pick me

Intermediate 📱 Gen-Z / Internet Slang

Definition

A person, particularly a woman, who adopts contrarian or exaggerated personality traits to gain attention or approval, especially from the opposite sex—often by putting down their own gender. The phrase captures someone essentially asking 'pick me' as a romantic or social choice.

Example Usage

Her constant criticism of other women while praising men makes her seem like a pick-me girl.

Origin

Internet slang, emerged from online communities in the 2010s; gained significant traction on TikTok and Twitter around 2020-2021.

Fun Fact

The term is a form of social criticism, often used to call out performative behavior designed to seem 'different' or 'better' than one's peers.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)