What is 'Holy Airball'? Viral Trend Explained

Newsweek

28-05-2025

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Tried to shoot your shot and missed? Holy Airball. The trend is currently sweeping social media, with videos amassing millions of views and celebrities and influencers jumping on the trend. But what does it actually mean? Newsweek breaks it down.
The Context
'Holy Airball,' is a slang term and meme originally used to show that someone has failed at taking a "shot," at someone. The term "airball," is used in basketball when someone has taken a shot that doesn't hit the net, rim or backboard.
A basketball bounces off the backboard March 23, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.
A basketball bounces off the backboard March 23, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.Derived from terms like 'Holy Cow,' it's used to denote that someone has gotten something wrong, often a characteristic about a person, thereby missing their shot.
What We Know
The trend is currently sweeping social media, with videos amassing millions of likes and views. The videos are set to the song Soul Survivor by Young Jeezy ft. Akon.
The videos often feature a statement or question that is some kind of misconception, followed by the creator sharing the truth.
The actress Drew Barrymore recently jumped on the trend, in a video which has been viewed 1.7 million times as of reporting. The video starts with the text overlay, "Told them I started acting when I was very young!", and then reads "Like since you were a kid?" before cutting to a clip of Barrymore as a baby with the text 'Holyfreakingairball.'
The influencer Haleyy Baylee has also jumped on the trend. Her video, which has been viewed 2.8 million times as of reporting, has the text overlay "told him I'm an influencer," followed by "oh so you do like little fashion vlogs & stuff?" before cutting to a clip of Baylee behaving strangely and wearing multiple costumes for content.
Newsweek spoke to the content creator and model, Scarlet Martin, who goes by the handle scarletmartin_ about her take on the trend. Her video, which has been viewed 50,000 times on TikTok as of reporting starts with the text overlay, "Told him I have a horse... 'What, like a thoroughbred?'". The video then cuts to a clip of a Welsh pony, with the 'holyairball,' hashtag.
"My take on the trend is resorting back to my true love and passion in life – horses," she told Newsweek over email.
"But more specifically, my horse; Ringo. He is a gorgeous, but scruffy and overly cute little Welsh pony stallion. I am definitely expected to have a big fancy, super expensive horse – but in reality, I have Ringo, who in turn – I wouldn't trade for the world," she said.
Other creators have used their videos to highlight or poke fun at gender stereotypes. Maya and Hunter, a married couple who create content together posted their take on the video, which included a picture of Hunter at a graduation, with the text "Told them I went to law school." The next picture had the text overlay "oh he's probably the breadwinner." The final picture showed Maya working and Hunter next to her, doing housework.
The creator Hadley took a similar approach in a video which has been viewed over 9 million times. "I told him I was really into law," the text reads, then "he said 'oh do you watch suits or something?'" with the clip then cutting to Hadley speaking in a professional setting.
What People Are Saying
Alexia Sotomayor, the professional swimmer, in a TikTok video viewed 3.7 million times as of reporting: "told him i'm a swimmer, he said 'i used to swim in the summer, i can probably beat you,'" with the clip then cutting to Sotomayor swimming professionally, with the text overlay, "Alexia Sotomayor readies for world champs."
The TikToker, Olivia Minor in a video viewed 12 million times as of reporting: "I told him my room gets really messy, he said 'yeah i don't make my bed either,'" with the TikTok then cutting to a clip of a messy bedroom.
What's Next
Though the trend has quickly captured the internet's attention, whether or not it will be able to hold remains to be seen.