X (formerly Twitter)
/ɛks ˈfɔːmərli ˈtwɪtər/
CommonThe official name of Twitter after it was rebranded to X in 2023, often used sarcastically to acknowledge a rebrand few people accepted.
Using the full phrase 'X formerly Twitter' is almost always at least mildly ironic. It signals awareness that the rebrand happened without endorsing it.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | posting this on X formerly Twitter dot com because nobody has moved on | Acknowledging the rebrand while pointing out most users still think of it as Twitter. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | saw 'check out my X' in a brand bio and had a very different first impression | The single-letter rebrand creates unintended awkwardness in real usage. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | journalists are legally required to write 'X formerly Twitter' every single time and i respect the commitment | Many publications adopted the full parenthetical form for editorial accuracy, which became its own meme. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | the site formerly known as Twitter has done it again | Another controversy or bad decision from the platform. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Referring to Twitter/X with ironic acknowledgment of the rebrand.
- When writing formal copy that technically needs the correct name but you want to flag the absurdity.
- Mocking the rebrand without being directly hostile.
Do not use it when
- You mean Twitter before 2023.Use “twitter” instead.
- You genuinely endorse the X rebrand and want to use the current name.
Variations and related forms
Origin and context
Became widespread after Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023. The phrase was adopted partly by journalists using it for editorial clarity and partly by users mocking the rebrand.
- First seen
- 2023
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/x-formerly-twitterUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0