Slang dossier
Mewing
Pronounced MYOO-ing
A tongue-positioning practice promoted online as a way to reshape the jawline. In memes, a finger-to-lips and jaw-tracing gesture can mean “I’m mewing, so I can’t talk.” Dramatic reshaping claims are not established by a before-and-after clip.
Get the free weekly briefing.
One email a week — what you need to know about your teens world.
Your email goes to Substack under its privacy policy. You may need to finish signup there. Subscribe directly on Substack.
Want more? Go paid: $9/month or $75/year.
In a sentence
How it sounds
Illustrative examples
- “He answered with the mewing gesture instead of speaking.”
- “That video claims mewing changed a jawline overnight.”
Where teens use it
The habitat
Looksmaxxing clips, school gestures and appearance-transformation posts.
Parent briefing
What parents should know
The American Association of Orthodontists warns against unsupported jawline claims and possible risks. Ask an orthodontist about a real dental concern rather than copying a feed’s instructions. Lighting, pose and editing can change a photograph.
Keep decoding
Related terms
Get the free weekly briefing.
One email a week — what you need to know about your teens world.
Your teen won’t explain it. We will.
Your email goes to Substack under its privacy policy. You may need to finish signup there. Subscribe directly on Substack.
Want more? Go paid: $9/month or $75/year.