rizz

American  

[riz] / rɪz /

noun

1. attractiveness, charm, or skill in flirtation that allows one to easily attract romantic or sexual partners.

   I've lost all my rizz, but I think it's a sign to focus on school.

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verb phrase

1. rizz up to flirt with.

   She's too busy rizzing up that pretty new girl to talk to us.

Etymology

Origin of rizz

Popularized in 2021 by U.S. YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat (born 2001) with his “Rizz Academy” web series; shortening of (cha)ris(ma) ( def. )

Explanation

If you have rizz, people are fascinated by your irresistible charm. Your grandfather, who's as smooth and charismatic as Frank Sinatra, has definitely got rizz. Rizz is an abbreviation of charisma that was coined on Twitch by Kai Cenat before becoming a viral sensation on Tik Tok, especially among members of Gen Z. Oxford University Press declared rizz its 2023 word of the year, a move that instantly made the word significantly less cool. If you want to rizz up a cute classmate you're crushing on, you might want to avoid using the word rizz!

Example Sentences

While we’re giving advice, one imagines the Vatican has many excitable monsignors running the pontiff’s social-media accounts, and one suspects they are hyped to show the pope is giving rizz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

In subsequent years, voting has played only a part in the choices, which have included 2023's "rizz" -- a colloquial term defined as "style, charm, or attractiveness" -- and last year's "brain rot".

From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025

In 2022, the online personality offered advice on how to have rizz.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2023

Mr Grathwohl added that the rise in use of the word rizz proved that words and phrases that derive from internet culture "are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day vernacular".

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2023

Him’s be goin’ to rizz de peepil wid him norrible doin’s.

From The Gorilla Hunters by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

Related Words

• charisma
• charm
• game