Slang dictionary
aura farming
[ awr-uh fahr-ming ]
What does aura farming mean?
Aura farming is a viral slang term that describes doing things with deliberate coolness, confidence, or mystique. It’s often filmed or posted to elevate social status or gain attention online, i.e. cultivating a perceived social “aura.”
The term often refers to making mundane things look cool and effortless. Imagine you see someone toss a crumpled paper into a trash can from across the room, without even looking. You’ve just witnessed aura farming.
Where does aura farming come from?
The phrase combines the slang use of aura, which in the modern sense refers to a person’s distinctive energy or presence, and farming, a gaming term for performing repeated deliberate actions to gain value.
The trend appeared on TikTok and X in early 2024 and became widely recognized by mid-2025 through a viral video of Indonesian child dancer Rayyan Arkan Dikha, known online as the “boat kid.” In the video, Dikha is calmly and gracefully dancing on the end of a fast-moving boat. The kid’s composed expression and pose triggered a global trend, with celebrities such as Travis Kelce and BTS members Jung Kook and V emulating the same unbothered attitude.
Creators use aura farming for videos that highlight understated confidence, such as a casual strut or a coffee sip captured in perfect lighting. It celebrates the humor of performing coolness while still looking like you’re not putting on a show or seeking praise for it.
Examples of aura farming
Who uses aura farming?
Gen Z and Gen Alpha use the phrase most often on social media, particularly TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Journalists and culture writers have also picked it up when discussing aesthetics of self-image, fashion, and performance online. It has also entered sports and celebrity commentary as a shorthand for someone who exudes cinematic poise in real life.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of aura farming like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of aura farming that will help our users expand their word mastery.
