What does Vibe Check mean?
Assessing someone's mood or energy
Detailed Explanation
A 'vibe check' is the act of spontaneously assessing someone's mood, energy, or overall 'vibe.' It can be a genuine question about how someone is feeling, or a humorous, often aggressive, meme about judging someone's energy. To 'pass the vibe check' means you have a good, agreeable energy. To 'fail the vibe check' means your energy is off, negative, or weird.
Usage Examples
“He walked in looking really angry, so I gave him a quick vibe check to see what was wrong.”
“That new person seems really cool, they definitely passed the vibe check.”
“The meme was a picture of a cat slapping the camera with the caption 'Vibe Check'.”
Origin & History
The term emerged from a viral meme in 2019 that humorously depicted aggressive 'vibe checks.' The concept was quickly adopted by internet culture as a more general phrase for assessing a person's or a situation's atmosphere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vibe check a real test?
No, it's an informal, intuitive judgment based on how someone presents themselves. There are no formal criteria; it's all based on the 'vibes' someone gives off.