What “Hold My Beer” Really Means & How to Use It

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Why the Internet loves HMB in memes, tweets, jokes & more
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You may have seen the phrase “Hold my beer” on social media, but what exactly does it mean? This famous phrase basically means “I can top that!” and makes fun of someone doing something risky (or just plain stupid) when negative consequences aren’t on their mind. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about the viral internet phrase, including where it even came from in the first place.

What does “Hold my beer” mean?

“Hold my beer” means “I can top that” or “Watch me do something stupid” People say or meme-ify it to poke fun at bad decisions made by friends, people online, public figures, or brands. The phrase comes from comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s joke, “You might be a redneck if your last words were “Hey, y’all, watch this!”

Section 1 of 5:

“Hold My Beer” Meanings

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  1. It’s like saying, “I could do that! Hold my beer while I demonstrate!” Usually, the activity in question is something ridiculous or comical, like parkouring over a bench, but it could be something more tame too, like acing a test. The phrase is meant to be lighthearted and joking.
    • “I can do a backflip too! Hold my beer!”
    • “A hot dog eating contest? Hold my beer.”
    • “Hold my beer” can also be abbreviated as HMB.
  2. It’s like a friend telling you to watch their drink while they go do a (potentially stupid) stunt. People say, “Hold my beer,” as a joking way of saying, “I’m about to do something reckless.” [1]
    • “There’s a tornado warning! Hold my beer, I’m gonna go watch.”
    • “I bet I can make that jump. Hold my beer!”
    • “Hold my beer” can also be a comment on someone doing something dangerous, like jumping from a roof into a pool.
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  3. Think of something you would do in a heartbeat, like say yes to a dream job opportunity or head out to your favorite restaurant. “Hold my beer” is the perfect phrase to describe your enthusiasm as you jump at the opportunity.
    • “You’re going to Olive Garden!? Hold my beer, let’s go!”
    • “Stacy’s single now? Hold my beer!”
  4. Hold my beer is also commonly used as a meme to make fun of when a celebrity, brand, or random person online makes an even bigger mistake than one of their peers, or when they manage to do something better. It’s like they’re saying, “Hold my beer, I can do something worse/better than them.” [2]
    • Tesla: “We ruined our brand loyalty in just 2 months.”
      Southwest Airlines: “Hold my beer.”
    • TikToker: “I just manifested the most amazing relationship!”
      Someone making a stitch: “Hold my beer! Look at my boyfriend 😍”
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Section 2 of 5:

Where did “Hold my beer” come from?

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  1. Back in the mid-1990s, Southern comedian Jeff Foxworthy had a joke formula that poked fun at the “redneck” life he was exposed to. It went, “You might be a redneck if your last words before losing consciousness have ever been, “Hey, y’all, watch this!” before doing something dangerous. This eventually inspired the phrase we know and love so well: “Hold my beer and watch this!” [3]
  2. After the 2016 United States presidential election, “HMB” became a trending phrase on Twitter. It was a way for people to laugh during dark times. Users used the phrase to highlight the poor decisions of politicians, celebrities, and brands against one another to make an ironic joke. [4]
    • A popular example is the United States asking a post-Brexit United Kingdom to hold its beer before electing Donald Trump as president. [5]
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Section 3 of 5:

When to Say “Hold My Beer”

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  1. Confident you can do better? Even if there’s no way you can compete (you probably can’t outrun an Olympian), it can still make a great joke! In most cases, folks will assume you’re crackin’ a joke in the first place. If you’re retweeting or stitching with someone online, include a photo or video of your one-up as proof!
    • Them: “My burger recipe is the best there is.”
      You: “Oh yeah? Hold my beer!”
    • Them: “I have the cutest dog!”
      You: “Hold my beer and LOOK AT THIS GOOD BOY! 🐶”
  2. Have you ever gotten the sudden urge to do something completely ridiculous? While you shouldn’t actually go through with something that could hurt or embarrass you, it’s fun to pretend! Joke about someone holding your beer for any scenario, from asking out a stranger at a bar jumping into the ocean in the middle of winter.
    • Them: “Bet you can’t ride that bike without handlebars.”
      You: “Hold my beer!”
    • “I’ll show those Alaskan fishermen how it’s done. Hold my beer!”
    • Keep in mind that these are hypothetical or humorous situations. Have a real “hold my beer” moment at your own risk!
  3. If you can’t wait to get at something, yell or post “Hold my beer!” to show the world you’re raring to go. “Hold my beer” goes with everything, from wanting to do something real (like asking out a crush) or something comical or exaggerated (like launching yourself into outer space).
    • Them: “Did you hear Brady broke up with his girlfriend?”
      You: “He’s on the market now!? Hold my beer!”
    • Them: “SpaceX just launched a new rocket.”
      You: “Oh please, I’ve got a bottle rocket in the backyard. Hold my beer, Elon!”
  4. Have you ever skimmed a news headline and said, “Huh?” In situations where major events seem contradictory or two celebs or politicians almost seem like they’re competing to fail harder, you could highlight this in an “HMB” tweet. The format works best as two lines of dialogue between people, brands, or organizations where one does something “dumber” than the other.
    • For example, if one brand sells a product with a defect and then one of their competitors makes an even bigger error, you could format the joke like:
      • Brand 1: “We’re gonna charge you a fortune for a product that doesn’t work!”
        Brand 2: “Hold my beer.”
  5. As you scroll through TikToks and shorts, it’s only a matter of time before you end up on the corner of the internet that highlights people’s painfully embarrassing fails. Let’s be real, though—it’s hard not to laugh! That’s the perfect time to leave an “HMB” comment and get plenty of likes in return. [6]
    • Fail videos depict someone’s mistakes, shortcomings, or unfortunate outcomes.
    • Leave a “hold my beer” comment on a video of something like a person failing to hop over a fire pit with a dirt bike.
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Section 4 of 5:

The “Hold My Beer” Meme

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  1. In 2013, the Twitter (X) account @HoldMyBeerGif launched and shared photos, videos, and GIFs of epic fail moments (picture skateboard tricks gone wrong, painful belly flops from a big height, or anything that makes you go “Ouch! That’s gotta hurt.”). The caption “Hold my beer” implies that the person in the video saw someone do the stunt successfully, then tried (and failed) to imitate it. [7]
    • Currently, the @HoldMyBeerGif account is suspended on X (formerly Twitter). May the memes live on!
Section 5 of 5:

More Popular Slang

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  1. Ever found yourself getting extremely worked up about a test, chores, or some other little thing that’s driving you crazy? Someone might tell you “Don’t trip” as a way of telling you to calm down and not worry. [8]
    • “Don’t trip over that test on Monday, bro. You got it!”
    • “I’m gonna be late but don’t trip. We’ll still make it before the movie starts.”
  2. GOAT is a popular term amongst Gen Zers that means the Greatest of All Time. It describes someone who has performed better than anyone else. It’s most commonly associated with sports, specifically the boxer Mohammad Ali, known as “The Greatest.” [9]
    • “Mr. G didn’t give us homework again. I swear he’s the GOAT!”
    • “I’ve never seen anyone play soccer like you. You’re the GOAT!”
  3. Yeeting something means to throw or chuck something really far and really hard with some enthusiasm or flair. A viral Vine of a student throwing an empty soda can with force put this term on the map. As it evolved, it also came to be an expression for surprise or enthusiasm. [10]
    • “My cat yeets himself into the air whenever he sees a cucumber 😆”
    • Person 1: “Wanna grab drinks tonight?”
      Person 2: “Yeet let’s do it!”
  4. If you’ve ever been called extra, someone thinks you’re excessive or doing too much. This can include something like getting all dolled up for a casual hang out, or doing basic tasks with a dramatic and unnecessary flair (like doing a little twirl before adding a pinch of salt to a recipe). [11]
    • “Why are you wearing 6-inch heels? We’re just going to Target. You’re so extra!”
    • “Linda cannot stop cracking jokes, she’s so extra! lol”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hold-my-beer
      2. ↑ https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/hold-my-beer-twitter-joke.html
      3. ↑ https://www.mic.com/articles/173994/hold-my-beer-meme-explained-pepsi-united-sean-spicer-hitler
      4. ↑ https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/hold-my-beer-twitter-joke.html
      5. ↑ https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/hold-my-beer-twitter-joke.html
      6. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fail-epic-fail
      7. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hold-my-beer
      8. ↑ https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=don%27t%20trip
      9. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/goat
      1. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yeet
      2. ↑ https://www.purewow.com/tech/what-does-extra-mean

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