What Does Zesty Mean On TikTok?

Cooks understand the importance of adding zest to many recipes. Zest is the grated rind of citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, and it adds bright flavor to a dish without the acid contained in the fruit itself.

The noun “zest” and the adjective “zesty” have been used for many years in other contexts as well. They can describe a lively, enjoyable, or energetic quality in people, performances, or other activities. They can also be used to characterize a lively, exciting, or even flirty conversation or action; you may have seen the words in novels you read in high school or college classes.

“Zesty” has become a commonly-used word on younger-skewing social media platforms like TikTok, too. However, to paraphrase Inigo Montoya in the classic film The Princess Bride, it may not mean what you think it means.

What “Zesty” Means on TikTok

A TikTok post might describe someone or something as “zesty,” with the content creator wanting to offer praise for a trendy, cool, or exciting TikTok video, fashionable look, or attitude.

Before assuming that the use of “zesty” on TikTok is meant in a positive way, though — and definitely before using it in your own content — there’s more you should know. In the last couple of years, the word has been used to convey much greater negative connotations on the app.

“Zesty” is now used regularly on TikTok to describe people whose characteristics or personalities seem counter to historically-accepted gender roles. Most often, it’s deployed in critical posts that call into question the behaviors, actions, looks, or traits of cisgender men who don’t conform to traditional “masculine” norms.

In other words, many TikTok users choose to use the word as a slur in the way that people might be called “gay,” effeminate,” or “sissy” in other settings.

Using those terms on TikTok could violate the app’s Community Guidelines, leading to the removal of posts or even the complete loss of the offending user’s TikTok account. “Zesty,” at least for now, generally doesn’t violate those rules and doesn’t put users at risk even though the intended meaning of the word could be homophobic, misogynistic, and/or toxic.

Bottom line: It’s probably best to leave the zest in the kitchen and the adjective in period literature. Even if the comment isn’t meant in a derogatory way, “zesty” and TikTok don’t mix well.