Redpilled

What does redpilled mean?

Understands an unpleasant truth

To be redpilled means to understand an important and unpleasant truth (or in some cases, "truth"). This slang term originated via The Matrix, spread online throughout the early 2000s, and was eventually embraced by men's rights activists (MRAs), incels, and other alt-right groups.

Origin of redpilled

In The Matrix, protagonist Neo is offered a choice between continuing to live his life as is or "waking up" to the true state of reality. These choices are represented by a blue pill (continued ignorance) and a red pill (learning the truth).

Neo, of course, chooses the red pill. (If he didn't, The Matrix would be a pretty short movie.) The Matrix fans latched on to this dichotomy, coining the terms redpilled and bluepilled. Redpilled people understand the true nature of reality and bluepilled people remain ignorant of unpleasant truths.

Redpilled and the alt-right

Initially, redpilled was a fairly innocent slang term, used earnestly and ironically by The Matrix fans and others. For example, if a netizen posted about how all professional sports are scripted, others might respond with "redpilled."

In the late 2000s, however, MRAs and other alt-right groups began using redpilled to describe their misogynist understanding of society. This use of the term quickly spread throughout online alt-right groups, and it has since become the term's dominant meaning (with some variations between groups).

Example

You've gotta get redpilled and see the truth. Give it time and you'll agree with me
I sincerely doubt that
A use of redpilled on Reddit
A use of redpilled on Reddit

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Updated December 14, 2023

Redpilled definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the slang term "Redpilled" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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