Every generation of teens comes up with its own slang. People use language not just to talk, but also to feel like they belong to a group.
Over the years, parents have heard all kinds of funny words—like “outta sight,” “phat,” “sick,” or “gag me with a spoon.” Each decade has its own special phrases. But these words are more than just silly sayings—they have meaning and history. The slang that Gen Z and Gen Alpha use now is no different.
General Teen Slangs
Adulting - To do things a bona fide adult would do.
Aesthetic - Another word for “vibe.”
AF - Stands for "as f**k," used to emphasize a statement (i.e. "she's cool AF")
ASMR - This stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It's a popular type of video on the internet. These videos use soft sounds like whispering, tapping, or crinkling to give people a tingly feeling, kind of like goosebumps.
Ate - To succeed at something. "She ate..." as in "ate that up"
Bed Rot - This means staying in bed for a long time. You might watch TV, read a book, or just relax and do nothing. Some people see it as a way to rest and take a break from being busy. Others might use it to describe feeling sad or having a hard time.
Example: “I’m turning off my phone on Saturday. I plan to bed rot all day.”
Beige Flag - This is a habit or trait that’s not really good or bad—just a little odd or funny.
Example: “My boyfriend’s beige flag is that he always sleeps with his shirts on backward.”
Bet - A response word synonymous with “Ok, for sure.” “Do you want to go out tonight?” “Bet.”
Biblically accurate - Means something that looks like the angels described in the Bible—especially in the books of Ezekiel and Revelation. These angels often have many wings, several faces, and sometimes even hundreds of eyes. Today, people use the phrase “biblically accurate” to describe anything that looks creepy, strange, or scary.
For example: “I made my mom a biblically accurate angel for our Christmas tree, but she yelled at me because it was too scary!”
Big – This word is used to make something sound stronger or more intense.
Big mad means really mad.
Big sad means super sad.
Big brain means very smart.
Blueprint – This word is used when someone does something so well that everyone else wants to copy them.
Example: “Every boy band today wants to be like One Direction. They are the blueprint.”
Bop - A really good song. More modern synonym for jam. “The new Ariana Grande song is a bop.”
Bougie / boujee - High class, rich, fancy (from “bourgeois”).
Boutta - About to.
Brain rot - Content that is uninspired internet slop, or the act of watching said content.
Brat Summer - A reference to Charli XCX's 2024 album Brat, and generally refers to an aesthetic of partying and being effortlessly cool
Bussin' - Extremely cool or awesome
Cancel - To delete someone or something out of your life. “I canceled that guy from Tinder. It wasn’t working out.”
Canon / Headcanon – Canon means the real story or facts in a book, movie, or TV show. Headcanon means an idea that someone made up in their head that they wish was part of the real story.
Examples:
“My headcanon is that Thor really likes cats.”
“You can’t tell me Percy Jackson doesn’t have ADHD—it’s actually canon!”
Cap / No Cap - Lying, or not lying. “I didn’t even study for that test and I got an A, no cap.”
Catch These Hands - Means “to fight”
Caught in 4k - To catch someone in the act, usually online, with proof. Similar to having “receipts”.
Chill - This can either describe a person who’s really laid back, or the act of hanging out.
Cheugy - Something that is out of date or a person who is trying too hard
Clapback - Responding to an insult with an equal or greater comeback. The new word for “comeback.”
Clapped - Can either mean being obliterated in a physical match, or ugly.
Clout - Having a great social influence or following, and being popular due to your social media or general social presence.
Cooked – This word means someone is completely tired, stressed, or worn out. They feel like they have no energy left—like food that’s been cooked and is just lying on a plate.
Note: This is different from “let him cook” or “let her cook,” which is a good thing. That phrase means “let them do their thing” because they’re doing it well.
Crash Out – This means doing something risky or not safe because you’re feeling really upset or not thinking clearly. You might end up regretting it later.
Cringe - Word to describe embarrassing or awkward behavior
Cringey - Cringe-worthy, awkward.
Cursed - To describe something unsettling or extremely weird
Ded - Something is so funny that the speaker has "died" of laughter
Delulu – This is a short and funny way to say delusional. People use it to tease someone who is ignoring the truth and imagining something more fun or exciting instead.
Example:
“Did you hear what the guy at Chipotle said to me? I think it was love at first sight.”
“He just said ‘have a nice day.’ He says that to everyone! You are totally delulu.”
Do it for the Plot - A phrase of encouragement, telling yourself or a friend to go for it
Doing the Most - Being over the top.
Done - To be completely over a task, person, emotion, or situation.
Dope - Cool or awesome
Eat / Ate – These words come from the phrase “ate and left no crumbs,” which means someone did something really well.
“Eat” or “ate” can be a fun way to give a compliment.
Example: “That dress totally eats!” (It means the dress looks amazing.)
It can also mean something is a cooler or fancier version of something else.
Example: “The Met Gala is like Halloween costumes—if they ate.”
On social media, people often comment just one word—“ate”—to say they love something.
Example: “Did you see Maisie Williams’ bleached eyebrows? Ate.”
Era – This word means a special time in someone’s life when they’re all about a certain look or lifestyle. It became popular after Taylor Swift changed styles between her albums. People might say they’re in a:
“villain era” (being bold or selfish)
“healing era” (focusing on getting better)
“I don’t care what others think, I’m just enjoying life” era
Extra - Over-the-top, extreme
F - A way to show the utmost respect for someone after something bad has happened. Example: “My girlfriend just dumped me,” “F.”
Facts - Being in agreement with something.
Finna - A contraction of “fixing to”, meaning “going to (do something).”
Finsta – This stands for Fake Instagram. It’s usually a second Instagram account that someone makes to be more private and real. People use their finsta to post silly, honest, or personal stuff they wouldn’t share on their main account. Sometimes, people also use a finsta to quietly look at other people’s posts without being noticed.
Fire - Cool, awesome. “This party is fire!” Also denoted by the fire emoji.
Fit - Short for outfit
Flex - To show off. Also denoted by the flexed bicep emoji.
FOMO – This stands for Fear Of Missing Out. It’s the feeling you get when you think other people are having fun without you. Social media can make this worse because it shows what everyone else is doing.
FR - For real.
Fruity - Suggestive of being gay, not always logically. “Rain is fruity and I’m not explaining why.”
Gassing - To hype someone up. “I’m always gassing up my girlfriend so she knows she looks cute.”
GD - God D***. “It’s so gd annoying when…”
GOAT - "Greatest of All Time"
Go Off - A phrase said to encourage someone to continue, usually when they're ranting about something (can also be sarcastic, as in, "but go off, I guess")
Gucci - Good, cool, or going well
Highkey - Obvious or definite. “I highkey want that shirt.” The antonym is lowkey, or something that is less obvious or definite.
Hits Different - Something that "hits different" lands differently than usual
Hoco - Short for Homecoming.
Hop Off - Mind your own business.
Ick / The Ick – This word is mostly used by girls to describe something a boy does that suddenly makes them feel turned off or grossed out—even if it doesn’t really make sense.
Examples:
“I thought about him singing Rihanna in the shower, and it totally gave me the ick.”
“Close-up magic is such an ick for me.”
IGL - In Game Life. This term is used by gamers to talk about their gaming lives.
IRL - In real life, as opposed to online
IYKWIM - If you know what I mean.
IYKYK - Stands for "if you know, you know"
JOMO – This is the opposite of FOMO. It stands for Joy Of Missing Out. It means feeling happy and peaceful by doing your own thing and not worrying about what others are doing.
Keep it 100 - Be true to yourself and stick to your values (short for “Keep it 100% real”). Made mainstream by The Bachelorette’s Rachel Lindsay.
Left on read – This happens when you send someone a text, they open it, but they don’t reply. It can feel a little rude or hurtful.
Let them cook – People say this when someone is in the middle of doing something cool or creative. It means, “Let them do their thing—they’re about to impress us!” You can also use it in the past tense:
Example: “They really cooked in the 4th quarter!”
Let’s get this bread – This is a fun way to say, “Let’s work hard and win!” It’s based on the idea that bread means money. The phrase became really popular in 2018 and is now used as a way to hype people up. It means staying motivated and giving your best effort.
Lit - Amazing, cool, or exciting
Looksmaxxing – This word means trying to look better by taking care of yourself. People do things like washing their hair more, dressing nicer, or improving their hygiene.
Example: “I’ve been looksmaxxing lately. I think it’s working!”
“You do look better, but I think it’s just because you’re washing your hair now.”
Main character / Main character syndrome / Main character energy – These phrases describe someone who acts like they’re the star of the show. They might dress in bold ways, talk with confidence, or do things that make them stand out—like they’re the most important person in the story.
Example: “I’m wearing these cow-print pants to the grocery store. Total main character energy!”
Menty B = Short for “mental breakdown.” Popularized by the British dating show Love Island, and often said in a British accent. “If he doesn’t text me back I’m going to have a full menty b.”
Low Key - Added to a feeling or desire to downplay it (i.e. "I'm low-key freaking out")
Mood - A word to signify agreement or a specific vibe
Narrative – This word usually means a story or situation. But people now use it to say they don’t want to be involved in something. This phrase became popular after Taylor Swift used it when talking about drama with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
Example: “I would really like to be left out of this narrative.”
Ohio - Used to describe something weird.
OMG - An abbreviation for "Oh my gosh" or "Oh my God"
ONG - Basically the equivalent of "I swear to God"
Oof - What you say when you don’t really know what to say in response to someone.
Poggers - An expression of excitement or that you think something is really cool. Originated as slang for a certain emoji on Twitch, mostly used by gamers.
POV – This stands for “Point of View.” It started on TikTok as a way to show a story from someone’s eyes, like acting out a scene. Now, people also use it in a funny way to describe something happening to them.
Examples:“POV: You left your homework until the last minute and now it’s 2 a.m.”
Preppy - High end and stylish, connoting wealth. Can also go negative, as in conformist, with "Preppy Nation"
Receipts - Proof of something (like text screenshots).
Rent-free - When something occupies space in your thoughts. “I don’t even like that song but it lives rent-free in my head.”
RIP / RIP me - Used to express sadness or to say something sucks. Comes from “Rest in Peace” but is pronounced as it’s spelled. “I got an F on my paper, rip me.”
Rizz - Short for charisma. Someone who's charming, or has "game"
RN - Right now.
Roman Empire – This started as a funny trend where women realized that a lot of men think about the Roman Empire way more than expected. Now, people use “my Roman Empire” to talk about anything they think about a lot—even if it seems random or has no clear reason.
Example: “I think about the Radium Girls at least twice a week. They’re my Roman Empire.”
Salty - Bitter, angry, agitated, jealous or upset.
Say Less - A way of saying “I understand”; you’re so on board with what’s being said that you don’t need more information. “Girls’ night with ice cream and rom coms? Say less.”
Sending Me - Making you laugh, as in, sending you right over the edge of hilarity.
Shook - To be incredibly shocked or shaken up
Sic / Sick - Cool or sweet
Sigma - This word first described a guy who doesn’t follow the crowd and does his own thing. He isn’t trying to be the leader (alpha) or a follower (beta). Now, people also use “sigma” as a silly word to react to something surprising.
Example: “What the sigma?!” (This just means, “That’s surprising!”)
Sip Tea – This means staying out of the drama while quietly watching it happen. You’re not getting involved, but you’re definitely paying attention—kind of like sitting back and sipping tea while things unfold.
Sis - It’s literally an abbreviation for “sister,” but can also be used as a term of familiarity or as a filler word.
Skibidi - A nonsense word that can mean cool, silly, or dumb; a reference to the popular YouTube series “Skibidi Toilet.”
Slaps - Something that’s really great. “That new song slaps.”
Slay - To be extremely stylish or successful
Sleep On - To be ignorant to something or someone's value (i.e. "Don't sleep on the new Ariana single")
SMH - Shaking my head.
Smol - The online variation of the word “small.”
Snatched - Looks good, perfect, or fashionable; the new "on fleek"
Stan - A hardcore fan of someone. The term comes from the song Stan by Eminem. For example, instead of saying “I love Billie Eilish,” you’d say “I stan Billie Eilish.”
Subtweet - To passive-aggressively call someone out on Twitter without actually tagging them.
Take the L - Take the loss. Can be used in any situation where one comes out behind. Antonym: W (pronounced “dub”); “That’s a W!”
TBH - To be honest
Tea - Gossip, situation, story, or news
TFW - That Feeling When. “TFW you accidentally spill your Venti Frap all over your car.”
Thirsty - When someone is desperate for another person. Often refers to one’s sexual appetite or desire to gain attention on social media.
This/That ain’t it, chief – People say this when someone thinks something is cool or popular, but it really isn’t.
Example:
“This pineapple pizza is so good.”
“This ain’t it, chief.” (That means: “Nope, that’s not good.”)
Touch grass – This is a funny way to tell someone they’ve been online too long and need a break from the internet. It means they should go outside and do something real.
Example: “I cried because I saw the Mars rover sing happy birthday to itself. I need to go touch grass.”
Tweakin – This means acting in a way that’s really strange or way too dramatic. Note: This word originally came from how people act when on drugs, but now it’s often used in a lighter, joking way.
Example: “My mom was tweakin when I missed curfew last night.” (She was super upset or overreacting.)
Understood the Assignment – This means someone did something really well, like they totally got what they were supposed to do—and did it amazingly.
Example: “Look at Natalie on the dance floor! She understood the assignment.”
V - Very. “I’m v excited to binge my fav Netflix show.”
Vanilla - Boring or Beige
Vibe Check - A standard of “vibes” someone has to “pass”. Often used as a joke to justify why you don’t like someone using nitpicky critiques. “He thinks frogs are gross. Immediately fails the vibe check.”
Vibing - Updated slang for “chilling” or “chilling out”. It means just hanging out and having fun.
Weird Flex But OK - A sassy or sarcastic response to someone showing off or bragging online. Also used humorously.
Whip - Car.
Wig – This is a short way to say “wig snatched.” People use it when they’re super impressed or shocked by something amazing—like a celebrity outfit or performance. It means, “That was so good, it blew me away!”
Wig snatched – This means being totally amazed, surprised, or caught off guard. It comes from drag queen culture and is often used when someone looks really good or does something awesome.
Example: “Did you see her dress? Wig snatched!”
Wild / Wylin’ / Wildin’ – These words mean something is shocking, crazy, or just really surprising. When talking about a person, it can also mean they’re being funny or acting silly. Examples: “YOU JUST MET DRAKE? That’s so wild!” “She’s wylin’ today.”
Woke – This means being very aware of what’s going on in the world, especially with important topics like fairness and justice. It’s like saying, “I see the truth and I’m paying attention.”
Example: “Stay woke, son!”
Yassify - A dramatic makeover, or to apply several beauty filters to a picture until the person is totally unrecognizable
Yeet - A verb that means to throw something
YOLO - "You Only Live Once" (often used ironically)
Teen Slangs About People and Relationships
Bae - "Before anyone else," babe, or baby; is used to describe a romantic partner or good friend
Basic - Boring, average, or unoriginal
BB - Synonym for “babe” or “baby,” but usually used for friends. Pronounced “bee bee.”
BDE - Big D Energy. A compliment because it’s a metaphor to signify that someone has the confidence of a well-endowed man. It’s the opposite of being cocky or having toxic masculinity. It is often applied to both men and women.
Beige Flag - A quirky characteristic about someone
Bestie - Short for best friend, can be used sincerely or sarcastically.
BF / GF - Boyfriend / girlfriend
BFF - "Best friends forever"
Big Yikes - Extra cringe or a "bigger yikes"
Boi - Another way of spelling “boy” through text or on social media.
Boo - One’s significant other.
Boo’d (or booed) up - To be in a romantic relationship.
Bruh - Bro or dude (all three terms are gender-neutral)
Catch Feels - To develop romantic feelings for someone. Popularized by “Feels” by Calvin Harris ft. Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, & Big Sean.
CEO - To be the "CEO of" something is to excel at it
Curve - To reject someone romantically (related to "ghosting")
Drip - Having great style. Refers to a really cool outfit or item of clothing.
Emo - Someone who is emotional or a drama queen
Fam - Family, to denote one’s actual family or one’s closest friends.
G - A term of endearment for friends. “Hey G what’s up?”
Girl Dinner – This is a fun way to describe the random meals some girls make when they don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes it’s fancy, like a pretty plate with cheese and crackers. Other times, it’s just a mix of whatever’s in the fridge—like leftover fries, a slice of cheese, and half an energy bar.
Girl Math – This is a silly way some people joke about how girls think about money. It often means using funny or creative logic to explain spending. This phrase is meant to be funny, but sometimes people use it in a mean way to say girls aren’t good with money.
Example: “If I bought the concert tickets six months ago, I’ve had so many paychecks since then—it’s basically free now!”
Glow-up – A glow-up is when someone becomes better-looking, usually in a short amount of time.
Example: “Wow, Ethan had a glow-up over the summer—he’s really cute now!”
Ghosted - To end a relationship by cutting off communication
It's giving - a comparison "It's giving 80s vibes..."
Karen - A word for a woman, most often middle-aged and white, who causes a scene in public.
“This lady in front of me was screaming at the Starbucks barista for twenty minutes because he gave her sugar-free vanilla syrup instead of regular. What a Karen.”
Lewk – This is a fun way to say “look.” It means someone’s unique style or appearance—something that makes them stand out or shows off their personality.
Like My Recent – This is something people say on one social media app to ask others to like their newest post on a different app. It can sound a little desperate.
Other phrases like this include:
LB (like back) – asking someone to like your post if you like theirs
FB (follow back) – asking someone to follow you if you follow them
No cap - Totally true or no lie
Noob / n00b - A person who doesn't know what they're doing or who is bad at something; in other words, a newbie
OK, Boomer - Usually said in response to a person or idea that seems outdated
OTP - One True Pairing. Used to describe a relationship you are very invested in, or believe should happen. “I don’t care that they’re from different TV shows, they’re my OTP!”
Periodt - End of statement emphasizer. For example: “That’s the best ice cream, periodt.”
Pop Off - To react angrily
Ratio'd - From social media, more negative feedback than positive
Serving - Looking good
Ship - Short for “relationship.” Used to endorse/support a romantic coupling, even one that’s not reality. “I ship Ron and Hermione.” “I see a ship developing!”
Simp - Someone who does way too much for the person they like; to have a huge crush on someone
Snack - An attractive person. “Girl lookin’ like a snack!”
Spill the Tea / T - Asking someone to spill gossip
Squad - Group of friends that hang out together regularly, used ironically
Stan - An overzealous fan of a particular group or celebrity
Sus - Suspicious, shady, not to be trusted
Throw shade / shading - To disrespect or trash-talk someone
Tight - In a close relationship or friendship
Tool - Someone who is stupid, obnoxious, rude, and/or embarrasses themselves, often a jock type
Compound Teen Slangs
Crashy - Crazy and trashy, like a trainwreck
Crunk - Getting high and drunk at the same time, or crazy and drunk
Hangry - Hungry and angry
Hunty – This word is a mix of “honey” and another word that used to be an insult. It first came from the drag queen community, where it was a playful way to tease someone. Now, some girls use “hunty” as a fun and friendly nickname, kind of like saying “bestie” or “girl.”
Requestion - Request and a question, or to question again
Tope - Tight and dope
Red Flags Teen Slangs
53X - Sex
Body count - The number of people someone has slept with
Bomboclatt – This is a curse word that comes from Jamaica and is kind of like the f-word. But in the U.S., people often use it in a different way. On social media, someone might post a picture or video with just the word “bomboclatt” as the caption. This is a fun way to ask others to add their own funny captions or explain what’s happening in the video.
Catfish - Someone who pretends to be someone they’re not on social media, either for dating or sexual purposes.
CU46 - See you for sex
D – This is a slang term that’s short for a word that refers to a private body part. People usually use it in jokes or comments that aren't meant to be taken seriously. It’s best to be careful with this term, since it can be considered rude or inappropriate.
Dayger - Party during the day
DTF – This is a slang term that stands for something not appropriate for kids. It’s often used in adult conversations to talk about wanting to do something private or romantic. It’s best not to use this term in everyday conversation.
Function / Func - Party
Gyat – This is a slang word people say when they’re surprised or impressed, usually when they see someone with a big butt. It’s short for a phrase like “Girl, you’re thick” or sounds like someone saying “Goddamn!” in reaction. It’s often used in a playful or joking way, but it can come off as rude or inappropriate depending on how it's said.
Hooking up – This phrase can mean different things depending on the situation. Sometimes it means kissing or making out, and other times it means doing something more intimate. It’s a term people often use without saying exactly what happened.
Juul / Juuling – Juul is a brand of e-cigarette that turns liquid into vapor. Juuling means using one to vape. Even though it’s supposed to be for adults, many teenagers have used it, which has raised a lot of concern from parents and schools.
KMS – This stands for “Kill Myself.” People sometimes use it online when they’re feeling very upset or overwhelmed. Even if it’s meant as a joke, it can be serious and shouldn’t be ignored.
KYS – This stands for “Kill Yourself.” It’s a hurtful and dangerous phrase that’s sometimes used to bully others online. Saying this to someone is never okay and can cause real harm.
Kick back - Small party
LMIRL - Let's meet in real life
Molly - Ecstasy (MDMA), a dangerous party drug
Netflix and Chill - Used as a front for inviting someone over to make out (or maybe more)
NSFW – This stands for “Not Safe For Work.” It’s used to warn people that something—like a video, picture, or message—has content that may be inappropriate, especially in public places or around adults. It usually means the content is sexual or explicit.
Plug – This is a slang term for someone who can get you something that’s hard to find—usually drugs. It’s often used in texting or online conversations.
Pull – This word is used when someone talks about how good they are at getting a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Example: “I feel like I could pull Erin from homeroom.”
(This means: “I think I could get Erin to like me or date me.”)
Rager - Big party
Smash - To have casual sex
Slim Thick / Thicc - These words describe a body type that some people see as ideal today. It means having a small waist and flat stomach, but also having curves—like bigger hips, thighs, and chest.
Sloshed - To be drunk
Stealthing – This is when someone secretly takes off their condom during sex without telling the other person. It’s wrong because both people must agree to what happens during sex. Taking off protection without permission breaks trust and can be harmful.
Thirst Trap - A sexy photograph, video, or flirty message posted on social media that incites others to comment/DM with their interest/attraction.
Throw down - To throw a party
Trap phone - AKA a burner phone. Basically an older-style smartphone that kids might hide or sell to one another.
Turnt - To be high or drunk (formerly "turnt up")
WTTP - Want to trade photos?
X - Ecstasy
As you can see, there’s a lot to learn! We hope these terms help you understand when your teens are just having harmless fun—and when they might need help.
One important thing to remember: teens really care about being real. They can tell right away if something feels fake. So, think carefully before you start using these words yourself. Your teen might think it’s funny or cool… or they might feel totally embarrassed!
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