average fan
/ˈævərɪdʒ fæn/
CommonA dismissive label for a casual fan of something, used to mock their shallow or wrong opinions.
Almost always ironic. The 'average fan' is a straw man. The real target is usually a popular but shallow take on something.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | average drake fan: knows three songs. average kendrick enjoyer: studied the lore. | Contrasting surface-level fandom with deeper engagement. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | average minecraft fan: plays survival once. average minecraft enjoyer: spent 200 hours building a city. | Differentiating casual play from deep dedication. | |
| 03 | average fan behavior to say the sequel ruined it without finishing it | Calling out a hot take as shallow. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Setting up a contrast between a shallow fan and a deeper appreciation.
- Mocking a mainstream or surface-level take on something.
- Using the established meme format to make a comparison.
Do not use it when
- You just mean a regular, non-intense fan without the irony.Use “casual fan” instead.
Variations and related forms
Average fan vs average enjoyer
average fan
Average fan is the negative half: shallow, mainstream, or wrong.
VS
average-enjoyer
Average enjoyer is the positive half: deeper, niche, or more authentic.
Origin and context
Originated as a meme format contrasting 'average X fan' with 'average Y enjoyer'. Spread widely on Reddit and Twitter in the early 2020s across gaming, music, and sports communities.
- First seen
- early-2020s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/average-fanUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0