Pop Culture dictionary
glow up
or glow-up or glo up or glo-up [ gloh uhp ]
What does glow up mean?
Glow up is an informal term for a positive personal transformation, typically one involving significant changes in appearance and style and often also growth in confidence and maturity (and sometimes aspects of personal or professional life).
The term is especially applied to teens and young adults, often as a way to point out how they have 鈥済rown into themselves,鈥� perhaps after an 鈥渁wkward phase.鈥� On social media, the term is often used when posting before and after photos, such as an old school photo and a current photo.
Glow up is also used as a verb, as in I saw him glow up during high school.
Less commonly, glow up is used in reference to more temporary transformations, such the application of makeup.
The term is typically applied to people, but it鈥檚 sometimes applied to things, often to be somewhat humorous, as in This model is a major glow up from the last release.聽
Example: It鈥檚 been amazing to witness Grace鈥檚 glow up as she has transformed from an awkward tween into a TikTok trendsetter.
Where does glow up come from?
Glow up is a play on grow up, a common verb phrase meaning 鈥渢o mature or become an adult.鈥� Like grow up, glow up usually implies a gradual transformation over time. The word glow is commonly used in a figurative way in the context of personal appearance and can also imply confidence. Glow up implies that a person now 鈥済lows brighter鈥� or 鈥渟hines鈥� due to their transformation.
The phrase was popularized (and may have been originated) by rapper Chief Keef, who used the term (spelled glo up鈥攏ow a common alternate spelling) to refer to a positive improvement in his 2013 song 鈥淕otta Glo Up One Day.鈥� Chief Keef鈥檚 play on grow up in the song was also a reference to his crew, known as the Glo Gang.
Many early records of the phrase鈥檚 usage on social media made reference to Chief Keef.
U wanna glow up babe keef got you
— i-got/thejucie*now (@lovenoothottyy)
If you get money like you say you do you ain't got to show nobody they gone see it when you glow up
— $$AMGRUCK$$ (@J_LIVE_n_Life)
Eventually, the term gained more widespread usage.
is this the year of my inner glow up? maybe
— chantel (@nialIsface)
Imma glow up soon.. Don't sleep on me please 馃槾馃槀馃槆
— maysheng.alexis (@KINGMsay)
Examples of glow up
Who uses glow up?
Glow up is used as both a noun and a verb and is always used positively. It鈥檚 especially applied to teens and young adults. On social media, the phrase is commonly used in the context of someone sharing before and after photos to show a personal transformation.
i didn't think i glowed up until i saw the side by side
— lena (taylor's version) (@selenamichele27)
Le glow up de Drake 馃敟
2004 2020
— Kultur (@Kulturlesite_)
rocky鈥檚 glow up鉁�
— anne (@woocky_)
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of glow up like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of glow up that will help our users expand their word mastery.