If you’ve heard your middle schooler tell their friend they have "W Rizz" or call someone a "Rizzler," you’ve witnessed the Oxford Word of the Year for 2023 in action.

At its most basic, rizz is just charisma. It’s the middle syllable of the word: cha-rizz-ma.

It was popularized by Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, who used it to describe his ability to talk to women. Since then, the internet has done what it does best: it took a specific term and turned it into a universal adjective for "cool" or "socially smooth."

In the world of Skibidi Toilet and saying things are "so Ohio" (which means weird or cringey, for those keeping score at home), rizz is one of the few slang terms that actually maps to a real-world social skill.

To understand your kid, you need to know the variations:

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For kids, especially in that awkward 10-to-14-year-old window, social confidence is the ultimate currency. "Rizz" gives them a label for the thing they’re all trying to figure out: how to be liked, how to be confident, and how to navigate the terrifying waters of early attraction.

It’s also part of the "brain rot" comedy ecosystem. Kids love the absurdity of it. They’ll "rizz up" a literal wall or their dog just to be funny. It’s a meme as much as it is a social descriptor. When they see characters in Roblox or Minecraft acting "sigma" (another term for a dominant, cool leader), they’re looking for ways to project that same confidence in their own lives.

If your kid is obsessed with "rizz," they’re likely interested in social dynamics, confidence, and humor. Here’s how to channel that into content that isn't just mindless scrolling.

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Is "rizz" dangerous? No. But the culture around it can get a little murky.

Because rizz started as a term for "seducing" women, it can lead kids toward creators who teach "alpha male" tactics. These creators often show up on YouTube Shorts or TikTok recommending that boys be aggressive or manipulative to get "W Rizz."

Sometimes, "rizzling someone up" can cross the line into unwanted attention or harassment, especially in online games like Roblox or Fortnite. If a kid is "rizzling" someone who clearly isn't interested, they need to know that’s just being a nuisance, not being smooth.

Digital rizz often requires a certain look or a certain amount of "clout." This can fuel the fire of social media anxiety. If your kid feels they have "zero rizz," it can feel like a failure of personality rather than just a silly slang term.

Read our guide on toxic masculinity in gaming culture

You don't need to use the word to understand it (in fact, if you use it, you will likely be told you have "negative rizz," and it will be a whole thing). Instead, use it as a bridge to talk about real social confidence.

Ask these questions:

The "Dad/Mom Rizz" Test: If you want to be the "cool" parent (or at least the informed one), acknowledge that rizz is just a new word for an old concept. We called it "game" or "charm." Every generation has a word for the kid who can walk into a room and make friends instantly.

"Rizz" is one of those rare viral terms that is actually quite descriptive. While it lives in the messy, fast-paced world of TikTok and YouTube, at its heart, it’s about a kid’s desire to be confident and socially capable.

As long as "rizzing up" doesn't turn into "harassing others," it’s a harmless part of the modern digital lexicon. Just be prepared for the eye-roll when you eventually try to use it in a sentence at the dinner table.

Next Steps:

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