ILoveIMG .
  2. 2
    Open a text or video editor and overlay your text. Once you’ve got the photo or video you plan on using, open a photo-editing app that can edit it. There are a bunch of options for photos, from Snapchat to Photoshop. For videos, use apps like TikTok, CapCut , InShot, or iMovie. [3] Import your photo or video to the platform, then add the text you’d like to use. Just make sure to include “acktually” somewhere.
    • For memes with a punchline, put the set-up in the upper half of the photo or video, and put the “acktually” punchline in the bottom half.
    • For TikTok videos, add a sound that fits the meme.
    • To find a sound to pair with your video, social media influencer and marketer Jenna Jean Davis says, “On your home page, click the looking glass [in] the top-right corner. Search for viral sounds, and it will show you trending sounds.”
  3. 3
    Save your meme and then share it. Once you’ve made your meme, save it to your device so you can post it! Most apps and video-editing software will have an option for you to save the video in the upper-right corner, but consult tutorials and instruction manuals if you’re having trouble finding the Save icon.
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Section 6 of 6:

Other Silly & Popular Memes

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  1. 1
    Erm, What the Sigma The “ erm, what the sigma ” meme is a Gen Alpha meme that takes an imitation of the popular SpongeBob Squarepants character, Squidward Tentacles, saying “Erm, what the sigma” and applies it to moments where you’d usually say “What the heck,” usually to add a humorous element to the situation.
    • For example, if a glass pane fell from a skyscraper and narrowly missed you, your Gen Alpha friend may say “Erm, what the sigma?” to lighten the mood.
  2. 2
    Deal with it This classic meme hails from the early days of the modern internet. It typically depicts pets or people wearing a pair of pixelated glasses, with the text deal with it” overlaid. These memes are typically used in response to someone’s complaining or disapproval, especially when you don’t agree with it. [4]
  3. 3
    This is fine The “this is fine” meme is a classic, two-panel internet meme that features a happy, smiling dog sitting at the dinner table with a cup of coffee as its house burns around it. The second panel zooms in on the dog as it says, “This is fine.” The meme is usually used to describe dangerous situations that people may play down or perceive as fine. [5]
    • For example, one internet meme depicts the dog sitting in a burning house described simply as “Pandemic,” zooming into the dog saying, “This is fine.”
  4. 4
    Hard to swallow pills This two-panel meme takes an image of a pill bottle (generated by our wonderful visual team here at wikiHow), puts the text “Hard to swallow pills” over it, takes another image (also generated by our visual team) of someone holding some pills, and puts humorous, relatable text over it to express some hard truths. [6]
    • For example, @supportivefathers posted a version of the meme on Instagram on May 25, 2020, with the hard-to-swallow pill being “Children often won’t do what we say. They will do what we do.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://blog.newmathdata.com/balancing-ackchyually-with-accuracy-tips-for-clear-and-kind-communication-494db20c427c
      2. ↑ https://blog.newmathdata.com/balancing-ackchyually-with-accuracy-tips-for-clear-and-kind-communication-494db20c427c
      3. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-edit-tiktok-videos-75980/
      4. ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/deal-with-it/
      5. ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/memes/this-is-fine/
      6. ↑ https://scoop.upworthy.com/hard-to-swallow-pill-memes-deliver-hardhitting-truths

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