uncanny valley
/ʌnˈkæni ˈvæli/
CommonThe discomfort felt when something looks almost human but is slightly off in a way that feels wrong.
Originally a concept from robotics research. Now used casually online to describe anything that hits that specific off-putting vibe. Also applied loosely to non-human things that feel weirdly off, not just faces.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | this ai portrait is so close but the eyes hit the uncanny valley hard | The image is technically impressive but the eyes look wrong in a disturbing way. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | that new cgi character is deeply in the uncanny valley and i could not watch the movie | A film's CGI human character was realistic enough to be disturbing rather than convincing. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | the deepfake crossed from funny into uncanny valley territory real fast | A deepfake video started as entertainment but became genuinely unsettling. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | ai hands used to be the giveaway but now the uncanny valley is in the vibe not the details | AI images have improved technically but still feel off in hard-to-pinpoint ways. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- An AI image, CGI character, or robot face looks almost right but slightly off.
- Something triggers a vague unsettling feeling because it is too close to reality.
- A deepfake or AI video looks real enough to be disturbing.
Do not use it when
- You just mean something is ugly or badly designed.
- You mean something is scary for unrelated reasons.
Variations and related forms
Origin and context
Coined by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970 to describe a dip in human comfort when robots look almost but not quite human. The term was widely adopted online as AI-generated images and CGI became common cultural experiences.
- First seen
- 1970
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/uncanny-valleyUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0