built different

English

WOTD – 3 December 2022

Etymology

The term was popularized by a July 2020 trend on the video-sharing website TikTok, in which users jokingly claimed to be able to accomplish various improbable tasks as a result of being “built different”.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɪlt ˈdɪfəɹ(ə)nt/, /-ˈdɪfɹənt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /bɪlt ˈdɪfəɹənt/
• Hyphenation: built dif‧fer‧ent

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

built different (not comparable)

1. (originally African-American Vernacular, idiomatic, slang) Able to do things which others cannot; extremely talented or unusual.
   • 1999, Peter Inchbald, “Plato’s Garden: Oxford 1937–39”, in Jack of All Trades and His Family, [Morrisville, N.C.]: Lulu Press, published 2013, →ISBN, book II (Speaking from Memory), page 101:

     I learnt that true rock climbers are built different. Their bodies will do things mere humans can't.

   • 2017 July 14, Alysha Tsuji, quoting Chris Paul, “Chris Paul Quoted ‘Talladega Nights’ while Talking about Rockets’ Goal of Winning a Title”, in For the Win, USA Today‎^[1], archived from the original on 25 June 2022:

     Some people are built different, and kudos to them who are like that, but I'm built different. I always say I'm the most competitive person I know, and look at my wife, she rolling her eyes probably.

   • 2018 August 30, Connor Muldowney, “Michigan State Football: 25 Best Players of the Mark Dantonio Era”, in Spartan Avenue, FanSided‎^[2], archived from the original on 8 November 2022:

     Not many coaches in the nation have the ability to turn overlooked recruits into All-Americans, but [Mark] Dantonio is built different.

   • 2019 June 12, Des Bieler, quoting Richard Sherman, “Charles Barkley blames the Warriors for Kevin Durant’s injury”, in The Washington Post‎^[3], Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 June 2019:

     We fully know our bodies and what we are risking especially at the professional level. […] He's [Kevin Durant's] built different than the ppl^{[sic – meaning people]} saying he shouldn't have played. Maybe that's why they haven’t gotten where he is.

   • 2022, Dakota Andekin, “Acknowledgement”, in Prescription for Addiction: An Awakening in America through the Eradication of Addiction, Meadville, Pa.: Christian Faith Publishing, →ISBN:

     You are built different, sir. Our church is blessed to have such a faithful and committed leader.

   • 2022 August 16, Braden Bjella, “‘TF am I Stretching at Work for?’: Amazon Warehouse Worker Says Workers Stretch as Group before Shift, Sparking Debate”, in The Daily Dot‎^[4], archived from the original on 30 August 2022:

     In the comments section, users recounted their alleged experience with the physical labor of working in an Amazon warehouse. / "My feet was so mfin sore. & the breaks were more like 5mins," claimed a commenter. "I only worked for two days." / "My shoulder still hurts and I haven't worked there since 2020," stated a second. / "I literally had quit on my second day," a further user added. "You built different if you work there."

   • 2022 August 16, Bradley Russell, “Better Call Saul Viewers React to ‘Perfect’ Finale: ‘An Absolute Masterpiece’”, in GamesRadar+‎^[5], archived from the original on 20 August 2022:

     How many shows have truly stuck the landing? Lost's final act cast a long, long shadow over its island shenanigans, Seinfeld's finale felt deliberately frustrating, and even The Sopranos – the gold standard – is talked about for all the wrong reasons because of its cut-to-black ending. Better Call Saul, however, is built different. Not long after the finale aired, fans have rushed to social media to dish out praise for the Breaking Bad spin-off, even going as far as christening it one of the best TV episodes of all time.

   • 2022 August 25, Zac Al-Khateeb, “Terrell Owens Runs Insane 4.38 40-yard Dash Time – at 48 Years Old”, in Sporting News‎^[6], archived from the original on 1 September 2022:

     The 48-year-old [Terrell Owens] not only blew them out of the water, but also clocked an incredible sub-4.40 time in the 40-yard dash. Even among world-class athletes, some people are just built different.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see built,‎ different.

Related terms

• hit different

Translations

able to do things which others cannot; extremely talented or unusual

• Finnish: erityinen (fi)

Further reading

• “built different”, in Urban Dictionary, launched 1999.