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flex
1[ fleks ]
verb (used with object)
- to bend, as a part of the body:
He flexed his arms to show off his muscles.
- to tighten (a muscle) by contraction.
- to demonstrate (one’s ability, expertise, etc.):
She’s flexed her marketing skills for various clients in the publishing industry.
- Slang. to boast or brag about; flaunt:
He’s just not into flexing his success.
verb (used without object)
- to bend.
- Slang. to boast or brag; show off:
In his rap lyrics he flexes about his fancy lifestyle.
noun
- the act of flexing.
- Slang. a boast or brag:
It's not a flex, but we have the best burgers here.
- British.
- any flexible, insulated electric cord; an electric cord or extension cord.
- Slang. an elastic band, as a garter.
- Mathematics. an inflection point.
verb phrase
- Slang. to brag or show off to; assert one’s dominance or superiority over:
She’s flexing on her haters by posting new photos of her beautiful family.
flex
2[ fleks ]
adjective
- Informal. flexible:
a flex program of workers' benefits.
flex-
3- a combining form representing flexible in compound words:
flextime.
flex
/ flɛks /
noun
- a flexible insulated electric cable, used esp to connect appliances to mains US and Canadian namecord
- informal.flexibility or pliability
verb
- to bend or be bent
his arm flexed
he flexed his arm
- to contract (a muscle) or (of a muscle) to contract
- intr to work according to flexitime
- to test or display (one's authority or strength)
Word History and Origins
Origin of flex1
Word History and Origins
Origin of flex1
Example Sentences
He said that the Russia was "definitely flexing its military and economic muscles on the ground" through the physical presence of troops in the country.
Three of the next four games are in prime-time slots, starting with next Sunday’s matchup that was so enticing that the NFL flexed it into the “Sunday Night Football” window.
Still, the Chargers improved to 5-3 and earned a TV promotion for Week 11, getting flexed into “Sunday Night Football” on Nov. 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Depth in the secondary — where Molden has solidified the safety position while rookie cornerbacks Still and Cam Hart have stepped up outside — has allowed James to flex his versatility in every facet of the defense.
So she decided to pitch Colvin so she could help her find a man and also flex her creative muscles.
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About This Word
What else does flex mean?
Where does flex come from?
The term flex has been used as Black slang for “showing courage” or “showing off” since the 1990s. Rapper Ice Cube notably used it in his 1992 song, “It Was a Good Day”: “Saw the police and they rolled right past me / No flexin’, didn’t even look in a n*gga’s direction as I ran the intersection.”
Flex comes from flexing one’s muscles, i.e., to show how physically strong you are, or, originally, how you are ready for a fight. This became a metaphor for someone displaying in some way that they think they’re better than others.
Flex came into mainstream popularity in 2014 thanks to hip-hop due’s Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone.” The song refrains: “No flex zone, No flex zone / They know better, they know better.” This no flex zone is apparently a space where you can be true to yourself, not feeling compelled to show off, judge, and put others down, i.e., hating on people and being fake.
Flex was further popularized by Rich Homie’s Quan’s 2015 song, “Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)” which features the lyrics: “Cause I got a check, n*ggas wanna flex / Ain’t gotta flex but I got it, ooohh.”
Flex also gained prominence in spring 2018 through its frequent use by Lil Tay, a young Canadian internet celebrity who called herself “the youngest flexer of the century.” Later that fall, the expression weird flex, but OK—a snarky response to when someone boasts about something considered odd or embarrassing—went viral.
How is flex used in real life?
Flex typically carries a negative connotation, as nobody likes a showoff or braggart. Flex can imply one isn’t being genuine (in slang, being real) or is forcing a sense of superiority (in slang, fronting).
Okay this is an AirBus A380 sized flex. I have no choice in the matter. pic.twitter.com/1uqdEwpPG1
— LaCarlford Tarth (@DammitCARL) May 20, 2020
Flex is also often used in negative constructions, e.g., a call for no flexing. It can also be a noun (instance of showing off) or a verb (to show off). Stunt is a similar slang term.
just wanted to flex pic.twitter.com/1lkZ73OPN5
— aman ☥ (@ayemayen_) December 16, 2018
Note
This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.
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