The Best SpongeBob Memes

These SpongeBob memes aren't just for children

SpongeBob SquarePants playing on stage — Nickelodeon, inc.

By

Updated on 02/13/20

He lives in a pineapple under the sea. So you just know stuff gets weird. SpongeBob SquarePants — note the capitals — is one of the most popular children's cartoons of all time, but here's a secret: Adults love it, too.

What Are SpongeBob Memes?

SpongeBob SquarePants is the happy-go-lucky, man-child, er, sponge, who experiences moments of immense joy and utter dread every episode. He wears his emotions on his too-short sleeves. This makes SpongeBob, along with his best pal, Patrick Star(fish), and other characters including Mr. Krabs and Squidward from his wacky world, the perfect templates for expressing honest, often base feelings through internet memes.

How SpongeBob Memes Are Used

The silly characters, the zany visual style, and the show's engaging mix of bathroom humor, pathos, and naughty wordplay infuse SpongeBob memes.

01

of 13

It Always Gets Weird

Professional SpongeBob SquarePants — Professional SpongeBob looks weird.

He's a sponge. He can change his shape. That makes SpongeBob the perfect instrument for expressing how our feelings seem to alter our very being, especially in awkward situations.

02

of 13

What's He On?

SpongeBob is special.

The happiest happies, the saddest sads, and rainbows before his eyes. What's SpongeBob on? Mostly, optimism.

03

of 13

What're All of Them On?

Squidward needs some quiet and rest.

It's not just SpongeBob who feels at the bleeding edge of feelings. Everyone in the happy village of Bikini Bottom seems always at their highest or lowest, even his nemesis Squidward. That's what makes SpongeBob memes so inclusive.

04

of 13

Tough SpongeBob

SpongeBob loves to imagine he lives dangerously.

Regular viewers know that SpongeBob often feigns courage and competence where neither exist. Spoiler: Lots of adults often feel the same.

05

of 13

Workin' Hard or Hardly Workin'

Patrick knows he needs sleep but wants to stare into his bright smartphone.

Life is mostly joyful for SpongeBob, Patrick, and the other denizens of Bikini Bottom, but not always. Work keeps getting in the way of fun.

06

of 13

Life Is Hard

Patrick isn't very smart.

More so than SpongeBob, his pal Patrick has perfected the fine art of making others think he knows something, especially when he doesn't. Adults know the feeling.

07

of 13

School Is Hard

SpongeBob isn't very smart.

School is hard. High schoolers, college students, and others feel like SpongeBob at times, especially when singled out.

08

of 13

Dating Is Really Hard

Patrick isn't happy with his appearance.

Like Patrick, we want to believe we're more appealing than maybe we are.

09

of 13

No Boundaries

Patrick and SpongeBob have a very close relationship.

No matter how bad things are, SpongeBob and friends always end up happy. Deep down, that's what everyone on the internet wants, too.

10

of 13

Stay Alive! No Matter What Occurs!

Patrick sometimes tries to hide his true feelings.

SpongeBob's best pal, Patrick, has come to express the existential dread that permeates today's internet.

11

of 13

Adulting on Hold

Even college students love SpongeBob SquarePants.

Childlike isn't the same as being a child, but just because you're an adult doesn't mean adulting is easy.

12

of 13

There Are No Happy Endings

Patrick questions if true love can last.

Innocent and not terribly bright, Patrick Star has become the perfect vehicle for meme-makers to express their own heartbreak. By now, the greatest tragedy is that Patrick doesn't have his own show.

13

of 13

The Meme That Never Ends

There will never be an end to SpongeBob memes.

You know the song that never ends? SpongeBob is like that. No matter what, he never quits. Even when he is annoying, it's admirable.