reaction GIF

noun

variants or less commonly reaction gif

plural reaction GIFs also reaction gifs

: a GIF of someone or something (such as a celebrity or an animal) that is sent or posted in reply to something (such as a text message or a social media post or comment) and that typically depicts and expresses a reaction

Now, six seasons in, it's safe to say the legacy of Schitt's Creek goes far beyond legions of fans using reaction GIFs from the show on Twitter.

—Chris Harnick

I'll be clear: If you search a word and use a top-10 reaction GIF, you're not being funny. I'll be even more direct: You're not even mildly entertaining anyone with your Jennifer-Lawrence-spit-take reaction.

—Jordan Calhoun

Or perhaps the warm fuzzy nostalgia we draw from The Simpsons is where we find refuge in an online world that's increasingly divisive, loud and stressful. If we can find empathy in a cartoon reaction gif, maybe that proves that things are never truly that bad.

—Roisin Lanigan

Grumpy Cat was arguably the world's most famous and popular puss, with more than 2.5 million followers on Instagram. Her permanently scowling, unimpressed face was the original digital language for displeasure, cynicism and apathy and became one of the first reaction gifs.

—The New Daily (Melbourne, Australia)

Reaction GIFs show up everywhere, both professional and socially, in text messages, emails, social media and, of course, chat-based conversations at work. They have the ability to add context and emotion to words, generally making our statements more engaging.

—Megan Bigelow

Examples of reaction GIF in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Every shot of a socialite smirking over the rim of a cocktail glass plays like the perfect reaction GIF. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2012, in the meaning defined above