What Does “It’s Giving” Mean?

PDF download Download Article
Everything you need to know about the meaning and origin of this phrase
PDF download Download Article

If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram lately, you’ve probably heard the phrase "it’s giving." "It’s giving" is a slang phrase used to convey that something is giving off a particular vibe, style, or energy. If you want to learn more about this fun and complimentary phrase, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll go over the definition of “it’s giving,” how to use it, and where the phrase came from. We’ll also list some similar and related terms, so keep reading!

Things You Should Know

  • "It’s giving" means something is giving off a certain vibe, style, or energy.
  • For example, if your friend is wearing a stylish outfit, you could say “It’s giving fashion.” Or, if your SO cooks a delicious meal, you could say, “It’s giving gourmet.”
  • The phrase comes from Black and Latinx LGBTQ ballroom culture of the 70s and 80s. It’s popular on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
Section 1 of 3:

"It’s Giving" Definition & Examples

PDF download Download Article
  1. It’s usually used as a compliment or to give praise. For example, if your friend shows up wearing an impressive outfit, you could say, “It’s giving fashion.” Or, if your significant other cooks you a delicious dinner, you might say, “It’s giving chef” or “It’s giving gourmet.” [1]
    • The phrase can also be used on its own to convey general admiration: “I can’t believe how amazing your makeup is today! It’s giving.”
    • Or, it can be used with another word after it to describe a particular vibe: “I love the shoulder pads on that blazer. It’s giving vintage 80s realness.” [2]
    • The phrase can be used in a self-deprecating way to poke fun at yourself: “I thought these overalls were cute, but now that I look in the mirror, it’s giving minion from Despicable Me .”
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 3:

Origin & Spread of “It’s Giving”

PDF download Download Article
  1. This vibrant, thriving community originated in New York City as a safe space for LGBTQ people of color to express themselves freely. [3] In the following decades, the language of drag and ballroom culture has become increasingly popular in the mainstream. Commonly used phrases like “throw shade,” “slay,” and of course, “it’s giving,” are all products of the ballroom scene. [4]
    • Media like RuPaul’s Drag Race , the documentary Paris is Burning , as well as songs like RuPaul’s “Supermodel (You Better Work)” and Madonna’s “Vogue” have made ballroom language more recognizable to the general public. [5]
  2. Users on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram comment the phrase on other people’s posts to compliment them, or they use it as a caption for their own posts to convey a vibe. It’s especially common with Gen Z. For example:
    • If a friend posts a picture of themselves with their diploma after finishing college, you could comment, “It’s giving graduate!”
    • If they post an Instagram photo or TikTok video of themselves in an amazing outfit, you could simply say, “That dress is giving.”
    • Or, if you post a photo of your holiday decorations, you could caption it, “It’s giving festive.”
    3. Advertisement
Section 3 of 3:

Similar & Related Terms

PDF download Download Article
  1. “Giving me life” is a popular variation of “it’s giving.” People use this phrase to convey that they absolutely love something, or that they’re “living for it.” [6]
    • “Your outfit is literally giving me life! Where did you get it?”
    • “This dinner is giving me life. It’s literally so delicious.”
    • “Your makeup looks always give me life. How do you always get your eyeliner so perfect?”
  2. Like “it’s giving,” “slay” has origins in ballroom and drag culture, and it's popular among Gen Z users on social media. "Slay" is generally used as a compliment to convey that someone is “killing it” at something. [7] For example, if someone looks amazing in a picture they posted, you could comment, “slay!” to show your appreciation.
    • You can also use “slay” to praise someone for doing something well.
    • For example: “You completely slayed that midterm. 97% is crazy!”
    • Or “You’re slaying at work these days. You totally deserved that promotion!”
  3. “Serve” also has roots in drag and ballroom culture, and it’s an important term on RuPaul’s Drag Race . [8] It has a similar meaning to “it’s giving” and is usually used as a compliment to praise someone’s fashion sense or style.
    • For example: “I love the blazer. You’re serving business-casual realness.” Or, “Your outfit is such a serve.”
    • “Serving face” is a popular variation of the phrase. It means giving a fierce facial expression, especially in a photo: “You look insanely good in this picture. You’re totally serving face.”
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      Explaining Whether You Look Like Your Inverted or Mirror Image
      What Does <3 Mean on Social Media?
      How to
      React When Someone Blocks You
      300+ Unique & Creative Ways to Say “I Miss You”
      260+ Funny Yearbook Superlatives for Teens & Adults
      100 Cute, Funny, and Hype Comments for Social Media Posts
      Defining the Slang Phrase "Body Tea" (Plus, Where It Came From)
      What Does PMO Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More
      What does "2 Man" Mean?
      What Does KMS Mean? Texting, Social Media, & More
      How to
      Hack OpenAI's ChatGPT to Do What You Want
      40+ of the Best Bumble Opening Lines
      125+ Good Morning Messages & Quotes to Send to a Friend
      What Does “Locked In” Mean on TikTok & Social Media? A Complete Guide
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.insider.com/gen-z-slang-terms-meanings-2023-3
      2. ↑ https://www.axios.com/2023/11/23/gen-z-slang-words-meaning-2023
      3. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/drag-balls-house-ballroom-voguing
      4. ↑ https://glreview.org/the-language-of-ballroom/
      5. ↑ https://glreview.org/the-language-of-ballroom/
      6. ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/90848775/a-guide-to-gen-z-slang
      7. ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/slay/
      8. ↑ https://www.elle.com.au/culture/rupauls-drag-race-dictionary-19207

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 39,411 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement