What Does “That Damn Smirk” Mean on TikTok?

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Plus, how it relates to the popular “that damn smile” meme

Co-authored by Marcus Pruitt, BS Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 Fact Checked

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That Damn Smirk Explained

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Online Usage

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Origin

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That Damn Smirk Emoji

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That Damn Smile vs. That Damn Smirk

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Other Popular TikTok Trends

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Video

Have you ever scrolled through TikTok and come across a post captioned “that damn smirk” and wondered what it meant? Well, you’re not alone. “That damn smirk” is a fun and silly social media trend where users apply the Face Puzzle filter to their videos to make themselves look extra goofy. Read on to learn more!

“That Damn Smirk” Meaning on TikTok

“That Damn Smirk” refers to a TikTok trend where users apply the Face Puzzle filter to a video of themselves smiling and post it. The filter moves their eyes and mouth down on their face to create a funny, unrealistic, nose-less look. They usually caption their silly post with "that damn smirk."

Section 1 of 6:

What is the “that damn smirk” meme?

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“That damn smirk” is a TikTok trend using the Face Puzzle filter. To participate, a user posts a photo or video of themselves smiling using the Face Puzzle filter, which moves their features to different places on their face. They usually move their eyes and mouth down to create a silly, nose-less look and caption their post with “that damn smirk.” It doesn't really mean anything, it's just meant to crack everyone up!
- Users also tend to comment “that damn smirk” on any video or photo of someone who has a unique smirk or smug smile.
- In TikTok comments, users often pair the "proud" emoticon with “That damn smirk” to show that they’re joking.
- Users typically post their “that damn smirk” videos with the song “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. While the reasoning isn’t clear, it may be related to the “Wait, they don’t love you like I love you” TikTok trend.
  - For the trend, users play “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, putting their hands in a “stop” formation with the “Wait” lyric before shaking their hips during the “they don’t love you like I love you” lyric.
- The Face Puzzle filter is popular on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. To use it, search “Face Puzzle” in the filter section of any of the above apps. You can access the filter section by opening the camera on these apps.

Section 2 of 6:

How is “that damn smirk” used online?

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People caption silly looking videos of themselves with "that damn smirk." The silly trend doesn't really have any specific meaning. Users are just having fun and making folks laugh at how weird and funny they look with the Face Puzzle filter. For example, on October 4, 2024, TikTok user @5star_brandonnn posted a video where he used the Face Puzzle filter to get rid of his nose, captioning it with “☺️ #thatdamnsmirk.” If you wanted to use it online, it’d go something like this:
- Your Friend: “Did you see that video Connor posted with the Face Puzzle filter? His smile looked crazy!”
  You: I know, right. That damn smirk 😏”
- TikTok user @varqsine even used the meme to describe their dog’s goofy smile in a video posted on January 25, 2025. Since then, the video’s received 3.5 million likes!
- TikTok user @nimbwr fully embraced the meme on October 2, 2024, when they posted a video with their eyes and eyebrows on their forehead and their mouth was where their nose should be. It was captioned, “that damn smirk.”

Section 3 of 6:

Where does “that damn smirk” come from?

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“That damn smirk” likely stems from the “that damn smile” meme. Although the specific origin of “that damn smirk” is unknown, it’s widely believed to have come from the “that damn smile” meme which references the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, which was popular in the late 2010s. When “that damn smirk” came around isn’t entirely clear, but it’s been around since at least 2022.
- On June 6, 2022, TikTok user @stellasvt posted an edit of popular K-Pop singer, Dawon, with the caption “That damn smirk 😏,” which was one of the earliest uses of the meme on TikTok.
- The “that damn smile” meme has stood the test of time. On January 18, 2024, the X (formerly Twitter) gaming account posted the four-panel meme in reference to one of their in-game characters’ smiles.
- X user @Pestily used the meme back on August 18, 2021 when he posted the images of 13 Reasons Why character Hannah Baker talking about Zach Dempsey’s smile, except Dempsey’s face was replaced with his own.

Section 4 of 6:

Is there a “that damn smirk” emoji?

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The "proud" emoji on TikTok is often used in “that damn smirk” posts. On TikTok, users often comment the "proud" emoji in the comment section of “that damn smirk” meme videos. The emoji features a smirking, spikey-haired character with their eyes closed. If they aren’t commenting the emoji on a video of the meme, they’re typically using the emoji to refer to the meme in videos of people with unique and interesting smirks.
- How to Get It: Head to the TikTok comments and type [proud], then click space. The emoji will automatically appear.

Section 5 of 6:

That Damn Smile vs. That Damn Smirk

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“That damn smile” is a specific meme; “that damn smirk” is a meme phrase. The “that damn smile” meme is a four-panel meme that takes a 13 Reasons Why scene where the main character says “that smile… that damn smile” and uses it in response to funny-looking smiles.^{[1]
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Research source} These two memes are extremely similar. But, the key difference is that “that damn smile” typically refers to a funny-looking smile in a four-panel meme format, while “that damn smirk” is often used as a caption or comment.
- They’re both used to refer to interesting or funny-looking smiles and smirks, but “that damn smile” is in a more classic panel format.
- “That damn smile” likely uses the 4-panel format because of its age and popularity on Twitter (now X).

Section 6 of 6:

Other Popular TikTok Trends

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The “very demure” trend is a TikTok trend where users have a subtle, yet cute look. This trend encourages users to be reserved and modest while still serving stylish, cute looks. Looks that are often considered “very cute, very demure.”^{[2]
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The “this is zesty” trend is a popular TikTok trend where daughters go up to their manly dads and ask them to taste something and say “this is zesty” is a feminine accent. Many users find this trend humorous because the dads tend to look like they have super deep, gravely voices, so hearing their pitch that high cracks a laugh.^{[3]
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Brat Summer was a popular TikTok trend in the summer of 2024. It was inspired by Charli XCX’s album brat, and was all about having fun, partying, putting yourself first, and looking good while doing it. Brat Summer was characterized by having an “IDGAF” attitude and having fun for yourself and nobody else, echoing sentiments from the album.^{[4]
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Aura Farming Aura farming is a current TikTok trend that involves trying to look cool in a nonchalant, care-free way. Aura farming is usually done to gain aura, which are basically “cool points,” and TikTok users love to call out people who are aura farming.
- For example, Duke Dennis is often accused of aura farming, as he tends to keep a straight face and clean walk when going through crowds of fans, exuding tons of “aura” as he does.