You've probably heard it a thousand times by now. Whether it’s a teenager on TikTok or a news anchor trying—and failing—to sound hip, the word is everywhere. But if you're wondering what is rizz, you aren't alone. In late 2023, Oxford University Press literally named it the Word of the Year. That’s a big deal for a bit of internet slang that started in the corner of Twitch streaming.
Basically, it's just charisma.
But it’s also more than that. It is the ability to attract a romantic partner through style, charm, and conversation. It’s not about being the loudest person in the room. Honestly, sometimes the best version of it is the quietest. It’s that magnetic pull some people have that you can't quite put your finger on.
Where Did This Word Even Come From?
We can point to one specific person for this: Kai Cenat. He’s a massive YouTuber and Twitch streamer. Around 2021, he started using the term with his friends in New York. It didn't take long to explode.
It’s actually a shortening. Think about the word "charisma." If you take the middle syllable—ris—and spell it phonetically, you get rizz. It’s a linguistic trick called clipping. We do it all the time with words like "influenza" becoming "flu" or "refrigerator" becoming "fridge."
But the internet took this one and ran a marathon with it.
The Different Flavors of Charm
It isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. In the world of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, there are sub-categories. You might hear about "unspoken rizz." This is the holy grail. It’s when someone walks into a room and attracts people without saying a single word. It’s all body language. It’s the way they hold themselves.
Then there’s the "W Rizz." The W stands for Win.
If someone has "L Rizz," they’re struggling. They’re trying too hard. They’re making people uncomfortable. It’s the difference between being smooth and being a "try-hard."
Why the Internet is Obsessed with What is Rizz
Social media loves a label. Before this, we talked about "game." If you had game, you knew how to talk to people. But "game" feels a bit predatory or manipulative, like a pickup artist from 2005 with a fuzzy hat and a thumb ring.
Rizz feels more organic.
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It’s about "vibe." In a world where dating apps have made everything feel like a transaction, the idea of raw, natural charisma is refreshing. People watch "rizz-up" videos on TikTok where creators try to use their charm on strangers. Some are cringe. Some are actually pretty impressive displays of social engineering.
The Tom Holland Effect
One of the biggest turning points for the word's mainstream journey was an interview with Tom Holland. The Buzzfeed interview. He was asked about his rizz. He joked that he had none. He said he had to play the "long game" to get Zendaya.
The irony? That self-deprecating humor is exactly what people find charming.
The clip went nuclear. It showed that even A-list celebrities were being measured by this new metric. It wasn't just for kids in high school hallways anymore. It became a way to describe the "IT factor."
The Psychology of Modern Attraction
Let’s get a bit deeper. Why does this matter?
Psychologists have studied charisma for decades. They usually break it down into three things: presence, power, and warmth. If you have all three, you’re magnetic.
- Presence is being "in the moment." You aren't checking your phone while someone is talking.
- Power isn't about being a CEO. It's about confidence. It's knowing your worth.
- Warmth is making the other person feel seen.
What the internet calls rizz is really just a modern cocktail of these three traits. It’s the "Main Character Energy" that people talk about. If you feel like the lead in your own movie, people are naturally drawn to that narrative.
Is it Something You Can Learn?
A lot of people think you're born with it. You either have that spark or you don't.
That’s mostly wrong.
Charisma is a skill. It’s like a muscle. If you never talk to people, you’re going to be awkward. If you force yourself into social situations, you learn the rhythm of conversation. You learn when to lean in. You learn when to make eye contact and when to look away.
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The "rizz" creators online are basically just teaching social skills under a cooler name. They talk about "holding frame." This is a concept where you don't let someone else's awkwardness or aggression knock you off your balance. You stay cool.
The Dark Side of the Trend
We have to be honest here. Sometimes this trend gets weird.
Because it’s so focused on "getting" someone, it can veer into being performative. You see it in the "Sigma" memes or the more toxic corners of the internet where interaction is treated like a video game. If I say X, I get Y result.
That isn't real connection.
Real rizz—the kind that actually leads to a relationship or a deep friendship—is built on authenticity. If you’re using a script, people can smell it a mile away. The "L Rizz" comes from being fake.
How the Language is Changing
It’s not just a noun anymore. It’s a verb. You can "rizz someone up."
It’s also an adjective. "That fit is rizzing." (Though, honestly, if you say that, you might be trying too hard).
The speed at which this word moved from a niche New York streamer to the Oxford Dictionary is a testament to how fast culture moves now. We don't wait for gatekeepers to tell us what words mean. We just start using them. By the time the dictionary catches up, the word has already peaked and started its slow slide into "dad joke" territory.
Why You Should Care
You might think this is just another silly slang word that will be gone in two years. You might be right. Remember "on fleek"? Nobody says that anymore.
But the concept behind what is rizz is permanent.
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Communication is the most important skill you can have. Whether you’re trying to land a job, close a deal, or get a date, your ability to project confidence and warmth is everything. If calling it "rizz" makes the concept of self-improvement more accessible to a younger generation, that’s probably a good thing.
It’s about emotional intelligence. It’s about reading the room.
Practical Ways to Improve Your Social Presence
If you want to actually apply this without sounding like a TikToker, focus on these few things.
First, listen more than you speak. Most people are just waiting for their turn to talk. If you actually listen—like, really listen—you become the most interesting person in the room. It’s a paradox.
Second, work on your posture. It’s cliché, but it works. Standing like you belong there makes people believe you belong there.
Third, stop overthinking. The death of charm is self-consciousness. If you're constantly wondering "How do I look?" or "Was that joke funny?", you aren't present. And if you aren't present, you have zero rizz.
Final Thoughts on the Trend
We are living in an era of "visual social currency." Everything is recorded. Everything is a clip. In that environment, how you present yourself in a ten-second burst matters more than ever.
Rizz is just the word we chose for the 2020s to describe that age-old magic.
Don't get hung up on the slang. Focus on the confidence. If you're comfortable in your own skin, you've already won. The rest is just vocabulary.
Actionable Steps to Build Your Own Charisma
- Practice Active Silence. Next time you’re in a conversation, let a silence hang for two seconds longer than usual. It shows you aren't anxious to please.
- The Eye Contact Rule. Hold eye contact long enough to see the color of the other person's eyes. It creates an instant, subtle bond.
- Drop the Filler. Try to eliminate "um" and "like" from your speech. Clarity is a power move.
- Find Your "Fit." Dress in a way that makes you feel powerful, not just what's trendy. If you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, it will show in your face.
- Be Genuinely Curious. Ask "Why" and "How" instead of "What." It forces people to tell stories rather than just giving one-word answers.