MEWING

What Does Mewing Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

Mewing is a term for a technique that involves pressing the entire tongue against the roof of the mouth, with the goal of improving facial structure, jawline, breathing, and overall oral posture. It is often promoted as a way to reshape the face, enhance jaw definition, and even improve certain health conditions, like sleep apnea or nasal breathing issues. However, mainstream orthodontists remain skeptical, and much of the evidence supporting mewing is anecdotal.

Origins and Current Popularity

The term "mewing" comes from Dr. John Mew, a British orthodontist, and his son Dr. Michael Mew, who developed the concept of "orthotropics," a field focusing on facial growth and development that emphasizes the role of correct oral posture, particularly tongue placement, in shaping the jaw and face, especially in growing children. John Mew introduced these ideas decades ago, but they have never been widely accepted by the mainstream orthodontic community and he was expelled from the British Orthodontic Society. However, the technique gained significant traction in the 2010s, due to Michael Mew’s online presence. The term is now primarily used in online communities focused on aesthetics, self-improvement, orthodontics, and fitness. It has recently gained popularity on platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and Instagram, where influencers and enthusiasts share personal success stories or advice on how to practice mewing. It is particularly popular among younger individuals, especially men, who are looking for non-invasive ways to enhance their facial appearance.

Bad Science

The key concept behind mewing is that by maintaining proper oral posture—tongue on the roof of the mouth, lips closed, and breathing through the nose—the face will develop in a more favorable way. Proponents believe that poor oral posture (tongue resting low in the mouth or mouth breathing) leads to less-defined facial features and even malocclusions (crooked teeth). While some studies suggest that proper oral posture can influence jaw development, particularly in children, the effectiveness of mewing in reshaping faces has long been debunked.

Image for Mewing

When I write Mewing, I mean this:

Mewing is done with the goal of improving facial structure, but it doesn't work.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

Mewing
Definition:	Pressing the Tongue Against the Roof of the Mouth
Type:	Word
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Example of Mewing in a Sentences

Here's an example of Mewing being used in conversation:

Mom: Why are you home from school early?
John: I was suspended for not answering a question in class.
Mom: What?! I'm going to phone the school right away. That's not fair!
John: Don't do that mom. I couldn't answer the question because I was mewing and the teacher, head of year, and principal all got mad when all I would say way "mmhmm mmhmm."

An Academic Look at Mewing

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

Mewing can be considered a neologism. A neologism is a newly coined word or phrase that has recently come into use or has been created to describe a new concept, idea, or phenomenon. Neologisms can be created in any language and can take different forms, such as:

A new meaning for an existing word (e.g., mewing, cloud, mood, viral).
A completely new word (e.g., fomo, selfie, emoji).
A new combination of existing words, or words with prefixes or suffixes (e.g., cloutrage, digital detox, situationship, antifragile).

Neologisms are often the result of changes in technology, culture, or social norms, and they can be found in fields such as science, technology, politics, and popular culture. Some neologisms become widely used and enter mainstream vocabulary, while others remain obscure or limited to specific communities or contexts.