Carry

Definition:

When a player or individual significantly outperforms their teammates or peers, essentially single handedly leading the group to success

Context:

The term "carry" in this context originated in multiplayer video games, particularly in team-based competitive genres. In gaming (or sports) contexts, "to carry" means to lead a team to victory through outstanding individual performance, while "getting carried" implies benefiting from a teammate's superior play without contributing much oneself.

The phrase has since expanded beyond gaming and is now used humorously in various real-life scenarios. For example, someone might say they're "carrying the conversation" if they're doing most of the talking in an otherwise awkward social situation. The concept has also spawned numerous memes, including the "Breaking News" format, where celebrities are jokingly reported to be hospitalized for back pain after "carrying" their industry or fanbase.

Example:

^{(all names &
events in the following scenario have been made up)}

Khris: “Whew, what a close match - good teamwork!”

Mak: “Dude- I was carrying you the whole time...”

Khris: “Nuh-uh”

Mak: “...you were literally on your phone half the time while they served the ball!”

Khris: “Hey! I had to check how my fantasy team was doing!”