kissgate

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

An incident in 2014 in which a fan surreptitiously photographed Taylor Swift and her friend Karlie Kloss seemingly kissing at a concert.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Kissgate was proof that Swift is in a same-sex relationship and the men she dates serve as "beards" to uphold her straight image.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “kissgate” mean?

An incident in 2014 in which a fan surreptitiously photographed Taylor Swift and her friend Karlie Kloss seemingly kissing at a concert.

Is “kissgate” formal or informal?

kissgate is generally slang.