The ick is a sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion toward someone you were attracted to. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a sudden feeling that you dislike someone or are no longer attracted to them because of something they do. Dictionary.com traces the dating sense to a 1999 episode of Ally McBeal, and says Love Island helped make it popular.
One minute you like someone, the next they do something small and you can't unsee it. That's the ick. It's one of the most talked-about bits of dating slang, and it has a surprisingly specific origin. Here's what it means, where it came from and the much older 'ick' that came before it.
A sudden switch, not a slow fade
Dictionary.com describes the ick as a sudden feeling of disgust that seems to come out of nowhere, directed at a dating partner someone was previously attracted to. People say they 'get' or 'catch' the ick, as if it were a cold. Cambridge gives the phrases 'give someone the ick' and 'get the ick', with an example of someone who liked Kevin until he wore a particular suit.
The speed is the point. The ick isn't growing tired of someone over months. It's a switch that flips, often over something tiny. Dictionary.com even gives an example of someone who got the ick when the person they were dating used an emoji that annoyed them.
Ally McBeal coined it, Love Island spread it
According to Dictionary.com, the dating sense comes from 'Once in a Lifetime', a 1999 episode of Ally McBeal. In it, Ally uses 'the ick' for not being attracted to someone for reasons she can't name, and the term comes up repeatedly about a coworker.
Dictionary.com says the phrase was rarely used as dating slang until the later 2010s, when it began appearing in articles about dating. It credits the reality show Love Island with helping it spread, because cast members kept explaining what it meant on air. That's a nice example of TV slang sleeping for years and then waking up.
The much older 'ick'
The word itself is far older than its dating meaning. Merriam-Webster lists ick as an interjection used to express disgust, with a first known use in 1967. Dictionary.com dates it to 1965 to 1970 and calls it of expressive origin. Wiktionary goes further back, saying first use appears around 1942 and that it's probably imitative, a sound people make when something's gross.
Wiktionary also records several noun senses: something distasteful or unpleasant to touch, a feeling of revulsion (as in 'to have the ick'), and an older slang use for a gripe. Cambridge adds 'ick factor', the off-putting quality that stops people trying something, like composting food scraps. And in fishkeeping, Wiktionary lists ick as another spelling of ich, a common fish disease, which explains some very confusing search results.
| Sense | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ick! | Expression of disgust | Merriam-Webster, first known use 1967 |
| The ick | Sudden turn-off in dating | Dictionary.com, Ally McBeal 1999 |
| Ick factor | Off-putting quality of something | Cambridge Dictionary |
| Ick (fish) | Alternative spelling of ich, a fish disease | Wiktionary |
Why people get the ick
Dictionary.com notes that the ick isn't a term used in psychology, but says experts describe it as a common reaction, possibly part of a mental defence mechanism that protects people from bad relationships. It also says that sometimes there's no describable reason at all, just a bad feeling.
Online, people share their icks as a kind of game: chewing loudly, running for a bus, clapping when a plane lands, calling a pet 'my baby' in a baby voice. Many of these are clearly jokes, and part of the fun is how small and specific they are. The ick has become a way of laughing at how unpredictable attraction can be.
If dating slang is your thing, my guides to ghosting and delulu cover two more words that often come up in the same conversations.
Should you act on the ick?
Cambridge's own example sentence makes a fair point: if you suddenly get the ick, you don't have to act on it straight away and break up with the person. Some icks fade once you know someone better. Others are a sign you weren't that keen to begin with.
If it's a deep, persistent feeling, it's worth taking seriously. If it's a reaction to one odd habit, give it time. Attraction is complicated, and a single quirk is rarely the whole story.
These are made-up messages to show how people talk about the ick, not real chats:
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- 'He tucked his jumper into his jeans and I got the ick.' A sudden turn-off.
- 'Don't tell me your icks, you'll give me new ones.' Joking about the list game.
- 'That gave me the ick fr.' Shorter, casual use.
- 'The ick wore off after our second date.' A fade-out story.
Common icks people share
The 'what are your icks?' question has become a staple of dating podcasts, TikTok videos and group chats. The answers range from the reasonable, like rudeness to waiters, to the gloriously petty, like the way someone holds a pen. Part of the appeal is recognising your own odd reactions in someone else's list.
It's worth remembering that these lists are mostly for fun. Plenty of people happily date someone who does a thing on their ick list, and many icks only appear when attraction was already fading. Cambridge's example sentence about getting the ick and not breaking up straight away captures the sensible approach well.
Some people also talk about 'reverse icks', small habits that make someone more attractive rather than less. The phrasing is newer and less settled, but it shows how the original idea has grown into a whole way of talking about attraction.
The ick in marketing
The phrase has spread beyond dating, and you'll see brands use it playfully: 'Things that give our designers the ick'. It can work as a light, relatable hook. Just be careful about pointing it at customers or people. Joking about what gives you the ick in fonts or spreadsheets is fun; using it about someone's looks or habits can come across as mean.
Frequently asked questions
What is a reverse ick?
A small habit that makes someone more attractive rather than less. The phrase is newer and less settled.
What does the ick mean?
It's a sudden feeling of disgust toward someone you were attracted to.
Where does the ick come from?
Dictionary.com traces the dating sense to a 1999 episode of Ally McBeal.
Who made the ick popular?
Dictionary.com says the reality show Love Island helped spread it in the later 2010s.
How old is the word ick?
Merriam-Webster dates the interjection to 1967, and Wiktionary says first use appears around 1942.
Is the ick a real psychological term?
No. Dictionary.com says it isn't used in psychology, though experts describe it as a common reaction.
What is the ick factor?
Cambridge Dictionary uses it for the off-putting quality that stops people trying something.
