didn't understand the assignment meme

The 'I Understood The Assignment' TikTok Audio Explained

A social media trend has reached peak popularity whenever brands start participating in it; by the time junior creatives and social media interns finish pitching and explaining a trend for approval, it's probably already been seen on every platform. So, with that in mind, it should be easy to backtrack the timeline of a trend to learn more about it when a brand joins in on the fun. One glaring exception is the Duolingo Owl — that's one up-to-date bird.

McDonalds' "I understood the assignment" era on Twitter began in the second half of 2021. So did Starbucks '. With a calculation based on conjecture, the trend can be traced back to the beginning of 2021. We looked to Know Your Meme for confirmation, and it turns out we were right. This is what high school teachers meant when they said that we'd use math after graduating.

This particular phrase has garnered extreme attention across all social media platforms. On TikTok , videos submitted under the "I understood the assignment" hashtag have received more than 600 million views; an excess of 30,000 posts wear it on Instagram . But what does it mean? And why is there an entire song dedicated to it? Read on to learn more.

The 'I understood the assignment' trend has been used by celebrities

How was the "I understood the assignment" trend created? In March 2021, a Twitter user @thering26 posted stills of Uma Thurman in numerous acting roles. "Uma Thurman will always understand the assignment," the accompanying text read. Soon, the phrase and meme format spread across Twitter like wildfire; it is used to describe someone who knows how to get the job done (via Know Your Meme ). The meme format is particularly popular for talking about actors who can pull off very different roles with top-notch acting.

A few months later, artist Tay Money put a new spin on the trend. She released a song that claimed she understood " The Assignment ." The artist herself used a part of the song that said "I understood the assignment" on TikTok. This led to a trend of people posting accomplishments and stories that proved that they knew what was expected of them and went above and beyond (via Know Your Meme ).

Even celebrities hopped on the trend. Taylor Swift used it to promote "All Too Well" (via YouTube ) and basically immortalized the phrase. There are currently around 250 million views on the "the assignment" hashtag on TikTok . It also led to the creation of another relatable sound that remixes Tay Money's song with Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde" saying, " Actually, I wasn't aware that we had an assignment ." And that's how one meme took over the internet.

Screen Rant

Bravo: 10 "they understood the assignment" memes that are spot on.

Bravo fans have compiled their own "understood the assignment" memes that perfectly detail why their favorite Bravolebrity gave them life.

Earlier this year, a meme now known as the "understood the assignment" meme emerged and has quickly become Bravo fans' go-to when talking about their favorite reality TV shows or Bravolebrities. It's a way of complimenting a person for the way they handled themselves during the season that made the series even better. Without these Bravolebrities who understood their job as a reality TV star, the series wouldn't shine as brightly.

RELATED: 10 Of The Best The Real Housewives Memes

Thanks to Twitter, fans have compiled their own "understood the assignment" memes that perfectly detail why the Bravolebrity or show in question gave them life. From The Real Housewives of Atlanta to Family Karma , these stars of these shows understood the assignment in the best way possible.

Nene Leakes Always Understood What Was Needed Of Her

Nene Leakes had a hard ending on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but her legacy lives on in every Bravo fan. While her fashion and her looks were always glamorous, it was Nene's quotes that made their way into countless memes , GIFs, and beyond. Sometimes, Nene didn't even need to say anything when drama erupted. Her facial expressions were so expressive that viewers and friends knew exactly how she felt about it.

Family Karma Is Underrated

Family Karma premiered in 2020 and showed the complex lives of Indian-Americans living in the South Florida region. The first season was a great introduction to the group's lives and customs, but it was the show's second season that really gave the show a bigger following. It's now one of the best reality TV shows for Bravo fans.

RELATED: The 11 Best Bravo Reality Shows, Ranked

Fans adore Vishal Parvani because he always understands the assignment. He's handsome, he's humorous, and he knows when to add the charm for TV. His unique relationship with his fiance also creates great TV.

Ramona Is A Housewives Icon

It doesn't get better than Real Housewives of New York 's Ramona Singer. There are things she's done since season 1 of the franchise, moments Ramona can never live down and will follow her throughout her career with Bravo. As bothersome as she can be at times, and as cruel as she can be to her best friend Sonja Morgan, Ramona understands every assignment she's given without even realizing it. That's the beauty of Ramona Singer. From her love of pinot grigio to that epic catwalk during Fashion Week, Ramona knows all.

Mama Joyce Knows When To Turn It On

Mama Joyce is Kandi Burruss's mother on RHOA . The two women have a complicated relationship at times. Mama Joyce is opinionated and occasionally aggressive. When she has something to say, she says it. In a lot of ways, even though Mama Joyce isn't an official cast member, she's her own Housewife since she brings the giggles and drama with her in most scenes.

RELATED: Every RHOA OG Housewife & Their Most Iconic Scene

Mama Joyce almost has as many iconic scenes as Kandi, which means she understood the assignment she was given. When a person is on reality TV, they have to bring it all.

Lucy Lucy Apple Juice Gave RHOBH A Storyline

There are times when certain seasons of The Real Housewives are bland or not as entertaining as others. When this happens, the women (or production) make a big deal out of small situations. A great example of this occurred is in season 9: the infamous Puppygate storyline.

While Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fans know the entire situation revolving around Lisa Vanderpump's dog foundation and Dorit's shocking decision to rehome a dog she rescued, the real star of the situation was the dog in question: Lucy Lucy Apple Juice. Dorit claimed the dog bit and scratched her husband and their children, giving them no choice but to rehome the dog. Who knew that this incident would then lead to an ongoing storyline that would run throughout the entire season?

Eboni K. Williams Deserves Her Apple

There are some new Real Housewives cast members who don't necessarily mesh well with the rest of the cast, or they're not fit for reality TV. But Eboni K. Williams is not that girl. The OG Housewives know what's needed to make the season a good one, and it looks like Eboni got the memo. She is a woman who has earned her apple for RHONY and has made a huge, positive difference in the series. As the series' first Black cast member, RHONY needed Eboni, and she understood the assignment.

Dorit Brings The Sass Without Realizing It

When Sutton joined RHOBH , she started as a friend of the series, slowly dipping her toes in the Real Housewives pond. By her second season, she was promoted to holding a diamond and is now an official cast member. However, the Sutton viewers see in her second season is a touch different than who they met in her first season. She's a little more outspoken nowadays and isn't afraid to cause conflict. Her expensive lifestyle, though, has forced her to say some outrageous (albeit hilarious) things on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills , like when she claimed she'd never heard of Rhianna's Fenty clothing line.

Amber Didn't Last Long But She Knew The Drill

Amber Marchese made her entrance in the Real Housewives of New Jersey franchise in season 6 and quickly became one of the most controversial Real Housewives cast members . While she and Teresa Giudice were on good terms, she had some words for her old friend Melissa Gorga. To make matters worse, Amber's husband, James, stirred the pot constantly with his problematic points of view and hurtful words to his fellow RHONJ husbands. And while Amber lasted only one season, she understood the assignment of a reality TV star.

Jacqueline Laurita: An OG Legend

Some of the best seasons of The Real Housewives of New Jersey were the early ones in which Jacqueline Laurita was a cast member. Due to her family relationships with Caroline and Chris and her friendship with Teresa, there was a lot to unfold here. Eventually, Jacqueline's time on the show came to a close, but she left the series swinging, clearly understanding the assignment.

Welcome To Potomac, Mia

Mia Thornton is the newest cast member on Real Housewives Of Potomac . With season 6 underway, fans are loving everything Mia has brought to the table and adores Bravo for signing her onto the cast. Right off the bat, Mia has stood up for herself against the women and has proven that she's strong enough to be an official member of RHOP . Fans can agree that as of now, Mia understands the assignment.

NEXT: Every Season Of The Real Housewives Of Potomac, Ranked

Entertainment

Explore i understood the assignment GIFs

Giphy clips, explore gifs.

Today's news
Reviews and deals
Climate change
2024 election
Fall allergies
Health news
Mental health
Sexual health
Family health
So mini ways
Unapologetically
Buying guides

Entertainment

How to Watch
My watchlist
Stock market
Biden economy
Personal finance
Stocks: most active
Stocks: gainers
Stocks: losers
Trending tickers
World indices
US Treasury bonds
Top mutual funds
Highest open interest
Highest implied volatility
Currency converter
Basic materials
Communication services
Consumer cyclical
Consumer defensive
Financial services
Industrials
Real estate
Mutual funds
Credit cards
Balance transfer cards
Cash back cards
Rewards cards
Travel cards
Online checking
High-yield savings
Money market
Home equity loan
Personal loans
Student loans
Options pit
Fantasy football
Pro Pick 'Em
College Pick 'Em
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy hockey
Fantasy basketball
Download the app
Daily fantasy
Scores and schedules
GameChannel
World Baseball Classic
Premier League
CONCACAF League
Champions League
Motorsports
Horse racing
Newsletters

New on Yahoo

Privacy Dashboard

TikTok explores what it truly means to 'understand the assignment'

You've probably seen the phrase "understood the assignment" used to death on social media. Here's why everyone is saying it. The slang term is a popular way to praise someone who is going above and beyond to do a good job. According to Urban Dictionary, "understood the assignment" means, "a phrase used when someone is giving it 110% ... Whether it’s what they’re doing, what they’re wearing, someone who is really on top of their s***" . In the Twitter trend, users pay tribute to their favorite actors and actresses who've been able to pull off a slew of eclectic roles. TikTok tends to go along with Urban Dictionary's definition, rather than focusing on celebrities

NFL Draft: Bears take Iowa punter, who immediately receives funny text from Caleb Williams

There haven't been many punters drafted in the fourth round or higher like Tory Taylor just was. Chicago's No. 1 overall pick welcomed him in unique fashion.

NFL to allow players to wear protective Guardian Caps in games beginning with 2024 season

The NFL will allow players to wear protective Guardian Caps during games beginning with the 2024 season. The caps were previously mandated for practices.

NFL Draft: Spencer Rattler's long wait ends, as Saints draft him in the 5th round

Spencer Rattler once looked like a good bet to be a first-round pick.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones compared his 2024 NFL Draft strategy to robbing a bank

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made an amusing analogy when asked why the team selected three offensive lineman in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Michael Penix Jr. said Kirk Cousins called him after Falcons' surprising draft selection

Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. said quarterback Kirk Cousins called him after he was picked No. 8 overall in one of the 2024 NFL Draft's more puzzling selections.

Korey Cunningham, former NFL lineman, found dead in New Jersey home at age 28

Cunningham played 31 games in the NFL with the Cardinals, Patriots and Giants.

NFL Draft: Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, picked by Chargers

Brenden Rice played the same position as his legendary father.

NFL Draft fashion: Caleb Williams, Malik Nabers dressed to impress, but Marvin Harrison Jr.'s medallion stole the show

Every player was dressed to impress at the 2024 NFL Draft.

Based on the odds, here's what the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft will be

What would a mock draft look like using just betting odds?

To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.

0, text: error()">

Let's fight boredom together!

Become a member

0, text: error(), css: errorCssClass">

Password reminder

Please provide your email address and we will send your password shortly.

If there's a Bored Panda account associated with , you'll receive an email with instructions.

If you don't receive an email, please check your spam inbox, or enter your email address again .

Please enter your email to complete registration

Activate to continue

Your account is not active. We have sent an email to the address you provided with an activation link. Check your inbox, and click on the link to activate your account.

Relationships

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here .

Partnership
Success stories
--> -->