girlboss
A female entrepreneur who succeeds in the male-dominated business world.
Etymology timeline
Born ~2014 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
honestly she kinda deserves whatever gaslight gatekeep girlboss shit he's doing. she's kinda an asshole #gposers | #NallaAdaar | #G'rahaTia | #CrystalExarch | #roegadyn | #miqote
When I was writing it, I kept thinking about how we've been here before and how maybe things are cyclical. We might have a revival at some point, just like the mid-2000s, to push back against choice feminism/girlboss…
you, a gaslighting girlboss: lean in me, a themboss, channeling fat joe: lean back
Ms Girlboss - the savvy CEO of aura farming and trying to look "based" The only reason she actually actually *knows* tech (as opposed to being a pure commodity fetishist, like other tech executives) probably boils do…
Greetings and Salutations! We are on day 3 of the Bendython! Can Audrey find Benderman's pages and Girlboss her way out of the studio? Come find out! Welcome to the Circus 🤡 www.twitch.tv/bajongles1
Definitions
Originally a feminist-coded term for an ambitious woman in business. Now almost entirely ironic/pejorative — "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" mocks the original meaning. Real-world girlboss figures (Sophia Amoruso, Audrey Gelman) have suffered backlashes that helped sour the term.
"That email she sent was full girlboss energy."
Girlboss means: Originally a feminist-coded term for an ambitious woman in business. Now almost entirely ironic/pejorative - "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" mocks the original meaning. Real-world girlboss figures. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
girlboss means: Originally a feminist-coded term for an ambitious woman in business. Now almost entirely ironic/pejorative - "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" mocks the original meaning.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
“honestly she kinda deserves whatever gaslight gatekeep girlboss shit he's doing. she's kinda an asshole #gposers | #NallaAdaar | #G'rahaTia | #CrystalExarch | #roegadyn | #miqote”
— Bluesky· May 2026“When I was writing it, I kept thinking about how we've been here before and how maybe things are cyclical. We might have a revival at some point, just like the mid-2000s, to push back against choice feminism/girlboss feminism. One can hope!!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“you, a gaslighting girlboss: lean in me, a themboss, channeling fat joe: lean back”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Ms Girlboss - the savvy CEO of aura farming and trying to look "based" The only reason she actually actually *knows* tech (as opposed to being a pure commodity fetishist, like other tech executives) probably boils down to the fact she's trans and a furry”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Greetings and Salutations! We are on day 3 of the Bendython! Can Audrey find Benderman's pages and Girlboss her way out of the studio? Come find out! Welcome to the Circus 🤡 www.twitch.tv/bajongles1”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Show 3 more dictionary-style senses (imported)
A female entrepreneur who succeeds in the male-dominated business world.
Comments
To behave or act as a girlboss.
Comments
Any strong-willed, independent, enterprising woman.
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