Demure

What does “Demure” mean?

“Demure” is an adjective that describes a person who is quiet, reserved, or modest. But in the context of social media, it’s taken on a life of its own, being used a thousand times over as a trend across TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, often used in the sentence “very demure, very mindful.” When used across social media, creators use it to describe quietly elegant behaviors to fit in a specific context–like in a work setting, on an airplane, or at a family gathering.

It all began when TikTok creator Jools Lebron began posting a variety of videos, like this one on “How to be demure at work,” which quickly went viral. In her video, she uses “very demure, very mindful” to describe the level of makeup and fashion choices that are appropriate for different settings.