What Does "I'm Cooked" Mean? TikTok Slang, Explained

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When and how to use "I'm cooked" and other internet slang

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA Reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

Last Updated: December 3, 2024 Fact Checked

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“I’m Cooked” Popular Meanings

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Less Common Meanings

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Using “I’m Cooked”

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Origin

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Related Slang

No, TikTok and Twitter/X users aren’t literally getting roasted on a grill, but they’re definitely getting burned! In short, “I’m cooked” just means “I’m in trouble,” but there’s a bit more to it. That’s why we’re here to fill you in on the various definitions, how to use the slang phrase, where it comes from, and similar phrases to use online.

Explaining “I’m Cooked”

“I’m cooked” means that you’re done for, exhausted, or just generally struggling. People often use it on TikTok to describe their relationship problems, saying “I’m cooked” after listing a date’s red flag, or even their own. It also means “humiliated” or “dominated.”

Section 1 of 5:

“I’m Cooked” Popular Meanings

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Saying “I’m cooked” means that you’re tired, or done for. People say “I’m cooked” on sites like TikTok and Twitter/X when they realize that things haven’t gone their way.^{[1]
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Research source} “Cooked” is a slang way to say “struggling,” “having problems,” “I’m done for,” or are just straight up ready to throw in the towel.
- Example: “I forgot to study for this exam. I’m so cooked.”
- Example: “She came to the track meet without her sneakers, so she’s definitely cooked.”
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“Cooked” can also mean insulted or humiliated. In this case, “cooked” is similar to the slang term “roasted,” meaning that the person who’s been cooked has been mocked or humiliated, or has clearly lost an argument or confrontation, most commonly on social media.
- Example: “She cooked him by telling everyone he failed the easiest exam of the year.”
- Example: “I wouldn’t get into a fight with her, she can cook anyone.”

Section 2 of 5:

“I'm Cooked” Less Common Meanings

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“I’m cooked” can mean romantically hopeless. Recently on TikTok, users have been describing their relationship red flags and adding “I’m cooked” as a tongue-in-cheek way to mean that they don’t have a chance in finding a romantic partner. Or, they describe their romantic interest’s red flags and say “I’m cooked” to poke fun at their own taste in romantic partners.
- Example: “Bro, I can’t even keep my room clean how am I supposed to find a girlfriend? I’m cooked.”
- Example: “Yesterday he texted to tell me he’s in love with me. We just met. I’m cooked.”
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“Cooked” sometimes means overheated or exhausted. In more general, standard usage, “cooked” often means tired or weary, similar to describing something as “fried” or “burned out.” It can also mean hot or too warm, like when describing the weather.
- Example: “I’m never working overtime again. I’m totally cooked.”
- Example: “I’m cooked after running that 5K in the sun.”

Section 3 of 5:

Using “I’m Cooked”

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Say “I’m cooked” to express despair. Most commonly, “cooked” is used to express defeat or hopelessness. Use it whenever you’re feeling like you’re in a tight spot, or just can’t win, to tell others that things are pretty bleak for you at the moment.
- Example: “Totaled my car today and can’t afford a new one. I’m cooked.”
- Example: “I’ve been on six dates this week and they were all duds. I’m cooked.”
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Say “they’re cooked” to mean that someone’s been insulted. This is a handy way to chime in on drama and pass some judgment on who “lost” in a confrontation, both online or in-person. The person who got “cooked” is the one who’s been humiliated or insulted.
- Example: “He deleted his account after another user posted receipts of him cheating. He got cooked.”
- Example: “He didn’t come to school after another student totally cooked him. He can’t even show his face.”
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Say “I’m cooked” ironically to make fun of your situation. “I’m cooked” is a common way to make some humor out of otherwise tragic or difficult circumstances. Say it when you want to express your frustrations, but signal to other people that you’ve got a sense of humor about the whole thing.
- Example: “I’m cooked. My car died, but at least the place where it broke down is pretty.”
- Example: “Five minutes before prom and my dress strap just snapped. I’m cooked.”

Section 4 of 5:

Origin of “I’m Cooked”

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“I’m cooked” has been used online since at least 2009. The first recorded use of the phrase online was on Twitter/X, with some users saying it in regards to professional sports losses. The phrase was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2016. In 2018, a tweet about the Utah Jazz basketball team dominating Oklahoma City, which used the term “cooked,” garnered 80,00 likes, possibly being the first viral usage of the term.^{[2]
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Research source}
- From there, the term spread to other social media sites like TikTok and Instagram.
According to some Australian internet users, the term “cooked” is popular in Australia and New Zealand to mean both “in trouble, or beyond repair,” and “inebriated, or under the influence,” often at the same time.
Like many internet slang terms, “cooked” is prevalent in African American Vernacular English. It likely started in African American communities, then spread to the wider culture via social media sites like TikTok and Twitter.

Section 5 of 5:

Related Slang

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Let him cook “Let him cook” is a slang phrase that means to let someone do their thing. They’re “cooking” up something good, and you want other people to back off and let them work their magic. It’s often used ironically when somebody says something outlandish or absurd.^{[3]
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- Example: “He’s slow at first, but let him cook and he can really build up some speed.”
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Roasted To roast someone means to make fun of them, usually in good humor or for fun. Roasts are often scathing and cutting, but still friendly enough to laugh off, if the person getting roasted is a good sport.
- Example: “She totally roasted him for his terrible outfit, but she might have gone too far.”