Decoding the Slang: What Does it Actually Mean to "Glow Up"?

Having conversations in slang language has become a new trend, and now everybody likes to use phrases that are short and convey the whole message. There are many slang words that came, but their popularity died down within a few years. But then there are some slang terms that have lived through many decades and are still going really strong. 

In the article below, we are going to talk about one such slang that has gained immense popularity in the last decade and is still quite famous. We are talking about the slang term “glow up”. It does not matter if you are a millennial or a Gen Z, you must have heard about this slang at least once in your life.

Still, if you do not know what this really means and where it has come from, do not worry because we have got you covered. Below, we are going to talk about all the details relevant to this slang term, so the next time someone uses it, you know what they’re talking about.

What Actually is “Glow Up”?

The “Glow Up” was initially introduced as a pun used as an alternative to “grow up”. Growing up is not in anybody’s hands, as it is a biological process, but glowing up can definitely be intentional. When we say glow up we mean that getting your condition improved in various ways over the course of years. Glowing up does not necessarily mean having bright skin, which most people think it does.

When we say glow up we use it as a term that means that you have changed yourself in your personality or in your looks over time. Glowing up means improving yourself in every way possible and in all aspects throughout your life.

Where Has It Come From?

All the details of this slang make everybody ask one question: where does it really come from? Some people do not know that this slang term was introduced by a rapper around 2013. He used this slang term in his songs, and that is where the popularity started to increase. He also used this slang term as a way to improve yourself in your personality and your mind. 

After this got popular, there were also some years when it started to decline, but it again became famous in the last 3-4 years, and now everybody is aware of what a glow up really means. Initially, the spellings for this slang were different, and it was spelled as “Glo Up”, but now it is spelled as “glow up”.

The “Glow Up” In Different Ways

There are different ways that a person can glow up, and can be physical or mental. If you talk about the physical glow, then we have to mention that a person can get that through skin care and by improving their choices in their clothing. If you improve your fashion sense and you look different from what you looked three years back, it will also be your glow up.

Mental glow up is also another type that comes when there is a change in how you think and how you perceive things. If you think differently from what you thought when you were in your teenage years, then it is also called your mental glow up.

The Popularity of the Slang

The next question that people often wonder about is whether the slang is still popular or not. Well, if you talk about this particular slang, then we have to say that its popularity is increasing immensely day by day. No matter who you meet, they must know about this slang, and they must have also used it in their life at least once.

Also, since the comparison between 2016 and 2026 is trending, everybody is talking about glow up, so yes, the popularity is definitely increasing. 

Bottom Line:

Slang terms are just a fun way to have conversations with people that you can freely talk to. One mistake people make is that they do not know whether they can use slang terms in professional settings or not. When we talk about the slang glow up we can definitely say that it can be used in professional settings, but in the most decent way.

The next time that you see somebody who has changed significantly in a physical or a mental way you can tell them that they definitely had a glow up and you like it. 

FAQs

Can we use the term glow up if somebody looks different from how they looked previously?

Yes, if you feel somebody has changed their looks in the past few years, you can definitely tell them that they had a glow up, and it shows.

Is a glow-up only physical, or is there any other meaning to it?

No, if somebody has also brought changes to their thought process in how they perceive different things, then they can also have a mental glow-up.

How can we use this slang in a sentence?

If you see somebody who has altered their looks or their thoughts, you can tell them that they really had a glow up in their thinking or in their personality. You can mention this by saying, “Your thought process has changed, and I like the glow up.