A complete history of “bussin’,” TikTok’s new slang term
This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci and by wikiHow staff writer, Dev Murphy, MA. Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix.
If you spend any amount of time on social media, you might have heard someone describe something as “bussin’.” Maybe it was, “That’s bussin’!” or “Totally bussin’.” “That party was bussin’!” But what exactly does the term mean, and where did it come from? Keep reading for a guide to “bussin’,” including the definition, proper usage, and origins, so you can contribute to the bussin’ discourse in your next TikTok.
- “Bussin’” means something is really good—for instance, “That taco was bussin’!”
- The term “bussin’” may originate from the AAVE “busting,” as in “busting a move,” and took off on TikTok around 2020.
- Use “bussin’” to describe anything great, like a party, an activity, or delicious food.
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Use “bussin’” to describe anything really amazing. If something exceeds your expectations, it’s fair to describe it as bussin’, especially on social media. Use the word to celebrate anything you really enjoy or are impressed by, like a movie or party. Oftentimes, it’s used to describe really delish food.[1]
- “This ice cream has no business being this bussin’.”
- “Can’t wait to see the Barbie movie. That film looks bussin’!”
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Say “bussin’ bussin’” for added emphasis. Call something “bussin’ bussin’” to show you really mean what you’re saying. Repeating the word “bussin’” when describing how amazing something is indicates that it’s not just great, it’s like, hallelujah chorus-awesome.[2]
- “My mom’s casserole is bussin’, but your mom’s is straight up bussin’ bussin’!”
- “Just got back from the Taylor Swift concert—it was bussin’ bussin’.”
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“Bussin” may originate from the AAVE “bursting” or “busting.” The original usage of the term is uncertain, but it’s thought to originate with African American Vernacular English in reference to dancing (as in “busting a move”).[3]
Others believe the term was initially used to refer to food that was “bursting” with flavor. -
The term grew online thanks to the “Gripping Food with Force” trend. In 2020, an internet trend in which users posted photos or videos of themselves grasping food forcefully took off. The posts were captioned with “bussin’,” referring to how delicious their food was, and the term spread widely.[4]
The food-gripping trend eventually died, but the popularity of “bussin’” lives on.- The term spread more widely in 2021 after TikTok users began trolling keto food vlogger Janelle Roehner. TikTok user rondeucedeleuche stitched one of her videos in which she eats a bell pepper sandwich with footage of him asking, “Is it bussin’?” and the trend took off.
- The term gained popularity as a synonym for “delicious,” but over time it turned into a descriptor for anything awesome, food or not.
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