How Do You Give a Side Eye Via Text?

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The best side eye emojis and their uses

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano Reviewed by Christine Ferrera

Last Updated: September 18, 2025 Fact Checked

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Side Eye Emojis: Their Meanings & Uses

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Making a Side Eye Emoji

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What People Are Saying

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The side eye. We’ve all given it at least once in our lives. You see or hear something that’s just outrageous or ridiculous, and you just have to give a sidelong glance of disapproval! But how do you do this over text or online? We spoke with etiquette coach Christine Ferrera to learn what emojis convey a side eye best. So, keep reading to learn which emojis you can use (or create) to give someone a bombastic side eye.

What does the side eye emoji mean?

Etiquette coach Christine Ferrera says there are several emojis that convey giving someone the side eye, including:

The 👀 (eyes) emoji: It expresses drama or annoyance.
The 😒 (unamused face) emoji: It conveys irritation and displeasure.
The 😏 (smirking face) emoji: It expresses flirtatiousness and sexual innuendo.

Section 1 of 3:

Side Eye Emojis: Their Meanings & Uses

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The 👀 (eyes) emoji conveys drama or distaste. If someone sends you the 👀 emoji, chances are they’re feeling sassy! This emoji is a visual representation of the “side eye.” A side eye is a sidelong glance that communicates suspicion, scorn, annoyance, or jealousy.^{[1]
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Research source} So, if someone uses the 👀 emoji, they may be drawing attention to concerning behavior, says Ferrera.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Christine Ferrera
Etiquette Coach

Expert Interview} In other words, they’re totally judging.^{[3]
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Research source}
- “I cannot believe she said that 👀”
- “Did you see what Derrick is wearing? 👀 That shirt is so last year.”
- “When someone thinks I’m talking about them, but I really wasn’t 👀”
- How to respond: Get the scoop by asking questions to see what the drama is all about.
- The 👀 emoji is most used by Millennials, as it was most popular when the emoji first dropped in 2015.^{[4]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Christine Ferrera is an etiquette coach and founder of Polished Message Etiquette (PME) with over 12 years of experience.
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The 😒 (unamused face) emoji expresses irritation and annoyance. This emoji is the epitome of a bombastic side eye. According to Ferrera, a “bombastic side eye” is a TikTok term that refers to an exaggerated and judgmental sidelong look that conveys disbelief, disapproval, or judgment.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Christine Ferrera
Etiquette Coach

Expert Interview} If someone gives a bombastic side eye, they’re likely judging someone or something they think is strange or uncanny. The 😒 emoji shows this disapproving glance and means, “Ew.”
- “Trisha needs to get a grip. Like, girl, I don’t care about you 😒”
- “When someone says they like pancakes more than waffles 😒”
- “😒 He’s ridiculous. Dump him.”
- How to respond: Reply with a side eye meme or GIF to say, “Ugh, I feel ya.”
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A 😏 (smirking face) emoji conveys a sly, flirty side eye. If someone sends a 😏 emoji, they’re likely feeling a bit flirtatious! This emoji depicts a sexy sidelong glance with its raised brows and half-smile. Because of its flirty nature, the 😏 emoji is commonly used in flirtatious contexts or paired with a sexual innuendo. Think of it as a playful virtual smirk.^{[6]
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- “Heyyyy you look pretty amazing today 😏”
- “I think I know what you want, baby 😏”
- “Oh, so you think you can beat me? 😏”
- According to Ferrera, the 😏 emoji doesn’t always have to be flirtatious—it can simply represent sly judgment or sarcasm, too.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christine Ferrera
  Etiquette Coach
  
  Expert Interview}
- How to respond: Send a flirty text back to show that you’re smirking right back!

Section 2 of 3:

How to Make a Side Eye Emoji

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Not satisfied with any of these side eye emojis? Make your own! If you don’t like the premade emojis that are on your emoji keyboard, there are online platforms that can help you craft your own special side eye emoji. We recommend using these sites to make a unique emoji you can copy and paste:

Section 3 of 3:

What People Are Saying

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The people want an emoji that’s side eye specific. While the 👀, 😒, and 😏 can convey sidelong glances, they’re not only used to depict a side eye. iPhone users have been requesting a side eye face emoji for two years. Their request? A classic yellow-face emoji with a profile look of a side eye, featuring one large eye looking to the side and a thin-lined mouth.^{[8]
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- Apple has yet to respond to these requests or include the requested emoji in iPhone updates. The emoji also hasn’t been added to Unicode (the standard coding for emojis across all platforms).
- Want to request a side eye emoji? Submit an emoji proposal to Unicode here, or to Apple here!