Slay became popular slang online in the 2010s from Black and LGBTQ ballroom culture before spreading widely on TikTok, Instagram and stan Twitter as praise for looking good or doing something flawlessly. Extended versions that repeat the word for thirty seconds turned into a meme format, used both sincerely for glow ups and sarcastically for minor or messy moments. Its staying power comes from instant recognition, one stretched word communicates hype, humor and attitude without needing any context or explanation from the creator.