Throw Shade
Meaning: To insult or criticize someone in a subtle, indirect way.
To “throw shade” means to make a sneaky or clever insult. It’s often used when someone criticizes someone else in a subtle or sarcastic way. For example, if someone says, “Not everyone can pull off that look,” they might be throwing shade. This phrase became popular in pop culture and online conversations.
How to use it
It’s informal and very common online, in celebrity news and among friends. The shade is usually hidden in a compliment, a joke or a look rather than said directly. People also say “That was shade” or “No shade, but…” to soften a criticism.
Examples
- Was she throwing shade when she called my cooking “interesting”?
- He threw shade at his old team in the interview.
- No shade, but that meeting could have been an email.
A common mistake
Use at: throw shade at someone, not “throw shade to” someone. And don’t confuse it with “shady,” which means dishonest or suspicious.
Where it comes from
It comes from Black and Latino LGBTQ ballroom culture in New York City. The 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning brought “shade” to a wider audience, and “throw shade” spread into mainstream slang in the 2010s.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Grammarist