What does Subtweet mean?
An indirect post about a specific person that avoids naming or tagging them, usually to criticize or mock them.
Also written: subtweeting · subtweeted · subtweets · sub-tweet · sub tweet
The meaning
A subtweet is a post—originally on Twitter, now called X—that clearly refers to a particular person or situation without directly naming, tagging, or otherwise notifying the target. The word can also be used as a verb: to subtweet someone.
What’s the tone?
Usually indirect, critical, sarcastic, or passive-aggressive; sometimes playful when everyone involved understands the reference.
When and how to use it
Subtweets often rely on shared context, so mutual followers may know who is being discussed even when the target is unnamed. They are commonly negative, sarcastic, or passive-aggressive, although the same structure can occasionally be neutral or joking.
In a conversation
Original examples to illustrate the expression.
Her post about people who never return borrowed books felt like a subtweet about me.
If you have a problem, message him instead of subtweeting.
That wasn’t a subtweet—she tagged the company directly.
Easy to misread
A subtweet is not simply any vague post: it normally points toward an identifiable person without naming or tagging them. A direct reply, quote post, or tagged criticism is not a subtweet because the target is explicitly addressed.
A little context
The term combines the idea of an indirect or subliminal reference with “tweet.” It developed within Twitter culture and remains widely understood even after the platform was renamed X. Dictionaries record both noun and verb uses, but this entry does not claim a single first post or inventor.
Sources & further reading
These sources support the explanation. The dialogue above is original.
- SUBTWEET Definition & MeaningDictionary.com · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Defines a subtweet as a usually hostile or negative Twitter post aimed at a person without naming or mentioning the username, and records the corresponding verb and subtweeting form.
- SUBTWEET definition in American EnglishCollins English Dictionary · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Defines both noun and verb uses for a usually negative message about another Twitter user that does not explicitly name that person, corroborating the indirect-targeting meaning.
Prepared with AI assistance and automated quality checks. Meanings can vary by context. Read our editorial policy.