thirst trap

[ thurst trap ]

noun

, Slang.

1. (on the internet) a social media post, especially a selfie or other photo, intended to elicit sexual attention, appreciation of one’s attractiveness, or other positive feedback (often used attributively): Her Instagram account is a thirst trap of foster kittens and rescue puppies.

   Did you see those thirst trap photos of her post-baby body?

   Her Instagram account is a thirst trap of foster kittens and rescue puppies.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thirst trap¹

First recorded in 2010–15; thirst ( def ) (in the sense “strong desire”) + trap ¹( def )

Example Sentences

The rules of thirst trap TikTok are different from that of Instagram or Twitter, and they certainly apply differently to people across the gender spectrum.

From Vox

TikTok did not invent the concept of the thirst trap, but it has democratized it enough that even the most average-looking people, many of them men, are becoming recipients of mass, pulsating, and often quite gross desire.

From Vox