simp
verb, noun
to show excessive or fawning devotion to someone or something
What does simp mean?
To simp is to show excessive devotion to or longing for someone or something. It can also be about flattering a person, organization, or entity, in the hopes that they will view you favorably. In these senses simp is often used with for. Simp can also be a noun, in which case it refers to a person who is simping.
Examples of simp
how much is too much when simping for your crush / is it even okay to do so?
—Reddit, 15 Apr. 2023
The host circled back to get Ciara’s “honest reaction” to the rumors that her husband is “corny”—a label conjured up by fans because of his perceived square personality and so-called “simp” behavior.
—Nicole: “I‘m literally such a simp for this girl and I don’t even know what she looks like.”
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Where does simp come from?
There are a number of theories about where simp comes from, including that it is a variant of the older sense of simp (in which it is just a shortening of simple or simpleton), or that it is a shortened version of sympathy. While we don’t know for certain where the slang simp came from, we do know that it’s been around for a while: Green’s Dictionary of Slang has a citation for simp meaning “be excessively submissive to your girl friend” from a 1967/68 study at Brown University (College Undergraduate Slang Study).
The word began being used in hip-hop and R & B contexts in the 1980s, and by the early 1990s was well established; for example, “Sympin’ ain’t easy” was the title of a song by Boyz II Men released in 1992:
Sympin’ ain’t easy
Get on your hands and knees and lift your eyebrows
Sympin’ ain’t easy
And if you wanna get it, then you gotta be willing
To cry and beg and plead when you need
How is simp used?
Simp, both as a verb and a noun, is primarily used in the context of romance (or the hopes of romance), and is typically more often applied to men than to women. This sense is both slang and uncomplimentary. The word can also be used in non-romantic contexts, such as showing obsequiousness or fawning behavior towards a country, business, or group.
Later, Luther again took to Twitter to slam Wu, writing “simping for the CCP isn’t cool” and that she couldn’t wait “to kill [his] bills.”
—Trott said she doubts Lira will have a major influence on the contours of the entire manosphere. After all, he’s just one guy—and she’s noticed that some of his old viewers seem to think he’s “simping for Russia,” which they just find amusing rather than convincing.
—The core argument against my argument was summarized nicely by this comment: “I bet when you were a kid you never thought your job would be simping for the commercial real estate lobby How sad.”
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