Mid

2020Slang / Catchphraseactive

Also known as: Midder · Mid Off

"Mid" is internet slang meaning mediocre or average, used to dismiss something as unremarkable. The term originated from cannabis culture where "mid" described middle-grade marijuana, then crossed over into mainstream internet slang around 2020 on Twitter, where it became one of the go-to insults for anything considered underwhelming3. The related catchphrase "They Having a Mid Off" turned the word into a meme format comparing two equally unremarkable subjects1.

quality judgment memesdismissal memes2020 memesoverused slang memessemantic drift memes

Overview

"Mid" is a one-word verdict. When someone calls a movie, a song, a person, or literally anything "mid," they're saying it's aggressively average. Not terrible enough to be interesting, not good enough to be worth talking about. The word carries a specific kind of dismissiveness that "mediocre" or "meh" lack. Calling something mid implies it's so unremarkable that engaging with it further would be a waste of time2.

The term functions as both an adjective ("that movie was mid") and a standalone judgment ("mid"). Urban Dictionary defines it as "short for middle" and synonymous with mediocre, noting its use ranges from describing entertainment to food to people2. The slang spawned the popular meme format "They Having a Mid Off," where two subjects are compared and both declared equally unimpressive3.

The word "mid" as slang for low-quality or average marijuana has existed in drug culture for years. Urban Dictionary entries reference its use to describe middle-grade weed2. But the term's jump to mainstream internet vocabulary happened on Twitter around 2020, where users started applying it to everything from music to celebrities to fast food.

The meme format that cemented "mid" in internet culture traces back to June 9, 2020, when Twitter user @CANGELA300 posted a selfie alongside another woman's photo, writing "This is me … and that's you … girl" as a taunt3. Three days later, on June 12, 2020, Twitter user @alextalktoem quote-retweeted it with "these women having a mid off," coining the phrase that would become a widespread meme format3. The original tweet picked up around 450 likes before being deleted3.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (slang popularization), Cannabis culture (original term)
Key People
@alextalktoem, Unknown
Date
2020

The word "mid" as slang for low-quality or average marijuana has existed in drug culture for years. Urban Dictionary entries reference its use to describe middle-grade weed2. But the term's jump to mainstream internet vocabulary happened on Twitter around 2020, where users started applying it to everything from music to celebrities to fast food.

The meme format that cemented "mid" in internet culture traces back to June 9, 2020, when Twitter user @CANGELA300 posted a selfie alongside another woman's photo, writing "This is me … and that's you … girl" as a taunt3. Three days later, on June 12, 2020, Twitter user @alextalktoem quote-retweeted it with "these women having a mid off," coining the phrase that would become a widespread meme format3. The original tweet picked up around 450 likes before being deleted3.

How It Spread

The "mid off" phrase sat relatively dormant for over a year until October 12, 2021, when Twitter user @DFreeFigueroa screenshotted the original tweet and reposted it. That screenshot blew up, earning roughly 137,000 likes over the following year and a half3.

By December 2021, other users had picked up the format and started applying it to new targets. On December 8, Twitter user @th3mb0fication captioned a photo of actors Ryan Gosling and Jeremy Strong with "These men having a mid off," pulling in over 240 likes3. Two days later, Instagram user @herecomedatboi adapted the format with photos of musicians Lindsey Jordan and Phoebe Bridgers, getting about 2,800 likes3.

The phrase hit its stride in 2022 and 2023. During the Ned Fulmer / Try Guys cheating scandal in October 2022, Twitter user @gemmygemg posted a YouTube thumbnail of the Try Guys with "They having a mid off," which racked up roughly 63,900 likes in five months3. On February 21, 2023, @yassnito paired the catchphrase with two Snapchat Dog Filter selfies and pulled approximately 112,800 likes in a single month3.

Beyond the specific "mid off" format, "mid" as standalone slang spread across TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram throughout 2021-2023. It became the default one-word dismissal in stan culture debates, gaming discourse, and music criticism2.

Platforms

TikTokRedditTwitter

Timeline

2023-01-01

Meme still see steady use

2024-01-01

Mid reached mainstream popularity and media coverage

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

As standalone slang: Simply call something "mid" to express that it's average or underwhelming. Works for movies, music, food, people, or any topic of debate. Example: "I finally watched that show everyone's been talking about. It's mid."

As the "Mid Off" format: Find two subjects that are both considered unremarkable or are feuding despite neither being particularly impressive. Caption the comparison with "They having a mid off" or "These [people/things] having a mid off"3. The humor comes from the implication that both parties are equally mediocre and their conflict is therefore pointless.

The format typically works best when both subjects have passionate fanbases who would be offended by the "mid" label. The more invested people are in one side, the funnier the dismissal3.

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

"Mid" carved out a specific niche in internet argumentation culture. Unlike older dismissals like "trash" or "overrated," calling something mid is uniquely infuriating because it denies the subject even the dignity of being memorably bad. This made it a weapon of choice in stan Twitter wars, where fandoms weaponize the term against rival artists and properties2.

The word crossed over from internet slang into everyday speech, particularly among Gen Z and younger millennials. It shows up in product reviews, food criticism, and casual conversation. The speed of the crossover reflects how internet slang now moves into mainstream vocabulary faster than ever1.

Fun Facts

The original "these women having a mid off" tweet was deleted, but its screenshot went viral over a year later, earning 137,000 likes on the repost alone3.

"Mid" originally referred specifically to middle-grade marijuana before becoming a general insult for anything average2.

The most viral single use of the "mid off" format was the Snapchat Dog Filter version in February 2023, which hit roughly 112,800 likes in one month3.

The Try Guys scandal gave the format one of its biggest boosts, with a "mid off" tweet about the group pulling nearly 64,000 likes3.

Derivatives & Variations

Mid Variations

Different takes on the Mid format with modified content

(2022)

Mid Mashups

Combinations of Mid with other popular memes

(2023)

Mid Remixes

Updated versions with current events and references

(2023)

Frequently Asked Questions

References (3)

  1. 1
    Internet memeencyclopedia
  2. 2
    Mid - Urban Dictionarydictionary
  3. 3
    Mid - Know Your Memeencyclopedia

Mid

2020Slang / Catchphraseactive

Also known as: Midder · Mid Off

"Mid" is internet slang meaning mediocre or average, used to dismiss something as unremarkable. The term originated from cannabis culture where "mid" described middle-grade marijuana, then crossed over into mainstream internet slang around 2020 on Twitter, where it became one of the go-to insults for anything considered underwhelming3. The related catchphrase "They Having a Mid Off" turned the word into a meme format comparing two equally unremarkable subjects1.

quality judgment memes dismissal memes 2020 memes overused slang memes semantic drift memes

Overview

"Mid" is a one-word verdict. When someone calls a movie, a song, a person, or literally anything "mid," they're saying it's aggressively average. Not terrible enough to be interesting, not good enough to be worth talking about. The word carries a specific kind of dismissiveness that "mediocre" or "meh" lack. Calling something mid implies it's so unremarkable that engaging with it further would be a waste of time2.

The term functions as both an adjective ("that movie was mid") and a standalone judgment ("mid"). Urban Dictionary defines it as "short for middle" and synonymous with mediocre, noting its use ranges from describing entertainment to food to people2. The slang spawned the popular meme format "They Having a Mid Off," where two subjects are compared and both declared equally unimpressive3.

The word "mid" as slang for low-quality or average marijuana has existed in drug culture for years. Urban Dictionary entries reference its use to describe middle-grade weed2. But the term's jump to mainstream internet vocabulary happened on Twitter around 2020, where users started applying it to everything from music to celebrities to fast food.

The meme format that cemented "mid" in internet culture traces back to June 9, 2020, when Twitter user @CANGELA300 posted a selfie alongside another woman's photo, writing "This is me … and that's you … girl" as a taunt3. Three days later, on June 12, 2020, Twitter user @alextalktoem quote-retweeted it with "these women having a mid off," coining the phrase that would become a widespread meme format3. The original tweet picked up around 450 likes before being deleted3.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (slang popularization), Cannabis culture (original term)
Key People
@alextalktoem, Unknown
Date
2020

The word "mid" as slang for low-quality or average marijuana has existed in drug culture for years. Urban Dictionary entries reference its use to describe middle-grade weed2. But the term's jump to mainstream internet vocabulary happened on Twitter around 2020, where users started applying it to everything from music to celebrities to fast food.

The meme format that cemented "mid" in internet culture traces back to June 9, 2020, when Twitter user @CANGELA300 posted a selfie alongside another woman's photo, writing "This is me … and that's you … girl" as a taunt3. Three days later, on June 12, 2020, Twitter user @alextalktoem quote-retweeted it with "these women having a mid off," coining the phrase that would become a widespread meme format3. The original tweet picked up around 450 likes before being deleted3.

How It Spread

The "mid off" phrase sat relatively dormant for over a year until October 12, 2021, when Twitter user @DFreeFigueroa screenshotted the original tweet and reposted it. That screenshot blew up, earning roughly 137,000 likes over the following year and a half3.

By December 2021, other users had picked up the format and started applying it to new targets. On December 8, Twitter user @th3mb0fication captioned a photo of actors Ryan Gosling and Jeremy Strong with "These men having a mid off," pulling in over 240 likes3. Two days later, Instagram user @herecomedatboi adapted the format with photos of musicians Lindsey Jordan and Phoebe Bridgers, getting about 2,800 likes3.

The phrase hit its stride in 2022 and 2023. During the Ned Fulmer / Try Guys cheating scandal in October 2022, Twitter user @gemmygemg posted a YouTube thumbnail of the Try Guys with "They having a mid off," which racked up roughly 63,900 likes in five months3. On February 21, 2023, @yassnito paired the catchphrase with two Snapchat Dog Filter selfies and pulled approximately 112,800 likes in a single month3.

Beyond the specific "mid off" format, "mid" as standalone slang spread across TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram throughout 2021-2023. It became the default one-word dismissal in stan culture debates, gaming discourse, and music criticism2.

Platforms

TikTokRedditTwitter

Timeline

2023-01-01

Meme still see steady use

2024-01-01

Mid reached mainstream popularity and media coverage

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

As standalone slang: Simply call something "mid" to express that it's average or underwhelming. Works for movies, music, food, people, or any topic of debate. Example: "I finally watched that show everyone's been talking about. It's mid."

As the "Mid Off" format: Find two subjects that are both considered unremarkable or are feuding despite neither being particularly impressive. Caption the comparison with "They having a mid off" or "These [people/things] having a mid off"3. The humor comes from the implication that both parties are equally mediocre and their conflict is therefore pointless.

The format typically works best when both subjects have passionate fanbases who would be offended by the "mid" label. The more invested people are in one side, the funnier the dismissal3.

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

"Mid" carved out a specific niche in internet argumentation culture. Unlike older dismissals like "trash" or "overrated," calling something mid is uniquely infuriating because it denies the subject even the dignity of being memorably bad. This made it a weapon of choice in stan Twitter wars, where fandoms weaponize the term against rival artists and properties2.

The word crossed over from internet slang into everyday speech, particularly among Gen Z and younger millennials. It shows up in product reviews, food criticism, and casual conversation. The speed of the crossover reflects how internet slang now moves into mainstream vocabulary faster than ever1.

Fun Facts

The original "these women having a mid off" tweet was deleted, but its screenshot went viral over a year later, earning 137,000 likes on the repost alone3.

"Mid" originally referred specifically to middle-grade marijuana before becoming a general insult for anything average2.

The most viral single use of the "mid off" format was the Snapchat Dog Filter version in February 2023, which hit roughly 112,800 likes in one month3.

The Try Guys scandal gave the format one of its biggest boosts, with a "mid off" tweet about the group pulling nearly 64,000 likes3.

Derivatives & Variations

Mid Variations

Different takes on the Mid format with modified content

(2022)

Mid Mashups

Combinations of Mid with other popular memes

(2023)

Mid Remixes

Updated versions with current events and references

(2023)

Frequently Asked Questions

References (3)

  1. 1
    Internet memeencyclopedia
  2. 2
    Mid - Urban Dictionarydictionary
  3. 3
    Mid - Know Your Memeencyclopedia