Etymology Journal ยท T
Take a chill pill
Meaning
- A sarcastic command to calm down. It implies that the other person is overreacting and needs to relax their intensity.
Sassy, dismissive
Used in a sentence
- I told my brother to take a chill pill before he started an argument with Dad.
- You really need to take a chill pill about the deadlines, we are ahead of schedule.
- Take a chill pill, it is just a game of backyard croquet.
The backstory
This emerged in the 1980s or early 1990s, likely referencing the rise of prescription anxiety medication. It turned medical terminology into a sharp, dismissive slang phrase.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check