By now, most of us have heard the term ‘rizz,’ whether we’ve used it ourselves or simply overheard someone else mention it.
This expression has gained traction among the younger audience, who are often deeply engaged with online culture. It’s widely employed to reference someone’s skill in flirting or their inherent charm.
The concept of having rizz is now quite significant, particularly in the dating scene, with even public figures addressing it during interviews.
As internet slang continues to weave itself into common language, here’s a breakdown of what rizz signifies and how it can be applied in conversation.
According to its 2023 entry in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘rizz’ as a noun is defined as ‘romantic appeal or charm,’ and as a verb, it means ‘to charm and seduce.’
In essence, rizz measures someone’s charm level. Importantly, it doesn’t necessarily correlate with traditional attractiveness. Instead, it often refers to someone’s ability to captivate a room or their degree of charisma.
Thus, if someone says you have rizz, it’s definitely a compliment.
Incorporating rizz into your vocabulary is straightforward. The term is often used to express whether someone ‘has rizz’ or lacks it.
For example, you might say: “They’ve got rizz” or “He had no rizz, so I wasn’t interested.”
It’s also applicable to yourself, such as: “I’ve got no rizz.”
Occasionally, rizz can be used as a verb, though this is less frequent. In those instances, it serves to highlight someone’s efforts to make a connection with you.
Regardless of the context, rizz always pertains to someone’s level of charm.
Though the term rizz has gained traction through social media, it is believed that Kai Cenat, a streamer, first popularized it.
Cenat is a prominent YouTuber and Twitch streamer, boasting over 20 million followers. He is renowned for his extended gaming streams and reaction videos, often focusing on viral content. Additionally, he shares insights into his everyday life.
Upon transitioning from YouTube to Twitch in 2021, his regular use of the word ‘rizz’ caught the attention of his audience.
“Me and my friends used to always say it and stuff like that. And I definitely [popularized] it on my stream,” Cenat explained in an episode of 360 with Speedy Morman.
“And when I would say it on stream and stuff a lot, it started going crazy. Then it went crazy internationally, everybody say it now, it’s just in people’s vocabulary. And that’s what it is.”
Cenat has also elucidated the meaning behind the term. During an appearance on the No Jumper podcast, he elaborated that when attempting to connect with someone romantically, if things aren’t progressing smoothly, you’ll shift gears and apply your rizz to improve your chances.
“You’re so slick with your words and what you’re saying, to where the girl is like, ‘Okay, yeah, who is this?’” he added. “After s— goes your way, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I rizzed her up. I’ve got mad rizz.'”