it • is • what • it • is [“iiwii”]

\‘it, ət \ \‘iz \ \‘hwät, ‘hwat \ \‘it, ət \ \‘iz \

phrase (cliché)

: a rhetorically inane waste of one’s breath, capable of levelling the IQ of all within hearing distance of its utterance.

                   Me: “Why don’t you want to be in a relationship with me? We’re attracted to each other, we’re best friends, we want the same things out of life…”

                   Him: “Well, when a guy and girl are best friends, one is bound to be chasing the other, right? I don’t know Andi, it is what it is.”

: a hypothetical placeholder, or stand-in [not to be confused with answer, response ]

Me: “If you’re not happy, why don’t you break it off with her?”

Him: “Eh, it is what it is.”

: an intensely philosophical statement used to prompt discussion and debate

Me: “I will never be over you.”

Him: “And I’m not asking you to forget. I wish your parents and your friends didn’t hate me. I wish things were different, but it is what it is.”

: a noncommittal phrase to end discussion or debate

 Random stranger: “How are you still single?”

                      Me: “I don’t know, it is what it is.”

origin

: unknown

: Voted #1 cliché of 2004 by USA Today

: Used indiscriminately by nearly every male I’ve ever dated

synonyms

iiwii – well, what can you do – who cares – river (see: cry me) – apathy (disambiguation) – complacent – fuck it – whatever

see also

Obvious, Captain