What HG Means on TikTok, Snapchat, & over Text

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This simple acronym has a surprising number of possible meanings

Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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“HG” Slang Meanings

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How to Use “HG”

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Less Common Meanings

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Other Popular Beauty Acronyms

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Have you seen the abbreviation “HG” on social media or in a text and wondered what it meant? If so, you’ve come to the right place! This article covers the many meanings of “HG” and how to use it yourself, with lots of examples to get you started. Plus, we’ll share the less common meanings of "HG" that you may see in subjects like medicine, chemistry, video games, and more.

"HG" Slang: Quick Overview

HG can stand for "holy grail," as in a holy grail beauty product that a lot of people love. It can also stand for "home girl," "hot girl," and "highly gifted."

Section 1 of 4:

“HG” Slang Meanings

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“HG” can stand for “holy grail," as in a holy grail product that people love. "Holy grail” is slang for a product, usually a beauty product, that a lot of people are obsessed with.^{[1]
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Research source} They refer to the product as their "holy grail (or "HG") because it's so effective, took them a long time to find, and they can't live without it now that they've found it.
- Old-school CeraVe hydrating cleanser is my HG because it never dries my skin out.
- Starbucks' Pink Drink used to be my HG, drink-it-every-day treat. Then it started giving me caffeine jitters.
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“HG” can also stand for “home girl." People may use “HG” in texts and on social media to refer to their closest friends.^{[2]
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Research source} The term “home girl” comes from African American Vernacular English and originally referred to other girls from your hometown or neighborhood.^{[3]
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- My HG always has my back. I could call her at 3 am, and she’d answer ‘How soon do you need me there?'
- Nah, I’m not dating her, she’s my HG from way back.
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“HG” can be short for “hot girl." People texting or posting about an attractive girl may use “HG” as short for "hot girl." It’s used in a casual, fun way to talk about how good a girl looks. Some people also use "HG" as a nickname when they don't know the name of a girl they find attractive yet.
- Trisha is such an HG I don’t know if I could date her and know that all the guys are staring all the time.
- HG is in line at the concession stand again. I’m gonna go get her number.
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“HG” is sometimes short for “highly gifted.” The official definition of being highly gifted is having an IQ between 145 and 160.^{[4]
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Research source} People sometimes use "HG" to refer to someone very intelligent, whether they have an IQ in that range or not. It usually refers to a child’s giftedness, but it can also apply to adults.
- You know Sam. She’s HG, so she blows up the grading curve.
- My 7-year-old cousin just took an IQ test. He scored 150, so he’s HG now.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Use “HG”

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Talk about your favorite product. If you’re captioning a post or sending a text to a friend about your favorite makeup foundation of all time, “HG” is a good way to get your point across in just a few letters. Or use it to ask a friend to recommend her favorite product. You can also use “HG” to talk about anything you love, like a recipe or drink. Here are a few examples:
- Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara is my HG.🏆 It makes me look like I’m wearing false lashes.
- What’s your HG sunscreen to wear under makeup? I had one I loved, but it pills up whenever I do a full face.
- My grandma’s chocolate chip cookie recipe 🍪 is still my HG even though I found out she got it from the back of the chocolate chip bag.
- Do you have an HG mouthwash? I just bought one that was highly recommended, but it burns my mouth.
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Refer to someone as a close female friend. Use “HGS” when you post a pic of you and your squad all dressed up and ready to hit the clubs. It’s also a great way to let the person you’re texting know you’re talking about someone who’s a close friend, not just a casual acquaintance. For example:
- Cheri’s my HG, so she already knows what I think about that new guy.
- I’m just chilling here with my HG.👯‍♀️
- Heading out to have a good time with all my HGS tonight!💃💃💃
- Me and my HGS don’t have time for any nonsense right now. We’re going shopping.
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Message someone about a girl you think is really attractive. If you’re hanging out and you see a fine lady strut by, use “HG” to tell your friend about her. For example:
- Sara is a 2-alarm HG and she doesn’t even know it.
- Yo, you should see the HG that just smiled at me. She’s 🔥🔥🔥
- I’m saving myself for the one HG out there who’s into short guys who play DnD.
- Too bad you didn’t show up tonight, man. I’m surrounded by HGs.👀🤤
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Talk about someone extremely intelligent. Send a text to your friend using “HG” to talk about your brainy little brother’s high IQ. Or, use “HG” to make a comment about someone showing their smarts…or lack of them. You can even use it to talk about yourself, like when you get a perfect score on a test. For example:
- You aced your SATs and got into all 3 of your top-choice schools. You’re officially HG.🤓
- I got a 100% on my algebra quiz. What can I say? I’m just HG.
- Did you see that kid? She’s totally HG. She’s, like, 11 and she can already play ‘La Campanella’ on the piano.🎹😮
- Jared’s grounded because he broke his dad’s TV playing wiffle ball in the house. HG he is not.

Section 3 of 4:

Less Common “HG” Meanings

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“HG” has other meanings outside of texting and social media. It’s shorthand for a few other terms in areas like medicine, measurements, chemistry, and more. Here are a few other meanings of the acronym that you might not see quite as often:
- Hectogram: “HG” is the abbreviation for hectogram, which is a unit of measurement that equals 100 grams.
- Hyperemesis gravidarum: Doctors use “HG” as an abbreviation for hyperemesis gravidarum, which is when someone experiences extreme nausea during pregnancy.^{[5]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Mercury: “Hg” is the symbol for the chemical element mercury.^{[6]
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  United States Environmental Protection Agency
  Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices
  
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- High German: “HG” stands for High German, which refers to the German dialect spoken in the higher elevations of southern Germany.^{[7]
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- His/Her grace: “HG” is the abbreviation for her or his grace, a form of address for an archbishop, duke, or duchess in the British peerage.^{[8]
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- High ground: “HG” is used as a chat abbreviation that means “high ground” in DOTA 2, a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed by Valve.^{[9]
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Section 4 of 4:

Other Popular Skincare & Makeup Acronyms

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The online makeup and skincare community uses many acronyms. Makeup and skincare forums are active and tend to have their own language to talk about the products they love…and hate. Here are a few of the most common beauty-related acronyms you may see.
- OCM: This stands for “oil cleansing method.” It’s a way to remove makeup and sebum from your skin with an oil-based cleanser.
- B&A: This stands for “before and after.” It refers to photos taken before and after using a product to demonstrate how well it works.
- HE: This stands for “high end” and refers to more expensive, luxury products.
- LOTD/LotD: This stands for “look of the day.” It usually accompanies a picture of your finished makeup or fashion look for a day.
- SA: This stands for “salicylic acid.” Salicylic acid is a skincare ingredient that helps clear skin blemishes.
- HA: This stands for hyaluronic acid. It’s a skincare ingredient that helps moisturize your skin.
- DS: This stands for “drug store” or “deluxe sample.” Drug store refers to lower-end products sold in drugstore makeup aisles. A deluxe sample is larger than a standard sample but smaller than a full-sized product.
- MLBB: This stands for “my lips but better.” It’s a lipstick color that looks like it could be the natural color of your lips. However, it’s usually slightly darker.^{[10]
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