From ‘charge it’ to ‘mugged off’: A guide to what all those words on Love Island actually mean

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Love Island has launched the careers of many famous faces, welcomed a few babies into the world, and, perhaps most notably, created a unique vocabulary all its own over the past decade.

Since it first aired in 2015, Love Island has given us some incredibly funny and memorable moments – the kind that will be talked about in reality TV for years to come. It’s also introduced a whole bunch of new slang and phrases, and that list keeps getting longer every season.

Since 2015, phrases from the show Love Island have become surprisingly common in everyday conversation. Words like ‘snakey,’ ‘salty,’ ‘aggy,’ and ‘chaldish’ have entered our vocabulary, and while not all of them stuck around, many are still used today.

Viewers of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 3 have been wondering about a phrase used frequently by Whitney Adebayo: ‘Charge it’. It’s become a regular saying on the show, but many are still unsure what it actually means.

Feeling lost already trying to keep up with Love Island lingo? Don’t worry, we’ve got a comprehensive guide to all the common phrases and words used on the show to help you get prepared.

Love Island lingo breakdown

Charge it (verb)

Variation: “Charge it to the game”

This phrase is commonly used to brush off upsetting situations. It means recognizing something bad happened, like being turned down, but refusing to dwell on it or let it bother you.

On job (verb)

When someone in a relationship starts to question its strength and seeks a deeper connection elsewhere, they often find themselves talking to many other people, hoping to find that special spark.

Eggy Boff (noun)

This is a game where players avoid becoming the ‘Eggy Boff,’ because if you are, everyone ignores you and refuses to interact with you.

Mug (adjective) (noun)

Also: -gy, -ged off

Mug – to be made a fool of; to be regarded as a bit of a wally

Being ‘mugged off’ means being badly treated, ignored, lied to, or dumped by someone you’re dating or another person on the show. It’s similar to being ‘pied off’.

Muggy describes someone who is dishonest or sneaky, especially in a romantic context. It means secretly showing interest in another person’s partner while pretending to be a friend, or generally acting deceptively to pursue a romantic connection.

The ick (noun)

Variation: You’re giving me the ick

When someone you’re dating starts to gross you out and you can’t stand being around them.

100% my type on paper (adjective)

Variation: A bit of me

This describes someone who initially seems attractive or appealing in some way.

A bit of me (adjective)

A phrase used on the show to express immediate attraction to a new contestant, meaning they seem like someone you’d normally be interested in.

Snake (adjective) (noun)

Also: -y

In the context of shows like Love Island, a ‘snake’ is someone who secretly pursues a romantic interest in someone who’s already in a couple, or who shares information with others in the villa without the original speaker knowing.

Snakey – acting in the way of a Snake

Salt (noun)

Also: -y

In the context of the show Love Island, ‘salt’ refers to feeling angry or upset, usually because someone has acted deceitfully, been disrespectful, or after being rejected or treated badly.

Salty – acting in a way as to cause upset or anger – see also: muggy, snakey, melty

Melt (noun)

Also: tuna melt, ham and cheese melt

A term often used towards and between males to indicate sub-par actions or behaviour.

Graft (verb)

Also: -ing, -er

Okay, so as a Love Island fan, what this basically means is when someone starts really focusing on getting close to another Islander, hoping they’ll fall for them. It happens a lot when we’re about to see a bunch of singletons dumped from the villa – everyone suddenly wants to couple up to stay safe!

Pied Off (adjective)

This happens when someone on the show gets rejected after someone else showed interest in them romantically.

Stick it on (verb)

Variations: Put it On, Crack On

On the show, ‘grafting’ means trying to form a romantic connection with someone you’re attracted to – this could involve flirting or even trying to kiss them. However, it doesn’t guarantee they’ll feel the same way.

Aggy (adjective)

Abbreviation of aggravated

Neologism to describe an Islander being angry, agitated, aggravated or all three at once.

Extra (adjective)

I’ve always found it fascinating when a character – or a person, really – does something way outside the norm. It’s not just about being good or bad, it’s when they completely exceed, or fall far short of, what you’d expect. It’s that extra push, that leap beyond the usual boundaries, that really makes a story – or life – interesting. It’s when things get truly memorable, for better or worse.

Loyal (adjective)

This phrase describes someone who consistently sticks with their romantic partner or friends on Love Island. It’s become so overused, though, that it’s often said ironically and has lost its original meaning – a prime example being Georgia Steel.

Bev (noun)

Lucie Donlan had a unique way of describing attractive men, using a word that mostly confused everyone else. It didn’t become popular, to say the least.

Day dot (noun)

I’ve always loved how people have unique ways of saying things! I recently learned that ‘day dot’ is a cute little phrase, like saying ‘day one.’ It’s what someone might say if they’ve had a crush on someone for ages – like, ‘I’ve fancied you since day dot!’ It just feels so much more playful and endearing than just saying ‘from the beginning,’ don’t you think?

It is what it is (phrase)

This phrase, rooted in Buddhist philosophy, describes accepting things as they are, especially when you can’t change them – like being turned down for a house.

The ick (noun)

“The ick” is that sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion towards someone you’re dating, causing a strain on the relationship and making you feel turned off by them. It’s when they start doing things that really bother you. For example, someone might say, “Darren is giving me the ick. I think I’ve got the ick.”

Chaldish (adjective)

The word ‘childish’ has another version that Michael Griffiths from season five famously – and repeatedly – used to describe Amber Gill, his ex-partner and the eventual winner of the show.

Factor 50 (verb)

“Laying it on factor 50” is a playful way to describe someone trying really hard to impress a romantic interest on the show. It comes from the idea that factor 50 is a very high SPF sunscreen – implying someone is ‘applying’ affection heavily. For example, you might say, “I’m not going to overdo it with Vanessa.”

Do bits (verb) (noun)

To ‘do bits’ is slang for having sex with someone while staying in the villa (a shared house, often on a reality TV show). For example, someone might say ‘We did bits last night’ to mean they had sex the previous night.

The Do Bits society was an exclusive club created by Wes Nelson on the show during season four. It included islanders who had been intimate with each other.

My head’s gone (phrase)

This expression can be said in a few ways, such as “my head’s been turned,” “I’ve lost my head,” or “Where’s your/my head at?”

This is what someone might say when they’re flustered after making eye contact with another person in the house, and they’re confused about who they should choose as a romantic partner.

A sort (noun)

Variation: Peng (adjective)

A way of referring to someone you find physically attractive. Example: “She’s a sort”.

To prang out (verb)

To ‘prang out’ means to feel really worried or anxious. It’s a slang way of saying you’re stressed or panicking. For example, someone might say, ‘I’m pranging out right now, I’m really pranging,’ to express they’re feeling very anxious.

Dead ting (noun)

The term “dead ting” gained popularity on Love Island thanks to Amber Gill in series five, who used it to describe Michael’s new partner, Joanna. It’s essentially slang for someone or something considered boring, uninteresting, or lackluster. While some interpret it as meaning unattractive, Amber clarified she wasn’t commenting on appearance. For example, you might say, “She’s a dead ting.”

Love Island is available to watch on ITVX.

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2026-02-19 19:11