Rigidfaced

Rigdifaced is a term used in online culture to describe a person whose facial expression is consistently neutral or expressionless, often contrasted with the emotional content of the situation. The term functions as both an adjective (rigidfaced demeanor) and a noun (a rigidfaced individual).

Etymology: The word blends rigid (unbending, stiff) with faced (having a face), and appears to have circulated in English-language internet communities in the early to mid-2010s. It gained traction through memes and commentary about actors, streamers, and public figures who maintain a poker-like face.

Usage: Rigidfaced is commonly used in discussions of performance style, deadpan humor, or stoic personas. In gaming and streaming communities, it can describe commentators who express little emotion despite dramatic events. It may be used affectionately, descriptively, or humorously, depending on context.

Criticism and reception: Some commentators treat rigidfaced as a playful label that highlights a distinctive communication style; others warn that it can reinforce stereotypes about emotion or gatekeep interpretive cues in social interaction.

See also: poker face, deadpan, stoicism.