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Oxygen thief
01
a person viewed as completely useless and undeserving of existence
Informal
Offensive
Grammatical Information
What is the origin of the term "oxygen thief" and how is it used?
"Oxygen thief" is a slang insult that emerged in English in the late 20th or early 21st century, built on the idea that a person is so useless they are wasting the air others could breathe. The metaphor exaggerates worthlessness by framing mere existence as a burden. It is used in informal, hostile contexts, especially online, in arguments, or in dark humor, to express extreme contempt for someone's behavior or perceived lack of value. The term is strongly derogatory and meant to dehumanize; it is never neutral.
Examples
He sits around all day contributing nothing, an absolute oxygen thief.
