microaggression
/ˌmaɪkroʊəˈɡrɛʃən/
CommonA small, often unintentional comment or action that signals bias toward a marginalized person.
The 'micro' part doesn't mean small impact. The word is often used seriously in social and workplace contexts but gets dismissed or debated by people who haven't experienced it.
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | asking me where i'm REALLY from after i say i'm from ohio is a microaggression and i'm tired of explaining it | The follow-up question implies the person doesn't believe they are actually from here, signaling they are seen as foreign. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | my coworker told me my english is 'so good' and i've lived here my whole life. microaggression bingo | Being complimented on English fluency implies the person was expected not to speak it well. | reddit, 2024 |
| 03 | he didn't mean it badly but it was still a microaggression. intent doesn't cancel impact | The harm of the comment exists regardless of whether the person intended it. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | the microaggressions at this job are DAILY. i'm exhausted | A constant pattern of small biased comments is taking a real toll. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Calling out a comment that implies someone doesn't belong due to their race, gender, or background.
- Describing a pattern of indirect, dismissive treatment someone keeps experiencing.
- Discussing workplace dynamics where bias shows up in subtle ways.
- Naming a specific interaction that felt off but was hard to articulate in the moment.
Do not use it when
- You mean overt, direct discrimination.Use “discrimination” instead.
- You're describing something that was clearly just rude to anyone, not specifically targeted.
Variations and related forms
Microaggression vs tone-policing
microaggression
Microaggression is the biased comment or action itself.
tone-policing
Tone-policing is what happens when someone dismisses the complaint about it because of how it was expressed.
Origin and context
Coined by psychiatrist Chester Pierce in the 1970s to describe subtle, everyday verbal and nonverbal insults directed at Black Americans. The term was expanded by Derald Wing Sue in the 2000s into a broader academic framework covering all marginalized groups.
- First seen
- 1970s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/microaggression