English-language slang used or popularized in the 2020s, usually by Generation Z or by Generation Alpha, differs from that of earlier generations. Ease of communication via social media and other internet outlets has facilitated its rapid proliferation, creating "an unprecedented variety of linguistic variation", according to Danielle Abril of The Washington Post. Self-deprecating irony is often a prevalent factor in its use.
Many Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang terms were not originally coined by their generation but were already in use or simply became more mainstream. Much of what is considered Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang originates from African-American Vernacular English, Black queer ball culture, and incel culture.
A acoustic/artistic Algospeak forms of the word "autistic." Used as insults to call someone stupid, in the same manner as "retarded" has come to be used. and I oop Used to express shock, embarrassment, and/or amusement. Often associated with VSCO girls alongside 'sksksk'. aura An individual's current reputation or charisma. Cultivating aura is known as aura farming. ate To have performed well or extremely good at something.
B baddie A confident, stylish, and attractive woman. ball knowledge niche or uncommon knowledge, usually niche references, often in pop culture. Alternative forms include "elite ball knowledge" or "knowing ball". based Originated from rapper Lil B The BasedGod, who defined it as "...being yourself. Not being scared of what people think about you. Not being afraid to do what you wanna do." More contemporary use has been to express approval of someone or agreeing with another's opinion, similar to the usage of "W". The term is often used by the alt-right. basic those who prefer mainstream products, trends, and music. Derived from the term "basic bitch". bar(s) A lyric in a rap song that is considered excellent. A talented rapper may be said to "drop bars" or be "spitting bars", sometimes shortened to just "spitting". BDE Abbreviation for "big dick energy": confidence and ease.
A specific phenomenon described as a 'What about me' effect. An individual watches a video that doesn't pertain to them, but finds a way to make it about them anyway. Stems from a 2023 TikTok recipe for bean soup by @vibingranolamom with commenters saying "What if I don't like beans?" beige flag A behavior or personality trait that is neither good nor bad. Derived from the terms "green flag" and "red flag". bet Agreeing to something; yes; okay; sure. bffr Acronym for "be fucking for real". big back an overweight and gluttonous person. big yikes something embarrassing or cringeworthy, particularly in response to an offensive comment. big yahu Nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sometimes used to portray Netanyahu as a spiritual being who assists in minor inconveniences. bop (1) A derogatory term, usually for females, suggesting excessive flirtatiousness or promiscuity. (2) An exceptionally good song. (3) An acronym for "baddie on point", meaning someone who uses their appearance to make money. brain rot (or brainrot) The state of losing touch with the real world as a result of consuming hyper-stimulating or chronically online content, especially when characterized by online buzzwords ("skibidi", "fanum tax", "rizz", etc). Derived from the idea that one's brain would "rot" from consuming too much stimulating, addictive or degenerate content. bruh/bru () A variant of "bro" originating from AAVE. buns Something that is considered bad or low quality. bussin' Extremely good, excellent. Originated from African-American vernacular for delicious food. bussy Portmanteau of "boy" and "pussy" (slang for the vagina). Effectively a man's anus, especially when used in gay penetrative sex. blud A variant of "blood brother", "mate" or sometimes "bro".
C cap To lie originating from AAVE. The antonym, "no cap", is typically used after a statement to indicate truthfulness or being genuine. caught in 4K Refers to someone being indisputably caught doing something wrong or incriminating on camera or with evidence to prove it, referencing 4K resolution. chopped Ugly or unattractive. chud Originally a pejorative term for someone on the far-right. Commonly used to mean a rude, ugly, lazy, socially inept, or unintelligent person, often in self-deprecation. clanker Slur for robots, primarily used against generative AI. Originated from Star Wars media. clapback Swift and witty response to an insult or critique. cook (verb) To "cook" is to perform or do well. Often used in the phrase "let him cook". cooked (adjective) To "be cooked" is to be in trouble. coworker music Generic or overrated music that one's coworker might listen to. Typical examples are stomp clap music or pop rock like Imagine Dragons. Also adapted to "coworker memes" and "coworker opinions" similar to "normie". cracked To be skilled at something. Alternatively, "getting cracked" or "cracking" means to have sex. crash out / crashout To have a bout of rage or upset. Sometimes more generally used to refer to anger or strong displeasure. Originated in the African-American community, specifically in Louisiana with usage by rappers like NBA YoungBoy, but became popular on TikTok in 2024. crine Variant pronunciation/spelling of "crying," typically meaning crying & dying from laughter (equivalent to "dying of laughter" or "I'm crying"). Often used in phrases like "son I'm crine".
D dead/ded Humorous to such an extent as to "kill you". Laughter and death have been associated since Ancient Greece, where it is held that Zeuxis died from laughing at a portrait of an ugly woman he was painting. delusionship A relationship in which someone holds unrealistic or overly idealistic beliefs. A person who holds such beliefs is considered "delulu". dih Ironic algospeak for dick. Usually used with the wilting rose emoji for comedic effect or a symbolic eggplant emoji. drip Good-looking or trendy high-class fashion.
E edge To maintain a high level of sexual arousal for an extended period without reaching climax (orgasm). Often used as a dysphemism for keeping something close to completion or a goal for an undue amount of time.
F face card An attractive face. Sometimes defined as never declining or receding. fah An onomatopoeic internet catchphrase and viral TikTok sound effect that represents a loud, distorted, and vocalized scream of the word "fuck". It is heavily used in video editing as an audio exclamation point or impact marker to humorously signal a sudden failure, shock, or spiritual collapse. Also sometimes spelt “fahh.” fanum tax Theft of food between friends. Referring to the Twitch Streamer "Fanum" who took cookies from fellow Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat as a "tax" during a livestream fine shyt A slang term and phonetic variation of "fine shit", used to describe a highly attractive or desirable person. The spelling pattern follows the mainstream 2020s -h suffix mutation trend. It is frequently abbreviated online as "fs". finna Short for "I am going to" or "I am about to". The term has its roots in African American Vernacular English, where "fixing to" has been used to mean "getting ready to" since the 18th century. Often used interchangeably with "gonna". fire Term used to describe that something is impressive, good, or cool. fit/fit check Term used to highlight or bring attention to one's outfit or fashion. "Fit" is a truncation of "outfit". flop era Primarily used on TikTok and Twitter when a person is not getting enough likes and views and starts posting memes and putting text over them in hope of going viral. Also refers to a period of time where one is experiencing diminished success or relevance flow state Used to portray being 'in the flow' or intensely focusing on a task. Being fully immersed in a task that one enjoys doing. function An event, party, hangout, or social gathering.
G gagged Shocked, amazed, or at a loss for words. gas To describe something as highly entertaining, pleasant, or good. geeked Intoxicated, usually on marijuana. It is also used to describe somebody filled with excitement, highly enthusiatic, and it can also be used as a verb ("geeked out"). Mostly considered to have a positive connotation, compared to the similar but pejorative word "geek" ghost (verb) To end communication or contact with someone without warning. glaze To hype, praise, or compliment someone or something so much that it becomes annoying or excessive, coined in 2021 by Kai Cenat after reacting to a video by streamer Blueryai. glizzy A hot dog. Popularized in 2020, possibly from the Washington metropolitan area, and possibly originating from the slang term "glizzy" for a Glock handgun. It may also refer to a penis. glow-up A major improvement in oneself, usually an improvement in appearance, confidence, personality, and style. Frequently used in a context relating to puberty. A "glow-down" is a situation where someone's appearance has declined. gng Used to refer to a close group of friends or as a casual greeting/address (e.g., "wassup gng" meaning "what's up, gang"). Can also mean "good night gang" in parting contexts, especially among gamers or online communities. GOAT Acronym for "greatest of all time". good boy/good girl A phrase that is mockingly used when one is told to do something and they do it. The phrase is derived from the way people praise dogs and young children for doing an instructed task. goofy ahh An AAVE phrase and slang term meaning "goofy ass" used to label content as goofy or silly. gooning Originally the act of masturbating or ejaculating for long periods of time, it is also used as algospeak for masturbation. The term "gooner" is also used to describe someone addicted to masturbation. goyslop Refers to low quality ultra-processed foods, mass-produced products or mass media, often (but not always) in the context of being targeted towards goyim (non-Jews) to maintain complacency. Originated on 4-chan as antisemitic dogwhistle, and is seen as offensive grape An algospeak term for rape typically used online to bypass automatic filters. The use of the grape emoji (🍇) in substitution for the word "rape" is also common. green flag Behaviors or personality traits that are considered positive, healthy, or desirable. Gucci () Meaning good, cool, fashionable, or excellent. Used to express approval or satisfaction for something. Originated from the luxury brand Gucci. gyatt (1) someone's buttocks, specifically attractive ones (2) Someone with large buttocks or an hourglass figure. The word comes from a stylized way of spelling "god damn" as "gyatt damn" in the context of being in awe of seeing a person's buttocks.
H hawk tuah An onomatopoeia for spitting or expectoration on a penis as a form of oral sex used by Haliey Welch in 2024. hb/hg An initialism of homeboy/homegirl. Slang used to refer to one's friends. hit different To be better in a distinctive manner. The origin of the term is unclear.
I ick A sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion for something one was previously attracted to. icl Abbreviation of "I can't lie". Often used alongside ts and pmo. IJBOL () An acronym for "I just burst out laughing". iPad kid Term describing late Gen Z and Generation Alpha children who spend most of their time consuming content via a phone or tablet screen. The term was popularized in January 2021 after a 21-year-old TikToker criticized Millennial parents for allowing their children excessive screen time, saying, "I need everyone else in my generation to promise that we are not going to raise 'iPad children'. ... You've been shoving media and screens in these kids' faces since birth." He concludes: "Gen Z isn't allowed to raise iPad kids." The viral video garnered more than 525 million views on TikTok. it's giving Used to describe an attitude or connotation. it's joever