hypebeast

American

[hahyp-beest] / ˈhaɪpˌbist /

noun

Slang.

a person who avidly pursues trending fashions and newly released products in streetwear, primarily as signifiers of social prestige and financial means.

Only hypebeasts would be waiting outside the designer’s pop-up store at dawn in order to be first in line.

Etymology

Origin of hypebeast

First recorded in 2015–20; hype ¹ ( def. ) + beast ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A Queens hypebeast falls for a Manhattan rich girl in “Sneakerella,” the latest rehashed fairy tale to be foisted upon audiences.

From New York Times • May 12, 2022

Picture the scene: Manuel-Davis wearing the sneakers your hypebeast boyfriend can’t even cop and a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2021

There’s a wait list for the Nikes your hypebeast boyfriend has been coveting.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2021

The Ear 1s are the new hypebeast earbuds and have a fun air of freshness.

From The Verge • Jul. 29, 2021

His newfound status as a hypebeast has him rethinking that.

From The Guardian • Jul. 19, 2019

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023