Definition
An expression of sympathy, secondhand embarrassment, or 'that's rough.' Massively popularized by the Roblox death sound effect, a short 'oof' that plays when your character dies. The sound became a meme, then the word became a standalone reaction. 'Oof' can respond to anything mildly to moderately unfortunate.
Translation for Parents
It's the sound of wincing on someone's behalf. When your kid hears bad news and says 'oof,' they're saying 'yikes, that's rough.' It comes from the sound effect in Roblox when a character dies, which became a huge meme. Now it's just a reaction word, like a verbal flinch.
Examples
“she posted a pic and no one liked it... oof”
“She posted a photo and nobody liked it, that's rough”
“oof that test destroyed me”
“Yikes, that test was really hard”
Cringe Score
Mildly embarrassing
Parents already say this. You may have been saying 'oof' before Roblox even existed. This one's a freebie. Claim it with confidence.
Category
reaction
Peak
2018-06
Last Verified
2026-02-26
Sources
editorial, urban_dictionary, reddit