Pop Culture PitPCP

Internet Slang

ASMR

Also written Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

First documented
February 2010Earliest example found, not proof of origin
Status
Established
Last updated
October 31, 2026

What does it mean?

A name for the pleasant tingling or relaxing response some people experience from particular sounds or movements, and for audio or video made to evoke it—for example whispering or gentle tapping. It is a sensory-content category, not inherently a sexual term.

Origin

Earliest example found
asmruniversity.com, February 2010
Who made it
Not verified. The earliest example we found isn’t necessarily the creator.
Confidence
Not assessed

Original Context

What Happened?

In a 2016 interview, Jennifer Allen recalls coining ASMR in February 2010 while organizing an online community. Merriam-Webster’s earliest recorded use is 2011; its corpus date and her naming recollection are different kinds of evidence.

How It Became a Meme

  1. Earliest documented appearance found in research (not proof of first creation) Source

How People Use It

Examples written by Pop Culture Pit to illustrate the meaning. These aren’t real posts.

  • The clip uses soft tapping and whispers for an ASMR effect.

Related People

  • Jennifer AllenCoined term · No PCP profile

Related Memes

No related memes recorded yet. More in Internet Slang:

Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster. Supports: Sensation and content meanings; 2011 earliest dictionary citation; October 2026 usage examples. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
  2. ASMR University / Craig Richard; interview with Jennifer Allen, 2016-05-17. Supports: Allen’s first-person account of naming ASMR in February 2010 and forming a Facebook group. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
  3. Axis. Supports: Term included in the rolling slang guide. Retrieved October 31, 2026.

How we research: every entry is sourced, and the earliest example we found isn’t necessarily the original. We update entries as we verify more. Part of Features alongside The PCP Connection and Useless Facts.