ratio attempt
/ˈreɪʃioʊ əˈtɛmpt/
CommonWhen someone replies to a post trying to get more likes on their reply than the original post has.
Most ratio attempts fail. A failed ratio attempt sometimes becomes the joke itself. Successful ones can become notable events on the timeline.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ratio attempt with 12 likes. not happening bro. | Mocking a reply that tried and failed to ratio the original post. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | look at this ratio attempt in the wild | Pointing out a reply that's obviously trying to get more likes than the post. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | every ratio attempt on this post just made it go more viral | Trying to ratio the post backfired and gave it more attention. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | they just replied 'ratio' and left. classic ratio attempt. | Someone tried the simplest version of the tactic with a one-word reply. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Someone replies to a post specifically hoping their reply gets more likes.
- You want to describe the social tactic of trying to embarrass a post.
- A reply clearly states 'ratio' as a one-word callout.
Do not use it when
- A reply just happens to get more likes organically.Use “ratioed” instead.
- You mean someone simply disagreed with a post.
Variations and related forms
Ratio attempt vs ratioed
ratio attempt
Ratio attempt is the deliberate action of trying to ratio a post.
VS
ratioed
Ratioed is the outcome when the ratio actually succeeds.
Origin and context
Ratio culture started on Twitter when users noticed that having more replies than likes on a post indicated community disapproval. 'Ratio attempt' emerged as a named tactic shortly after.
- First seen
- late-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/ratio-attemptUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0