Meaning
A sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion toward someone you are dating or attracted to, usually triggered by something trivial such as the way they eat, dance, or run for a bus. Once it strikes, attraction rarely recovers. Informal; strongest in British English and online dating talk, and typically used about romantic partners. Informal, humorous-to-harsh; almost always said of romantic attraction rather than general dislike. Regional use: General English; strongest in UK and online contexts.
Origin
The earliest documented use in the modern romantic sense is a 1998 episode of the US legal comedy Ally McBeal, with a further appearance in a 2003 Sex and the City episode titled 'The Ick Factor' (both documented in Wikipedia's article, which cites Merriam-Webster, Cosmopolitan and The Cut). The term was popularised much later by the UK reality show Love Island, notably by 2017 contestant Olivia Attwood, who described it as a feeling that once caught 'doesn't go'. It spread globally via TikTok from around 2020, where users post lists of their icks. Cambridge Dictionary added 'the ick' in July 2024, crediting Love Island with its rise. The exact first use is unknown; the Ally McBeal citation is the earliest commonly traced.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- getting the ick
- got the ick
- icks
- the mega ick
Usage Examples
- I was really into him until I saw him running for the bus in flip-flops, and the ick hit instantly.
- She ended things after three dates because she couldn't shake the ick.
- Leaving voicemails for your crush is a guaranteed ick these days.