Rizz
noun / verb /rɪz/ — Natural charisma; the effortless ability to attract others
Definition
Charm or charisma, especially in romantic contexts — the natural ability to attract and captivate others without apparent effort. Rizz can be 'W rizz' (natural, effortless) or 'X rizz' (non-existent). The 2023 Oxford Word of the Year.
Beyond the definition
Rizz is charisma theorised. It's the word for whatever it is that some people have that makes rooms rearrange around them — that indefinable attractive quality that operates below the level of logic.
Origin & history
English slang: shortened from 'charisma'. Popularised by streaming personality Kai Cenat and widely adopted from 2022–2023. Named Oxford Word of the Year 2023.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
He has unspoken rizz — he barely says a word and the room shifts.
You can't teach rizz. You either have it or you're working very hard at a convincing impression.
She rizzed him up by accident — she was just being herself.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Rizz” when the meaning fits your context: Charm or charisma, especially in romantic contexts — the natural ability to attract and captivate others without apparent effort. Rizz can be 'W rizz' (natural, effortless) or 'X rizz' (non-existent). The 2023 Oxford Word of the Year.
Synonyms
Antonyms
awkwardness, obliviousness, anti-charisma
Related words
Rizz vs charisma
Charisma is a broad, formal trait of magnetic personality. Rizz is a modern, casual slang term specifically describing an individual's success rate at flirting or attracting a romantic interest.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Clever Joke and Subtle Smile
A close-up of an adult’s face as they deliver a clever, dry joke, with a small, subtle smile appearing in their eyes.
The person has rizz. The playfulness and intelligence in their expression show a natural ability to captivate through wit. This effortless charm draws others in, proving that charisma is often as simple as the spark of intelligence caught in a small, well-timed smile.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Rizz" mean?
Rizz is noun / verb meaning: Natural charisma; the effortless ability to attract others. Charm or charisma, especially in romantic contexts — the natural ability to attract and captivate others without apparent effort. Rizz can be 'W rizz' (natural, effortless) or 'X rizz' (non-existent). The 2023 Oxford Word of the Year.
Where does the word "Rizz" come from?
English slang: shortened from 'charisma'. Popularised by streaming personality Kai Cenat and widely adopted from 2022–2023. Named Oxford Word of the Year 2023.