touch grass (unironically)
CommonGenuinely telling someone they need to go outside and disconnect from the internet.
The sincerity marker shifts it from a generic callout to a real concern or warning. Can come from a place of actual care, or as a firmer version of the insult.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | you have been posting about this for six hours. touch grass unironically | The level of engagement with this topic is unhealthy and the person needs to step away. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | i'm not being mean when i say this but please touch grass unironically | Genuine concern, not a dismissal. | tumblr, 2022 |
| 03 | the fandom discourse has me telling myself to touch grass unironically | Self-aware acknowledgment of being too deep in fandom drama. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Someone is genuinely distressed or obsessing over something that only matters online.
- A person's perspective seems completely shaped by one corner of the internet.
- You want to tell someone to log off, sincerely.
Do not use it when
- You are making a quick dismissive joke.Use “touch grass” instead.
- The person actually has a real, serious problem beyond internet use.
Touch grass (unironically) vs touch grass
touch grass (unironically)
The unironic version is genuine advice, not a throwaway insult.
VS
touch-grass
Touch grass on its own is usually a quick dismissal or joke.
Origin and context
Modifier applied to the pre-existing "touch grass" phrase to indicate sincerity. Emerged as "touch grass" became so overused as a joke that speakers needed a way to signal when they meant it literally.
- First seen
- mid-2020s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/touch-grass-unironicallyUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0