What Does It Mean to Get One-Shotted? (In Video Games and IRL)

Download Article

Learn where “one-shotted” comes from and how it’s used as slang

Co-authored by Shayan Faraz and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: October 18, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

“One-Shotted” Meaning

|

Using “One-Shotted”

|

Related Meanings

|

More TikTok Slang

|

Video

If you’ve stumbled across TikTok creators describing themselves as being “one-shotted” and have no idea what that means, you’ve come to the right place! “One-shotted” is a classic piece of gaming slang adopted across social media to apply to IRL situations, too. It’s slang for being or feeling defeated or taken aback by a single thing or event that happens to you (like being taken out in “one shot” in a video game). In this article, we’ll walk you through the full meaning of “one-shotted” and how it’s used, with expert input from content creators Shayan Faraz and Tobi Nwodo.

“One-Shotted” Quick Definition

Content creator Shayan Faraz says being “one-shotted” means someone has experienced stress and feels like they’re on their last straw—AKA, they could be taken out in “one shot” by something. The term came from the gaming world and spread to TikTok to become slang. In gaming, it means killing an enemy in one blow.

Section 1 of 4:

What does “one-shotted” mean?

Download Article

1
“One-shotted” means being utterly destroyed or taken aback by something. According to Faraz, “one-shotted” is TikTok slang that “refers to real-life situations when someone experiences stress and feels like they’re ‘on their last straw,’ or something similar.”^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Shayan Faraz
Content Creator

Expert Interview} Saying you were “one-shotted” basically means that what happened totally (metaphorically) obliterated you or changed the outcome of your experience.
- “As an example,” Faraz added, “A student might say, ‘I got one-shotted by that exam,’ or ‘I’m so stressed I feel like I’m one shot away.’”^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Shayan Faraz
  Content Creator
  
  Expert Interview}
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Shayan Faraz, also known online as Chum, is a content creator whose videos break down the business of creators and cultural trends.

Tobi (Hyperstrides) Nwodo is an influencer and content creator with over 9 years of social media experience. His videos comment on internet culture, memes, trends, and slang.
2
“One-shotted” started as gaming slang for taking out enemies in one blow. “‘One-shotted’ is a gaming term used to describe defeating an enemy in one blow,” explains Nwodo. “Or, it can also be used to describe dealing the last blow to an enemy. You’ll often hear the statement, ‘He’s one shot.’”^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Tobi Nwodo
Meme, Brainrot, and Slang Content Creator

Expert Interview} Similarly, getting “one-shotted” in a game means you got taken out by an enemy in one fatal hit. Oof!
- “One-shotted” has been a gaming term for decades; several early Urban Dictionary entries go back to 2006.
- It’s only more recently that “one-shotted” has grown into a metaphor for any big or life-altering IRL situation.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Use “One-Shotted”

Download Article

1
Discuss an overwhelming or life-altering experience. “One-shotted” is a way for you to explain something particularly big (or devastating) that happened to you. An experience that “one-shots” you can be negative, but doesn’t have to be—it can be anything major, surprising, or transformative that happens suddenly and fast, leaving you no time to react.
- Example: “Finally took that test, but it totally one-shotted me. I need a nap!”
- Example: “Got one-shotted by life today. My mom had some UNBELIEVABLE news.”
2
Explain how something made you feel with “one-shotted.” For instance, a book or movie that “one-shots” you could be something that really made an impression—it made you laugh, cry, rage, or changed your perspective in a way that you weren’t expecting. Just as “one-shotted” can describe an experience in your life, it can also capture how you feel about something (overcome, shocked, and so on).
- Example: “The ending of this book completely one-shotted me; it was so unexpected.”
- Example: “Omg, I got the job! I was absolutely one-shotted over the phone when I got the news.”
3
Share your progress or status while gaming. As mentioned already, “one-shotted” was a gaming term first—and it still is! So, if you’re a gamer, you can use the phrase to celebrate anytime you perform an epic takedown and kill an enemy with just one attack.^{[4]
X
Research source} Alternatively, Faraz explains that “one shot” is something you can use to alert your teammates that you’re one hit away from being killed.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Shayan Faraz
Content Creator

Expert Interview}
- Example: “I am the master of one-shotting in Apex Legends!”
- Example: “Uh-oh! Guys, I’m literally one shot away from death. A little help, please?”

Section 3 of 4:

Other Meanings of “One-Shot”

Download Article

1
One-shot can describe anything accomplished in a single try. When used as an adjective, one-shot can be applied to any activity that’s “one and done”; basically, anything you can get done in one go, or that’ll only happen one time.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- For instance, a one-time payment could be called a “one-shot payment,” while a project you get done in a single afternoon could be called a “one-shot project.”
2
One-shot is a slang term for a one-chapter story. This most commonly applies to the world of fanfiction, but it can also apply to original works as well (including comics, manga, or simple short stories). Basically, a “one-shot” is a short story consisting of just a single chapter or body of text, with no further chapters or additions needed.
- For instance, plenty of fanfiction writers publish one-shots about their favorite characters, sometimes as alternatives to writing longer-form stories.
- You could also describe any movie, book, or other piece of media with no sequels as a “one-shot,” since the story is completely contained in a single volume.
3
One-shot is a TTRPG term for a one-session adventure. In the world of tabletop role-playing games (such as Dungeons & Dragons), you’ll hear the term “one-shot” used to reference shorter, self-contained adventures designed to be completed in just a single session of play. One-shot adventures often take around 2 to 5 hours to play.
- For instance, a group of D&D players might take a break from their regular, long-form campaign to play a Halloween-themed one-shot at the end of October.

Section 4 of 4:

More TikTok Slang & Trends

Download Article

Keep up-to-date on TikTok lingo and popular slang. And if you need a little help staying up-to-date, that’s no problem—we’ve got you covered. Expand your online slang vocabulary and familiarize yourself with the latest trends right here, with our ultimate guide to TikTok slang and more:
- Cracked - Slang for being amazing at something.
- “I Know Ball” - A TikTok trend in which people show off their specific skill sets.
- Merch - Slang for “prove it,” or to demand proof of something.
- Sigma - Someone cool, though a little different.
- Tuff - A slang term for something cool, exciting, or difficult.
- “Unfortunately I Do Love” - A trend for sharing your guilty pleasures.