What Does “Sharking All Summer” Mean? Everything You Need to Know

What does “sharking this summer” mean?

“Sharking this summer” means hunting for romantic or sexual partners. When people say they’re “sharking this summer” or “sharking all summer” on TikTok, it means they plan on looking for hookups all summer rather than getting into a committed relationship. The idea is that they’re on the hunt, like a shark. The term “sharking” is used more often by men than women, but anyone can “shark” regardless of gender. While sharking may sound predatory, it typically isn’t used this way. It just means someone is actively looking for people to hook up with.

“Sharking This Summer” Origins & Spread

YouTuber and rapper Jay Cinco popularized “sharking” in 2024. On May 17, 2024, TikTok user @bigswervoclip0 uploaded a video of YouTuber and rapper Jay Cinco explaining what “sharking up” means. In the video, Cinco says, “Some n**** just be sharks… They see some b*tches and say, ‘I’m ‘bouta shark up on these h*es.’” In this context, the term “sharking” likely comes from the British pickup artist slang, which means to persistently and sometimes aggressively try to seduce someone.

The phrase gained popularity on TikTok in early 2025. On March 31, 2025, TikToker @sakfce posted a video that read, “When bro keep talking about sharking this summer knowing he scared to approach anyone of the opposite gender.” The video gained over 270,000 views and 50,000 likes in a month. Then, on April 4, TikToker @luvv4zaria posted a video of herself next to text that read, “‘sharking all summer,’ ‘I’m a shark,’ ‘????????????,’ ‘*jaws theme song.*’” In the caption, she joked, “No, you are not. Every Gen Z can’t be the shark. Some of y’all gotta be bait.” The post gained over 370,000 views and 50,000 likes in a month. On April 17, TikToker @audrii.._4 posted a video of her and her friend with text that read, “When we thought we was locking in this summer but we actually gonna be sharking all summer.” The video gathered over 300,000 views and 87,000 likes in 3 weeks.

Sharking also became a meme. Like most slang, not everyone uses “sharking” seriously. As the phrase continued to gain popularity online, many people began making memes based on it. For example, on April 28, 2025, TikToker @wandaatoshiesty posted a clip from the movie Shark Boy and Lava Girl, joking, “me and my hgs this summer.” The video gathered over 380,000 views and 100,000 likes in a week. On March 5, 2025, TikTok user @notjust.richman posted a clip of the PBS cartoon Wild Kratts in which the Kratt brothers turn into hammerheads. The caption reads, “Me and the bro this summer.” Some TikTokers also post dancing videos with moves that mimic swimming and eating to show how they’ll be going after their “prey,” or the people they want to hook up with. These videos are often accompanied by the song “DomeShuffle” by STMG or “Whim Whamiee” by Pluto. Many users have also posted videos in Left Shark costumes to make fun of the sharking trend.

Other Meanings of “Sharking”

Sharking may mean different things depending on the context. Like many slang terms, “sharking” has other meanings outside of TikTok. Here are some things “sharking” could mean in different contexts: The act of pulling down someone’s pants, underwear, or other clothing without their permission (also known as pantsing or debagging). Loan sharking, or lending money at extremely high interest rates. Card sharking, or using skill and deception to win at card games. Pool sharking, or distracting or hustling in a game of pool.

Other TikTok Slang Terms

Jittleyang “Jittleyang” may sound strange if you’ve never heard it before. It went viral on TikTok after the release of the song “City Girls” (AKA “Baltimore Accent Song”) by a rapper known as Bippleyipsnipp. The word comes from the Baltimore slang term “jikkal,” which means “attention grabber.”

Emotional Damage The viral “emotional damage” meme comes from a clip of comedian Steven He loudly saying, “Emotional damage!” TikTokers often attach the clip or the sound to the end of a video where someone intentionally or unintentionally insults someone.

Brat Summer The term “brat summer” went viral in summer 2024 following the release of Charli XCX’s album Brat. The brat summer lifestyle trend is all about being rebellious, carefree, and embracing the party lifestyle.

Only in Ohio “Only in Ohio” is a catchphrase used in videos that show scary footage (often of animated monsters and disasters). The meme shows Ohio as a horror-filled wasteland, and videos are often set to the song “Swag Like Ohio” by Lil B.

Fine Shyt “Fine shyt” is an intentional misspelling of “fine sh*t,” and refers to someone who is extremely attractive or confident. TikTokers often use the term to make videos and memes about their crushes.