Diabolical
what it means
Reserved for behaviour that crosses a line so thoroughly it becomes impressive. "That's diabolical" is closer to a compliment than a condemnation.
Outrageously bad or audacious — usually said with admiration.
the origin story
A standard English word, repurposed as internet slang through Black Twitter and TikTok around 2022-2023.
The shift from literal condemnation to admiring exclamation follows the same path as "sick" and "wicked" decades earlier. It's now the standard response to a joke or prank that went further than expected.
in the wild
He replaced all the photos in the office with pictures of himself.
That's diabolical.
Someone replied to her engagement post with a divorce statistic.
Diabolical work.
how to use it
- Reacting to audacious behaviour
- Comment sections and chats
- Admiring a bold joke
- About genuinely harmful behaviour
- In formal writing, where it means something stronger
- Professionally
related terms
receipts
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