In modern society, memes are unequivocally a part of everyday life. From meaningless hours spent on TikTok to scrounging through Reddit threads, internet memes are constantly discovered, enjoyed, and reposted to expand to a broader audience. While memes related to genres like comedy and action are much easier to both find and create, memes in the horror genre are far more difficult to obtain — especially considering the genre receives plenty of flack from no-nonsense critics in the media industry.
Still, for us horror junkies who have an insatiable appetite to mix fear with comedy at the best of times, there are a handful of horror memes out there that have occasionally hit too close to home. Whether these memes are depicting real-life scenarios or poking fun at typical life troubles, it’s apparent that they are included in this fun-hearted list. Without further ado, here are the 10 best horror memes that definitely hit way too deep.
Bangs, it’s always bangs
If there’s one certainty about quarantine back in 2020, it was that a multitude of folks were sitting at home and transforming their hairstyles into updated versions. Rather than settling on a simplistic style, people were purposely chopping off parts of strands to create bangs, utilizing a plethora of dyes, and changing up their style drastically to deal with the worrisome times. Years later, the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting us, but hopefully we’re done trying to give ourselves bangs.
Burnt tongue fiasco
Sometimes, the wait is actually worth the reward. There’s nothing more nostalgic than popping a tray of pizza rolls into the oven and patiently waiting for them to reach the perfect temperature while watching a horror flick. Unfortunately, when they’re baked and almost ready to be consumed, too many of us become overzealous and jump the gun by eating one too quickly. In the aftermath of that initial bite, eyes are watery and tongues are burnt to a crisp — and screams echo aloud, much like a few of these horror queens above.
Dogs deserve better
In the majority of horror movies, it’s typically humans who are on the receiving end of fear and torment. However, some horror movies drift from people momentarily to go after a different species: dogs. And, seeing as dogs are near and dear to our hearts, it makes perfect sense why movie-lovers would be far more distraught about a dog dying in a horror movie — which is perfectly summed up in this meme that definitely hits home.
An important life reflection
Ever get too caught up in someone else’s life that you forget to chase your own individual dreams? Well, horror villain Freddy Krueger certainly knows the feeling. In A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy is introduced as a sinister villain with finger-knives who targets his victims in their sleep, when they’re far away in dreamland. Considering we’ve all likely felt like this memeable version of Freddy at one point or another, this is a hilarious horror meme that undoubtedly hits close to home.
We all need a Michael in our lives
When searching for that special someone, this eye-opening horror meme suggests that Halloween’s horror villain Michael Myers is the perfect choice. According to the meme, Michael takes all the necessary steps to building an actual romantic relationship — including his ability to remember significant dates and his brute strength. Of course, this meme is completely drenched in satire, but the thought alone is enough to keep us laughing.
Be gone, loans
With the Biden-Harris administration announcing a new plan related to student loan forgiveness, this horror meme not only hits close to home, but it’s extremely relevant to the current times. In the original It miniseries, which is based on Stephen King’s memorable novel, Tim Curry’s Pennywise tries to persuade Georgie Denbrough to join him down in the sewers. In reality, Pennywise was trying to consume Georgie, but this meme implies that if you join Pennywise, he’ll make your student loans disappear — which definitely hits home for many loan borrowers.
Picture Day is the worst
One of the most cringeworthy aspects about school was being forced to participate in the annual Picture Day. From your eager parents dressing you up in ridiculous clothes to antsy photographers encouraging you to keep tilting your head upwards, Picture Day was a nightmarish experience for kids around the world. To assist with that familiar embarrassment, this hilarious horror meme showcases Jason Voorhees in his school picture, and while he appears just as grotesque as ever, his mother still loves his picture. If that doesn’t hit close to home, nothing does.
Yes, I’m still watching
We’ve all been there. After hours and hours spent watching our favorite series, movie, or detailed documentary, one simple question pops up on our Netflix screens: Are you still watching? Only then, for a split second, a feeling of shame sits in, as you finally realize that you’ve spent most of your day feasting on Netflix’s endless content. And, in this humorous meme, Pazuzu from cult-classic The Exorcist is meant to convey the message of how eagle-eyed subscribers look when the streaming giant asks that specific question.
An A for effort
For those of us who gravitate towards YouTube’s search engine to help us get all dolled up, this meme definitely hits extremely close to home. There are probably thousands of makeup tutorials scattered across YouTube, and despite how talented most users who conduct the tutorials are, some of us will just never be able to master the craft — which is perfectly depicted in this meme of A Texas Chain Saw Massacre horror villain, Leatherface. Of course, Leatherface’s makeup is typically leftover from a victim’s face that he cut off. However, Leatherface has dabbled with the art of makeup in past movies.
Mom is the real monster!
This meme… well, it certainly hits close to home for many folks. In the original post, a user asked horror fans which villain terrified them the most as a kid. In the process of answering, another user managed to turn the entire ordeal into a meme by replying: “my mom.” And, for those out there with toxic mothers, this horror meme hits closer to home than most. Still, the general absurdity and dark humor helped to establish its legacy as one of the most iconic horror memes on the worldwide web.