Did someone just moan at you for killing their character in an online game? If so, you could respond with "sucks to suck" as a dig at their performance.
This post unpacks everything you need to know about this modern idiom's use, origin, and meaning.
Sucks to Suck Meaning
"Sucks to suck" is a slang term used online and in the real world. Typically, the phrase has a youthful audience, and it's popular to use on streaming and social media sites. You'll find Twitch streamers using it all the time, and it's the subject of thousands of YouTube videos featuring in tiles or the video content.
"Sucks to suck" is a reply to someone's disdain at their performance, whether that's in a sport, a video game, or any life scenario involving skill and effort. Typically, the phrase follows someone complaining about their performance.
Replying to someone's complaint about their performance with "sucks to suck" shows the person your opinion of their skillset, and it might set them off into an argument with you.
Sucks to Suck Example Usage
Gamer: "Man, I can't believe you killed me; I was just about to get the bonus."
You: "Sorry for your loss; it sucks to suck."
Baseball player: "I just can't get a hit today; I'm striking out at the plate every time."
You: "Sucks to suck, man; maybe you should have turned up for practice this week."
Chef: "I keep burning the souffle; it's challenging to manage the oven temperature."
You: "Sucks to suck; maybe you should check out Gordon Ramsey's tutorial video on it."
Sucks to Suck Origin
Language experts agree that there is no evidence showing the exact origin of this idiomatic saying. However, it seems that the source of the term traces back to online gaming. Twitch streamers would use the phrase to describe teammates or opposition tactics and how they would fail with their campaigns and efforts.
After making a kill, the gamer would typically receive a reply in chat moaning about how they can't believe they got killed. The killer would then say, "sucks to suck," and go about their game. The earliest uses of the phrase are around 2010, and it appears on YouTube and Twitch frequently.
You'll use "sucks to suck" in online and offline scenarios, but it's more common in online gaming banter. The phrase appeared for the first time in the Urban Dictionary in early 2011, and it still has the original definition of the phrase.
"Sucks to suck" has a global audience, and people around the world use it in social and online settings.
Phrases Similar to Sucks to Suck
- It's a bummer to suck at everything.
Phrases Opposite to Sucks to Suck
- You know what you're doing.
- You're the best in the business.
- You're skilled and effective.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Sucks to suck.
- It sucks to suck.
Ways People May Say Sucks to Suck Incorrectly
You can use the idiomatic phrase "sucks to suck" when referring to yourself or other people. The saying suits social use, and you wouldn't use it in the workplace around your colleagues or managers as they would view it as a negative saying. The team or management may change their view of your mindset, damaging your career.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Sucks to Suck
"Sucks to suck" is a negative phrase describing actions in other people or yourself. You can use the term in lighthearted moments when talking to friends or others on a social level. Sometimes, the phrase can have a comical meaning, while at other times, it has a negative connotation that might offend others.