Fat vs. Thick - What's The Difference? (and which are you?)

One of the ways that I know I’m getting older is that I’m falling behind on slang terms. It seems like I woke up one day and all of a sudden, everyone was using the word “thick” to describe people of a certain size.

When I was a kid, things were simpler. You had “fat” and “not fat”. If someone wanted to be polite, you’d occasionally hear “bigger” used to describe someone. “Thick” was reserved for things like the Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s Monster ThickBurger, which is one of my favorite fast food sandwiches but that’s beside the point.

When describing a person, do you know the difference between “fat” and “thick”? I asked a couple of my friends who are more in touch with today’s slang than I am and they all give me pretty similar answers. Here’s what they told me.

What Does “Thick” Mean in This Context?

Since “thick” in general means the opposite of “thin”, it stands to reason that a person described as thick would be someone with a little more meat on their bones.

It usually describes a more full-figured woman who still has curves or, as the Urban Dictionary puts it, “is larger in all the right places.” I’ll let you decide which places are the right ones. They also suggest that “curvy” or “voluptuous” are good synonyms. More recently, it has also been used to describe men as well.

If you’re on Twitter, an internet forum, Reddit, or just about anywhere else online, it’s usually spelled “thicc” when being used in this way. I don’t really know why but I’m sure it goes back to a typo someone made 12 years ago like most memes.

When spelled with two c’s at the end like this, it is always used as a compliment. When spelled with a k at the end, the speaker might just be trying to sound polite. For example, a larger athlete who is a fan favorite like Daniel Vogelbach of the New York Mets is often affectionately referred to by the team’s fans as a “thiccboi”.

I’d also like to point out that this is mostly an American slang term and some of our readers from across the pond might be a bit confused, as it has a different meaning over there.

In the United Kingdom and other European countries, someone who is “thick” is a fool or has done something foolish. When David Tennant in Doctor Who took three-quarters of the episode to realize an obvious fact, smacked himself on the head, and yelled, “I’m so thick!”, he wasn’t referring to his weight.

What is the Difference Between “Fat” and “Thick”?

There are a variety of answers I’ve heard to this question and I’ll be honest, I don’t love all of them. One of the most common that I’ve heard online is “thick is a compliment and fat is an insult.”

I don’t like that at all because “fat” doesn’t have to be an insult all the time. I’m comfortable enough with my weight to admit that I’m fat. I’m not insulting myself by saying that; it’s simply a fact.

Whether or not “fat” is an insult depends on how much venom is behind it. I’ll be honest, I didn’t like it when the bullies in high school called me fat in an attempt to hurt my feelings. It worked. When someone around my size refers to us as “two fat guys eating pizza”, he’s only saying the truth and not insulting me.

However, here’s the honest answer to that question. In 99% of cases, the difference between “fat” and “thick” is whether or not the person saying it finds the person attractive or not. “Thick”, or “thicc” when used online, is almost exclusively a compliment, whereas “fat” might or might not be an insult.

Is It Better to Be “Thick” Than Fat?

It depends. If it’s someone who I want to think that I’m attractive, then yes. If it’s someone calling me “thick” because they think it’s a more polite version of “fat” and they think it’s going to protect my feelings, then no.

I don’t mind being called “fat” when it’s not used in a mocking way. I’m comfortable in my body and don’t mind having a few more pounds on me than other people. There’s nothing wrong with it.

That’s just me, though. Just like any other group of people, fat people aren’t a monolith who all agree on everything. Some people really don’t like being called fat and that’s okay. It’s not my place to tell you what to do or how you should feel; I’m just giving my perspective.

This is also my take as a man, obviously. This probably goes without saying but I will say it anyway: please don’t call women fat. You can call women “thick” all day long, I know plenty of women who describe themselves as “thick” and genuinely don’t mind being called that by others. I have never met a woman who is proud to be called fat, however.

Are Thick People More Desirable?

This also depends. On one hand, according to most surveys, most people say that they would date a thick person but not someone they consider fat. However, that doesn’t actually tell us very much as I personally know a bunch of guys who would love to date plus-size girls.

Since the difference between “thick” and “fat” is, according to our above definition, desirability, those survey questions are really asking “would you prefer to date someone you find attractive or one who you don’t?” It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

If you’re asking if you should lose weight so you’ll be more attractive to others, the answer is “only if you want to.” Some of the happiest people I know spend most of their time concerned with their own happiness rather than that of others. That’s not to call them selfish, of course. It just means that they live based on what makes them happy instead of doing what people think they should.

I’m not going to tell you whether you should lose weight or not because that’s a personal decision and your happiness is more important than the number on a scale. If you think losing a few pounds will make you more attractive to people you’re interested in dating, go ahead!

If you’re happy with the way you look and would rather have someone love you for your personality anyway, go ahead! Both positions are valid and only you can know which one is the right choice for you. My advice, as always, is to do whatever makes you the happiest.

Final Thoughts

The main difference between these two terms is that most people consider a “thick” person to be attractive and a “fat” person to not be attractive. This might not always be the case, though, as it is sometimes used sarcastically. The context is the most important part of figuring out whether or not it’s intended to be a compliment or an insult.

Whether you prefer to think of yourself as thick, fat, or another term, I hope you’re comfortable with how you look. That’s the most important thing for people of all sizes.