Weird Flex But OK: Origins of This Mocking Meme

Commonly spotted on social media and occasionally heard IRL, “weird flex but ok” is a sarcastic way to say “you think you’re bragging about yourself but you’re not, you’re actually embarrassing yourself, and you’re also embarrassing me a little bit.” If that’s not simple enough, let’s break it down:

• Weird Flex: That’s an odd thing to brag (flex) about.
• But Ok: Let’s move on and pretend you didn’t say that.

Like most retort memes, “weird flex but ok” (sometimes “odd flex by ok”) often accompanies a demonstrative image or GIF from pop culture, typically of someone making a bemused or cringy expression. It’s a way to win an argument but also kind of lose at the same time, since the brag is technically true, but it doesn’t make the speaker look very good.

The phrase was born in a land of harsh judgment, strident opinion and zero forgiveness, otherwise known as Twitter. Back in the early days of Twitter, you only had 140 characters to verbally eviscerate a person, so you had to choose your words wisely. Responding with “weird flex but ok” (note the all-lowercase to ensure extra condescension) costs only 17 characters, leaving plenty of space for disproving an argument or piling on more insults.

Since its early days, “weird flex but ok” is often shortened to the more popular “weird flex.” It’s an even more handy way to note “I’m not sure I would brag about that if I were you.”

So how can you tell if you’re making a weird flex? If your bragging style is similar to these examples, consider a different type of flex:

• I’m never picked last for a team because I’ve never played a sport before.
• Dating is such drama. That’s why I’ve never been in a relationship.
• Of course I’m rich. Would a poor person pay sticker price for a car?
• Our team won the game! Those kindergartners didn’t even know the rules of basketball!
• I don’t care about trends. I don’t even know what clothes look good together.
• I set the record for eating the most hot Cheetos in one minute, so yeah, I’d say I’m pretty competitive.

However, if you’re genuinely proud of yourself, flex your weird self. Society considers all kinds of weird things somehow not weird (hypebeasts are walking weird flexes, to be honest), so if you like the light your brag is casting on you, shine away.

Want a flex that always looks good? Improve your vocabulary with:

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