In slang, the phrase “rent free” has nothing to do with free rent. It is trendy in Internet communication and is often used as an insult. Like most Internet slang, it is an exaggerated way of speaking.
It means “living inside someone’s head” and is usually used to insult someone who seems obsessed to an unhealthy degree. Some people also see it as a way to deflect criticism on the Internet.
Well, let’s take a closer look at this phrase.
What is “rent free” in slang?
As previously stated, “rent free” means “to live in someone’s head.” This slang term is a twist on the standard definition of the phrase.
However, it would help if you didn’t confuse “rent free” (without a hyphen) and “rent-free” (with a hyphen). If you leave somewhere for free, write the phrase with a hyphen. If you use a slang meaning, however, you write it separately.
An essential part of this phrase is that the person you think of shouldn’t think of you. For example, it could be an unshared love, where you constantly think about a specific person, and they have long since forgotten about you. It could also apply to your idols or other celebrities. That’s why they “live in your head for free” because they don’t have to do anything for you to think about them.
Where did “rent free” come from?
The phrase originated before the advent of the Internet. It came from Eppie Lederer, who wrote: “Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head.” Nevertheless, it has rarely been found in the literature and media. But with the advent of the Internet, this has changed.
“Rent free” has only recently emerged and gained popularity in 2018. People used it as an insult on Twitter, which spread further across the web. The first definition for it in Urban Dictionary was added in July 2018: “to live in the head of someone that can’t stop thinking about you.”
Buzzfeed News called it “The Perfect Insult of Our Times” in October 2018, referring to the tendency of many Internet users to obsessively fixate on people or things they shouldn’t care about. To some degree, everyone who sits on the Internet has experienced an irrational obsession with something or someone that takes up too much space in their minds.
How to use “rent free” during communication
You can use “rent free” when someone holds an absurdly petty grudge. For example, if someone has held a grudge against someone because of some trifle that has long been discussed and that person has admitted his guilt. Nevertheless, the offended person keeps remembering the situation and keeps complaining. In such a case, you could say: “this guy lives rent free in your head.”
You can also use “rent free” to argue something online. It’s pretty simple – all you have to do is tell someone that their obsession lives rent free in their head. Alternatively, the term has become so common in the last few years that you can reply “rent free” and get your point across.
Here are a few examples of this phrase in action:
- Just forgive her! She lives rent free in your head.
- Elon Musk is living rent free inside our heads.
You can use this expression for just about anything. An everyday example of its use is in politics, where officials are often the most criticized and discussed. If a citizen constantly talks about how much he hates a particular politician, that person’s friends might say, “He lives rent free in your head.”
Situations for using this phrase can indeed be very different. Remember, however, that it is always best to choose your words so you don’t accidentally create another grudge.
