What Does "Lockjaw" Mean on TikTok? The Song Behind the Unrecognizable Makeup Trend
Just shy of 150,000 videos have been uploaded using the "LOCKJAW" sound clip on TikTok as of January 2025.
Published Jan. 24 2025, 3:19 p.m. ET
If you’ve seen videos of people transforming their faces so drastically they’re almost unrecognizable — paired with the song “LOCKJAW” — you’re not alone. The question is: What does “lockjaw” actually mean on TikTok?
TikTok trends move fast. If you blink, your bound to miss one. The term “lockjaw” has been attached to over 100,000 videos on TikTok. The videos feature everything from makeup transformation videos to thirst traps of a person’s favorite fictional character. At first glance, most people recognize “lockjaw” as a medical condition. On TikTok, however, content creators are taking a creative spin on the original meaning of the word.
So, why is the song “LOCKJAW” being used all over TikTok? Furthermore, what does the word “lockjaw” mean to the TikTok community? Keep reading as we dive into it.
What does "lockjaw" mean on TikTok?
On TikTok, “lockjaw” isn’t being used in its traditional medical sense. Instead, it’s slang for being speechless, stunned, or left with your jaw dropped — as if you’re so shocked you literally can’t close your mouth. This meaning has made the song "LOCKJAW" the perfect soundtrack for videos that aim to leave viewers in awe.
The biggest trend associated with the song is the unrecognizable makeup challenge, where creators start a video in their natural state and then reveal a dramatically different look when the beat drops.
Some use heavy contouring, others go full-on special effects, and some completely transform their style. TikTok user @lottiestarrs posted one of the many viral videos in this trend, switching from a bare face to a sculpted, high-glam look — leaving viewers in the comments claiming their jaws were “locked” from shock.
The "lockjaw" trend isn’t just about makeup — it’s also about thirst.
While many TikTok users are using the song for makeup transformations, others have taken the meaning in a very different direction. A whole separate trend has emerged where people use “LOCKJAW” in thirst trap videos, often featuring fictional characters they find attractive.
In this version of the trend, users post clips or edits of characters like Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia, Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen, or even the head elf Bernard from The Santa Clause movies (yes, really). The implication? They’re so attracted to these characters that they’d, well … get lockjaw for them. And, yes, that’s exactly what you think it means.
Why is "LOCKJAW" the perfect song for these trends?
TikTok loves a song with a dramatic beat drop and a strong visual hook, and “LOCKJAW” delivers both. Whether it’s a shocking transformation or a thirst trap, the song’s slow buildup and heavy drop create the perfect moment for a big reveal.
The word "lockjaw" itself also plays a huge role in why this song works so well. Since the slang meaning is all about being left open-mouthed in shock, it can apply to everything from jaw-dropping makeup looks to people being so attracted to a character that they’re speechless (or, in this case, not speechless, if you catch our drift).
Like many TikTok trends, this one has completely reinvented a song from years ago. “LOCKJAW” by French Montana and Kodak Black originally came out in 2016. Thanks to TikTok, the song has been revived with an entirely new meaning. So, when you come across a video on TikTok using this song or term, chances are good it is either expressing shock or thirst.