vibe

A vibe is the feeling or atmosphere a person, place or thing gives off. As a verb, to vibe means to relax and enjoy yourself, or to get along well with someone.

The noun: “a vibe”

Vibe is how something feels before anyone explains it. A café can have a cosy vibe, a party can have bad vibes, and a new coworker can give off a friendly vibe. On its own, “that’s a vibe” or “it’s a vibe” is a compliment: the moment or the thing simply feels right.

“Vibes” in the plural often stands in for a whole mood. “Immaculate vibes” is high praise; “the vibes are off” means something feels wrong even if you can’t say why.

The verb: “to vibe”

Dictionary.com describes the verb as spending relaxed time or being in harmony with someone. “Just vibing” means chilling with no particular plan. “We vibe” means two people click. “I don’t vibe with that song” means it isn’t your thing.

In a sentence

• “This rooftop bar has such a good vibe.”
• “Not sure why, but he gives off weird vibes.”
• “We’re just vibing at home tonight.”
• “Rainy Sunday, candles, old movies. It’s a vibe.”

Where vibe comes from

Vibe is short for “vibration,” as in the idea of picking up on someone’s energy. Merriam-Webster dates the noun to 1967 and the informal verb to 1971, and Dictionary.com calls it an Americanism from the late 1960s. It never really went away, and social media gave it a second life.

Related terms

• Vibe check: a quick read on someone’s mood or energy.
• Mood: “same,” that’s exactly how I feel.
• It’s giving: it has the vibe of.
• Lit: exciting, fun.

More everyday slang in our Gen Z slang dictionary.