What Does 'Getting Swiss Cheesed' Mean? The Meaning Of The Slang Phrase 'Swiss Cheese' Explained

Have you ever been threatened by the prospect of getting "swiss cheesed" and wondered if someone was inviting you out to fondue night? Here's a heads-up — they're not talking about dairy.

The slang term "Swiss cheese" (or the verb, "getting Swiss cheesed," refers to someone getting riddled with bullets.

While this phrase has been lurking in pop culture since at least the '80s (Die Hard fans will know the famous line), it really made its mark in ‘90s rap and later resurfaced thanks to Gen Z and TikTok in the 2020s.

But how exactly did a beloved holey cheese and sandwich ingredient become shorthand for gunfire? Let’s slice into the origins of "Swiss cheese" and find out.

Where Did The Phrase 'Swiss Cheese' As A Metaphor For Bullet Holes Come From?

The famously "holey" cheese makes for an apt comparison when it comes to describing something (or someone) that's been attacked with brutal gunfire.

One of the earliest pop culture moments that solidified the meaning and use of the phrase was a scene from the 1987 action flick Die Hard in which Sgt. Powell (portrayed by Reginald VelJohnson) radios for help, saying, "I'm in Nakatomi Plaza. They're turning my car into Swiss cheese! I need backup assistance now!"

The use of the term "swiss cheese" to describe someone getting shot full of holes can also be traced to several rap songs from the 1990s. An early notable example is the song "Who Shot Ya?" by The Notorious B.I.G., released on February 21st, 1995, where the line appears at the 2:41 timestamp.

Then on March 11th, 2004, Urban Dictionary user moosedogg made the earliest known internet post that described "swiss cheese" as "someone who is shot full of holes."

How Was The Phrase 'Swiss Cheese' Used In Memes?

Usage of the term "Swiss Cheese" to describe being shot full of holes continued into the 2010s, as seen in a news headline^[3] from March 2nd, 2011, that read, "‘Swiss Cheese Man’ Angel Alvarez cleared in Harlem shootout."

Later, a November 23rd, 2013, /r/grandtheftauto subreddit post used the term, clearly in reference to the Die Hard line, to share a screenshot from the game GTA 5. The post read, "The police made my car look like Swiss cheese but they still didn't kill me."

On February 7th, 2023, YouTuber LVNDMARK posted a video titled, "SWISS CHEESED HELMET," showing highlights from the video game Escape From Tarkov. The bullet-hole-riddled helmet appeared at the 5:41 timestamp in the video shown below.

How Is The Phrase 'Swiss Cheese' Used In Memes Today?

By late 2024, the phrase "swiss cheesin' yo' a--" was popularized on TikTok, boosted in part due to TikToks posted by user @camotoofunny. A November 20th, 2024, post by the TikToker shows the creator saying, "your a-- gonna be swiss cheese in the dirt."

@camotoofunny (Just a comedy Skit!) nobody was harmed or bullied in this video tiktok #fyp #foryou #camotoofunny #comedy ♬ original sound – Camotoofunny

The term grew so popular that elementary and middle school teachers were including the phrase in lessons to each other about popular schoolyard slang, as seen in a post by TikToker @miss.dugan1 from January 2025.

@miss.dugan1 Only the elite will understand the “shut it down” reference #newgirl #jessicaday #students #teacher #teachersoftiktok #followerstiktok #tiktokban #socks #tacos #notes #rednote ♬ original sound – Miss Dugan

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For the full history of Swiss Cheesed, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.