Slang dictionary · English internet slang · English internet slang
What does simp mean?
Also written: simping, simp for, simp nation
In short
A simp is someone who tries too hard to please a person they are attracted to, giving too much attention, money or favours in the hope of winning them over. It is usually aimed at men and is mostly an insult or a tease. As a verb, to "simp for" someone also has a lighter sense: to openly adore a celebrity or fictional character. The slang came out of hip-hop in the late 1980s and went viral on TikTok around 2019 and 2020.
Where simp comes from
Simp has long been short for simpleton, a fool, recorded from the early 1900s. The modern slang appears to come from Black hip-hop slang: lyrics from the late 1980s and the 1990s already used simp for a man seen as too eager to please a woman. Dictionary.com says it spread online in the 2010s and hit the mainstream with a viral TikTok trend in late 2019.
A popular claim online says simp is an acronym. Dictionary.com points out the word is much older than that story.
How people use it
- "He drove two hours to bring her soup and she left him on read. Simp." (mocking)
- "I'm not a simp, I'm just nice."
- "I will simp for this character until the day I die." (playful, fan use)
- "Stop simping and text your friends back."
Related words
| Word | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| simp | tries too hard for someone they like | mocking |
| stan | very devoted fan | about fandom, often proud |
| white knight | defends someone to impress them | more about arguments online |
| down bad | desperate for someone | can describe yourself, less mocking |
Tone: often an insult
Calling someone a simp mocks normal kindness, like buying dinner or comforting a partner, as weakness, and it is often used to shame men for caring. Joking "I simp for this singer" about yourself is harmless. Avoid it as a label for a friend's real relationship.
FAQ
Is simp an insult?
Usually, yes. Aimed at someone it mocks them as desperate or overeager. Used about yourself and a celebrity, it is a joke.
What does "simp for" mean?
To go out of your way for, or openly adore, someone, from a crush to a fictional character.
Is simp an acronym?
No. The popular acronym explanation is a later invention; the word goes back to simpleton and late-1980s hip-hop slang.