Bostil
"Bostil" is a pejorative term popularized by Brazilian social media users around 2020, originating from "Brasil" (Brazil) and the Portuguese word "bosta" ("shit"). The word is frequently associated with mockery or dissatisfaction with events in the country. The term is particularly associated with the expression "intankável o Bostil" (meaning "Brazil has become unbearable", especially in terms of living or working conditions).
Origin
[edit source]The term originated on social media when users, around 2020, began spreading images and videos, spacing out the term. At the time, it was used to criticize the government of Jair Bolsonaro[1]; however, the term began to be used in other situations of comedy or dissatisfaction, even extending to the subsequent presidency of Lula.
In popular culture
[edit source]On October 22, 2025, the artificial intelligence assistant Grok became the subject of discussion after the machine used the term to refer to corruption events in Brazil on its own profile on X (Twitter), leading to criticism towards the AI agent concerning its opinions.[2][3]
References
[edit source]- ↑ "'Bostil': dualidade do termo provoca críticas ao governo Bolsonaro". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ "Inteligência artificial de Elon Musk chama Brasil de 'Bostil'". Revista Oeste (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-10-23. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ "Leia o que Meta AI e ChatGPT dizem após Grok chamar Brasil de "bostil"". Poder360 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-10-25. Retrieved 2026-04-07.