Flexing
/ˈflɛksɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo contract or tense a muscle or muscles.
/ˈflɛksɪŋ/
To bend a muscle; to contract a muscle to show its strength
He was flexing his muscles to show off his strength.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're showing off your muscles at the beach or the gym. Flexing is making your muscles tight and showing them off, kind of like when you want to impress someone with your strength!
👶 For kids: Making your muscles big and strong!
More Examples
She flexed her arm to show off her bicep.
How It's Used
"He was flexing his biceps after the workout."
"The bodybuilder was flexing his muscles for the judges."
To display or show off something, especially wealth, success, or possessions, in a boastful or ostentatious way.
/ˈflɛksɪŋ/
To display or show off something (e.g., wealth, possessions, skills) in a boastful way.
He was flexing his new designer clothes.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're showing off your fancy new shoes to your friends, or bragging about all the money you have. That's kind of what flexing means—showing off something you've got!
👶 For kids: Showing off something cool!
More Examples
She flexed her knowledge during the presentation.
They were flexing their influence over the project.
How It's Used
"She was flexing her new car on Instagram."
"He was flexing his expensive watch at the party."
Idioms & expressions
flex on someone
To dominate or show superiority over someone.
"He flexed on his opponent during the debate."
From the verb "flex," which originates from Old English "fleogan" meaning "to bend, turn." Over time, it evolved to include the meaning of showing off or displaying strength, often physical or material.
Originally related to physical actions, the modern slang meaning of flexing emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, particularly within hip-hop culture and social media.
Memory tip
Think of flexing as making a muscle look bigger and stronger.
Word Origin
"to bend"