Digital technology has supercharged the evolution of language. The internet, in particular, has brought millions of people together in real time, allowing for the rapid spread of new terms and phrases.
Internet slang has become so pervasive that people regularly use them outside of digital space. In many cases, ordinary words have come to mean completely different things.
Words the Internet Changed
Here’s a list of words that have gained new meanings thanks to the internet. While their original definitions are still in use, their new online meanings have become so widespread that they often overshadow the old ones—at least, in most contexts.
1. Troll
Old meaning: A mythical creature often found in fairy tales, often living under bridges and harassing travellers.
Trolls often demand a toll from those who try to pass through their bridges.
New meaning: A person who intentionally stirs up trouble or provokes others online. They typically leave negative or inflammatory comments to get a reaction.
It is getting increasingly hard to distinguish between a troll and someone who is simply expressing an unpopular opinion.
2. Bump
Old meaning: To hit or move something with sudden force.
We keep bumping into each other despite how large the campus is.
New meaning: To move something (usually a post or thread on social media) to a more prominent place.
To keep the discussion alive, I decided to bump the thread back to the top of the forum.
3. Viral
Old meaning: Relating to a virus.
Her family caught some sort of viral infection.
New meaning: To spread rapidly or get popular across the internet or social media.
Her dance video went viral overnight, with millions of views and shares.
4. Follow
Old meaning: To physically go after someone or something.
I noticed someone kept following me home.
New meaning: To subscribe to someone’s social media and choose to see their content regularly.
I gave her a follow because I like her content.
5. Handle
Old meaning: The part of an object that is specifically designed to be grasped by the hand.
The racket’s handle finally broke after countless matches.
New meaning: Someone’s social username or digital identity.
Her Instagram handle was unique but difficult to remember.
6. Stream
Old meaning: A small body of flowing water; a continuous flow of liquid.
The tank burst and let out a constant stream of water.
New meaning: To broadcast video or audio over the internet in real time.
They stream on Twitch every Friday evening.
7. Feed
Old meaning: To provide food for someone or something.
He likes to cook and often volunteers to feed the family during holidays.
New meaning: A social media platform’s list of posts, stories, and information that is presented to you in a continuous format.
She has a habit of checking her social media feed first thing in the morning.
8. Cloud
Old meaning: A visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the sky.
There aren’t many clouds in the sky today.
New meaning: A network of computer servers that store data that is accessible anywhere and with any device.
I usually store my work-related files in the cloud.
9. Friend
Old meaning: A person you know personally, are affectionate with, and often interact with.
We’ve been friends since 4th grade.
New meaning: A person you add to your list of connections in social media.
I like his vibe. Should I friend him on Instagram?
10. Tweet
Old meaning: The sound that a bird makes.
I remember waking up to the birds tweeting every morning when I was a kid.
New meaning: A 140-character post you type and upload to X (formerly Twitter).
Judging by how frequently she tweets, it is obvious that she is addicted to Twitter.
11. Tag
Old meaning: A children’s game; a label attached to an item for the purpose of identification or giving information.
The neighborhood children like to play tag after class.
New meaning: To mention someone in a social media post or comment in a way that notifies that person.
Some people turn off the tag feature because it’s annoying.
12. Status
Old meaning: A person’s position or rank relative to others, often from a social context; the condition of something or someone.
A person’s status is usually determined by their wealth and connections.
New meaning: A post or social media feature that indicates your current situation, state of mind, or opinion.
She always updates her status on Facebook.
13. Pin
Old meaning: A small, sharp instrument used to fasten an object to another object; the object itself that is used for fastening.
I like to pin my notes to the wall during my study sessions.
New meaning: To fix something in place for convenient access and viewing. Usually used when referring to digital content such as videos, posts, or comments.
Check my pinned post for information about the event.
14. Block
Old meaning: To obstruct the progress of something or someone.
They would always block my way to school.
New meaning: To prevent someone from contacting you or viewing your content on social media.
I blocked the guy who kept sending me weird messages.
15. Catfish
Old meaning: A type of fish (typically a bottom-dweller) with whisker-like appendages near the mouth.
I prefer grilling catfish instead of deep frying it.
New meaning: Someone who sets up a fake social media profile for deceptive purposes.
Liam almost got scammed by a catfish.
16. Footprint
Old meaning: The mark that is left by your foot or shoe.
Its own footprints in the sand confused the dog.
New meaning: Data you leave on the internet that can be used to track or identify you.
A lot of people aren’t aware they leave a digital footprint every time they use the internet.
17. Meme
Old meaning: An element that is passed from person to person through imitation and within a culture.
Memes, as an anthropological concept, were popularized by biologist Richard Dawkins.
New meaning: A piece of video, audio, photo, or text, typically humorous in nature, that is spread widely across the internet.
Our group chat almost only consists of us sending each other memes.
18. Profile
Old meaning: A thorough description of a person or object; a person’s head or face seen from a side view.
The sunlight emphasized his sharp, angular profile.
New meaning: The personal details, images, and statistics you curate and share in social media.
People on dating apps are meticulous in creating their profiles.
19. Ping
Old meaning: A sharp, high-pitched sound.
We couldn’t find where the annoying ping came from.
New meaning: To send a brief message or notification to someone else’s electronic device.
I’ll ping you later today once we’ve decided on the details.
20. Unplug
Old meaning: To disconnect something from another device or an electrical source.
Except for the fridge, I always unplug my appliances when I go on a trip.
New meaning: To refrain from using digital or electronic devices for a certain amount of time.
I’m unplugging from social media for a while.
Internet Slang
Memes, popular culture, and social media greatly shape the usage and definition of words. It’s not just about new slang—old words, often once technical or obscure, are taking on new life. These new definitions spread rapidly, embedding into everyday language almost overnight.
Interestingly, many of these words still maintain a connection to their original meanings. It’s less about reinventing the language and more about adapting it to fit new contexts, making them relevant to our increasingly digital world.
What other words do you know that changed meaning because of the internet? Share them below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
