irl

What it means

Refers to the real, offline world as opposed to online life or a virtual persona. It's used to distinguish someone's actual self or in-person events from their digital presence.

Examples

• We've talked for years but never met irl.
• She's way funnier irl than on her stream.
• Touch grass and meet some friends irl.
• My irl job is way more boring than my posts.

Where it comes from

An acronym for 'in real life' that originated in early internet, gaming, and chatroom culture of the 1990s. It became essential vocabulary as people split time between online and offline identities.

Related slang