Dank

/dangk/

adjective · noun

Online, “dank” can praise something as excellent, describe desirable pungent cannabis, or label weird or overused memes with ironic approval.

#internet slang
#meme terminology
#cannabis slang

Meaning

Online, “dank” can mean excellent or cool, especially in casual praise. In cannabis talk, it describes desirable, often pungent weed. In “dank meme,” it is usually ironic: the label fits bizarre or overused internet jokes. Context decides whether the praise is straightforward or self-mocking.[1][3]

1. As general slang, “dank” praises something as excellent or cool: “Those dumplings are dank.”
2. In cannabis contexts, “dank” describes desirable weed, often with a strong, pungent aroma.
3. In “dank meme(s),” the word signals ironic approval of bizarre or overused online humor; it is a label, not one fixed meme format.

A meme shows an older man against a green geometric background, with large text reading “IM YOUR GRANDPA” and “AND THIS IS ONE DANK MEME.” — The exaggerated caption and familiar image-macro format show “dank meme” used self-referentially: the joke labels itself as internet humor, rather than simply using “dank” to praise something ordinary. Source

Examples

“That playlist is dank; every track works.”

“These fries are dank.”

“The caption calls the surreal edit a dank meme, and it fits.”

“They asked for dank weed with a strong, pungent smell.”

Origin and spread

“Dank” is an old adjective for something unpleasantly damp or humid; Dictionary.com reports that the positive slang sense emerged in the 1980s and that the word became especially associated with high-quality marijuana in the 1990s, perhaps also because cannabis can be pungent and moist. In cannabis culture, Weedmaps describes “dank weed” as a phrase for high-quality bud and notes a 2003 Urban Dictionary entry, which documents the wording by then but does not establish its first use. The ironic meme label is documented in a May 2013 parody video, followed by a December 2013 video using it as praise; Know Your Meme says the phrase’s exact origin is unknown and reports competing speculation about 4chan, Reddit, and YouTube montage-parody communities.[1][2]

How to use it

With food, music, or another everyday subject, “dank” can simply mean excellent. “Dank meme” often adds ironic distance, praising something while pointing to its strangeness or worn-out quality. The older literal sense means unpleasantly damp, so context matters.

The older literal meaning

“Dank” also means unpleasantly moist or humid, as of a basement. That older meaning is distinct from online praise; in a meme phrase, irony and context help signal which sense is intended.[1]

“Dank” is not a strain category

In cannabis descriptions, “dank” can refer to quality and aroma; it does not mean indica or sativa. Weedmaps notes that desirable pungent aromas can occur across different types of cannabis.[2]

How “spicy meme” relates

Know Your Meme describes “spicy meme” as a comparative variation on “dank meme.” That supports a comparison in wording, not a separate fixed meme format.[3]

Questions people ask

When is “dank” praise, and when is it ironic?

Applied to everyday things such as food or shoes, “dank” can be straightforward praise. In “dank meme,” it often carries self-aware irony, describing something bizarre or so overused it has become funny again.[1][3]

What is the difference between a “dank meme” and a “spicy meme”?

Know Your Meme calls “spicy meme” a comparative variation on “dank meme.” The source supports a comparison, but not a distinct format or a universal difference in meaning.[3]

Sources

1. Dictionary.com — dank | SlangSupports: meaning, origin.
2. Weedmaps — What does “dank” mean?Supports: origin.
3. Know Your Meme — Dank MemesSupports: earliest documented use, meaning.