Main character means the person everyone on social media is focused on: someone whose post or action everyone is discussing today, often mockingly. A related phrase is main character energy, which describes the confidence of someone who acts like the lead in their own film. Both are fine on social media and in chats. In an essay or IELTS Speaking, say the centre of attention: For a day, she was the centre of attention online.
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be today's / the main character (online); become the main character; main character energy
- Did you see that guy's post about tipping? He's today's main character, poor thing.
- One bad joke online and suddenly she was the main character for a whole week.
- Sunglasses, big headphones, a dramatic walk to the bus stop: total main character energy.
What changed
First versionAfter that post, he was the main hero on social media for a whole day.
RevisionAfter that post, he was the main character on social media for a whole day.
Main hero can look like a natural phrase, but English doesn't use it. Hero on its own can already mean the main positive character, and the ironic star of the day on social media is only ever called the main character.
In its ordinary meaning, main character is the central character of a book or film, and you can use it that way even in an essay: The main character of the novel is a young doctor. The slang meaning is clear from a social media context: today's main character, the main character online.
Your turn
He gave the toast at his friend's wedding like he was accepting an Oscar: total ___ energy.
Show the answer
main character — He gives the toast at his friend's wedding as if he were accepting an Oscar: that's the confidence of a lead, main character energy. NPC energy means the opposite: someone acting bland and forgettable, like a background extra in a video game.
Describe a moment when you or someone you know acted like the lead in a film. Say where it was and what exactly the person did.
My sister walked through the airport in a long white coat and sunglasses, pulling a tiny suitcase: pure main character energy.
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