The 'Sliding into DMs' meme originates from internet slang describing the act of sending a direct message to someone, typically with romantic intent or a confident, smooth approach. The visual metaphor usually involves people, animals, or characters performing physical slides, such as a baseball player diving into a base or a penguin gliding on ice. This trend exploded on platforms like Twitter and Instagram around 2014, evolving from a literal description of digital flirting into a versatile joke about any sudden or bold entry into a conversation. It remains a staple of internet culture, used to satirize overconfidence and the awkward realities of social media interaction.