Define the new internet.
Look up the words people use online, add the ones we missed, and help make the internet easier to understand.
Look up the words people use online, add the ones we missed, and help make the internet easier to understand.
1,322 definitions
Describes a new level of ability, confidence, or personality trait that someone has newly discovered or activated in themselves — borrowed from video game achievement terminology. "Unlocked" implies a previously inaccessible quality has now been fully accessed, often through experience, challenge, or personal growth.
“She took one improv class and suddenly confidence was fully unlocked.”
A crisp, minimal acknowledgment that you have received, processed, and accepted information — no further discussion needed. Used in internet culture and professional contexts as an extremely self-contained response that signals competence, decisiveness, and lack of unnecessary commentary.
“"Don't mention the incident to the client." — "Understood."”
Correctly perceived and matched the emotional frequency or intensity that someone or a situation was projecting. Energy in this context is the unspoken emotional tone — someone's mood, a crowd's feeling, or a moment's gravity. "Understanding the energy" means you felt it without being told and responded authentically.
“He didn't make jokes during the quiet part of the ceremony. He understood the energy.”
Describing a situation that is precarious, uncertain, or could go either way — a close call where the outcome was not guaranteed. Borrowed from aviation (a touch-and-go landing where the plane briefly touches down then takes off again), it describes any narrow escape or situation hanging in the balance.
“It was touch and go for a while but the deployment finally succeeded at 2am.”
Originally a gaming term for completing a video game as fast as possible, "speedrun" spread into internet culture to describe doing anything at an unusually fast or reckless pace. "Speedrunning life" means achieving major milestones (job, relationship, house) in rapid succession, often used humorously.
“He got hired, moved in, and proposed within three months. Absolute speedrun of adulthood.”
Describing a one-sided emotional relationship where a person feels genuine closeness to a media figure — a streamer, YouTuber, or celebrity — who has no awareness of their existence. Parasocial relationships are a natural byproduct of long-form content consumption and are considered healthy in moderation.
“I was genuinely devastated when my favorite streamer announced they were quitting — classic parasocial bond.”
A person — typically a woman — who consistently excels, dresses boldly, carries themselves with confidence, and delivers outstanding results. A slay queen is aspirational and unapologetic. The term is often used as an empowering compliment or as lighthearted praise for someone who consistently brings their best.
“She negotiated a 40% raise and walked out looking flawless. Slay queen behavior.”
MCP Checklist Public Safe Label is a policy-driven architecture vernacular term for agent policy work in a policy-driven service network. It describes a public safe label that connects service behavior to written policy instead of vibes, using source labels, trace links, route evidence, and public/protected boundaries that an operator or agent can follow.
“The team used MCP Checklist Public Safe Label after the deploy looked like late homework. Then the team fixed the step without blaming the snack table.”
API Sticker Ship Button is a release engineering vernacular term for version pin work in a policy-driven service network. It describes a ship button that makes rollback and recovery clear before the deploy starts, using source labels, trace links, route evidence, and public/protected boundaries that an operator or agent can follow.
“The team used API Sticker Ship Button after the build queue looked like a spelling quiz full of red marks. Then the release moved on without hallway chaos.”
MCP Bell Ring Branch Hall Pass is a ci/cd vernacular term for branch promotion work in a policy-driven service network. It describes a branch hall pass that blocks risky work until the checks make sense, using source labels, trace links, route evidence, and public/protected boundaries that an operator or agent can follow.
“The team used MCP Bell Ring Branch Hall Pass after the agent reached for the big button too early. Then the docs, API, MCP, and policy files agreed.”