What it means
Adulting is that half-jokey way of saying you're doing all the boring grown-up stuff that keeps life from catching fire. Paying bills, sorting appointments, cooking actual food, answering emails, dealing with paperwork. It's basically being a responsible adult, but said with a tired little victory lap.
Usage examples
"I filed my taxes and booked a dentist, adulting hard today."
"Cannot come out, too much adulting to catch up on."
"Spent my whole Sunday meal-prepping and arguing with the electricity bill. Peak adulting."
"Bought a vacuum, got weirdly excited about it, then realised yeah, this is adulting now."
Where it comes from
This comes from turning adult into a verb, a playful bit of internet-age slang that took off in the 2000s and 2010s, especially among younger speakers online. It stuck because it nails that mix of pride, sarcasm, and low-key suffering that comes with doing ordinary grown-up responsibilities.
