Slang used or popularized by

Generation Z Generation Z (often shortened to Gen Z), also known as zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2 ...

(Gen Z; generally those born between 1997 and 2012 in the Western world) differs from slang of earlier

generation A generation is all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It also is "the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and b ...

s; ease of communication via Internet

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

has facilitated its rapid proliferation, creating "an unprecedented variety of linguistic variation". Many Gen Z slang terms were not originally coined by Gen Z members but were already in use or simply made more mainstream. Much of what is considered Gen Z slang originates from

African-American Vernacular English African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the variety of English natively spoken, particularly in urban communities, by most working- and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians. Having its own unique grammatical, voc ...

and

ball culture The Ballroom scene (also known as the Ballroom community, Ballroom culture, or just Ballroom) is an African-American and Latino underground LGBTQ+ subculture. The scene traces its origins to the drag balls of the mid-19th century United State ...

A

;aura :Overall vibe, energy, or personality.

B

;

basic Basic or BASIC may refer to: Science and technology * BASIC, a computer programming language * Basic (chemistry), having the properties of a base * Basic access authentication, in HTTP Entertainment * Basic (film), ''Basic'' (film), a 2003 film ...

:Pertaining to 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. ;beige flag :Behaviors or personality traits that are neither positive nor negative. See '' red flag''. ; BDE :Abbreviation for " big dick energy": confidence and ease. ;bestie :Short for "best friend". Sometimes used jokingly for someone the speaker/writer has no relationship with. ;bet :Agreeing to something; yes; okay; sure. ;big yikes :Used to describe something embarrassing or cringe, particularly in response to an offensive comment. ;bop :A

derogatory A pejorative word, phrase, slur, or derogatory term is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility ...

term, usually for females, suggesting excessive flirtatiousness or promiscuity. The term can also be used to describe an exceptionally good song. Can also refer to the

acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...

"baddie on point" to describe someone who uses their appearance to make money. ; brainrot :The state of losing touch with the real world as a result of consuming hyper-stimulating or chronically online content. Also refers to the use of seemingly meaningless buzzwords ("

skibidi Skibidi may refer to: * Skibidi, a 2018 dance song by Russian rave band Little Big * Skibidi Toilet, web series A web series (also known as webseries, short-form series, and web show) is a series of short scripted or non-scripted online v ...

", " fanum tax", " rizz", etc). Derived from the idea that one's brain would "rot" from consuming too much stimulating content. ; bruh () :Term used to express shock, embarrassment, or disappointment. ;bugging :See ''

tweaking Tweaking refers to fine-tuning or adjusting a complex system, usually an electronic device. Tweaks are any small modifications intended to improve a system. In electronics, it is a synonym for "trimming." Analog circuit boards often have small ...

'' for more context. ;bussin' :Extremely good, excellent. Also used to describe good food. Originated from African-American vernacular for good food. Though not related, it has also been used as a derogatory term for

ejaculation Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the penis through the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. ...

. ;bussy :Portmanteau of "boy" and "pussy" (slang for the

vagina In mammals and other animals, the vagina (: vaginas or vaginae) is the elastic, muscular sex organ, reproductive organ of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vulval vestibule to the cervix (neck of the uterus). The #Vag ...

). Effectively a man's

anus In mammals, invertebrates and most fish, the anus (: anuses or ani; from Latin, 'ring' or 'circle') is the external body orifice at the ''exit'' end of the digestive tract (bowel), i.e. the opposite end from the mouth. Its function is to facil ...

. (See also: -ussy)

C

;cap :To lie. See '' no cap.'' ;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 4K resolution refers to a horizontal display resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels. Digital television and digital cinematography commonly use several different 4K resolutions. In television and consumer media, 38402160 (4K UHD) with a 16:9 asp ...

. ;clapback :Swift and witty response to an insult or critique. ;cook :To "cook" is to perform or do well. In contrast, when a person is "cooked", they are in trouble. ;crash out :To make a reckless or regrettable decision after a bout of rage or upset. Originated in the African-American community, specifically in Louisiana with usage by rappers like NBA YoungBoy, but became popular on TikTok in 2024.

D

; dab :A dance move used as a gesture of triumph. Also can refer to a concentrated

extract An extract (essence) is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or absolutes or dried and powdered. The aromatic principles of ma ...

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...

that is prepared by heating the concentrate on a hot surface and inhaling the vapors. ;dank :Excellent, high-quality. ;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". ;drip :Trendy high-class fashion.

E

;era :A period of interests or priorities. May also be referring to

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...

's Eras Tour, or her musical "eras".

F

;face card :An attractive face. Sometimes defined as never declining or receding. ;fire :Term used to describe that something is impressive, good, or cool. Also see lit. Alternative: flame. ;fit/fit check :Term used to highlight or bring attention to one's outfit. "Fit" is a truncation of "outfit". ;finna :Short for "fixing to". The term has its roots in Southern American English, where "fixing to" has been used to mean "getting ready to" since the 18th century. Often used interchangeably with "gonna". ;flop :Opposite of "bop."

G

;gagged :Shocked, amazed, or at a loss for words. ;

ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

:To end communication or contact with someone without warning. ; glaze :To hype, praise, or compliment someone so much that it becomes annoying or excessive. ;glizzy :A

hot dog A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...

. Popularized in 2020, possibly from the

Washington metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or locally as the DMV (short for Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area comprising Washing ...

, and possibly originating from the slang term "glizzy" for a Glock handgun (approximately the same length as a hot dog). ;glow-up :A major improvement in one's self, usually an improvement in appearance, confidence, and style. Frequently used in a context relating to

puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a female, the testicles i ...

. A "glow-down" is a situation where someone's appearance has declined. ;GOAT :Acronym for "greatest of all time". ;Gucci () :Meaning good, cool, fashionable, or excellent. Used to express approval or satisfaction for something. Originated from the luxury brand

Gucci Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and ...

. ;gas :To describe something as highly entertaining, pleasant, or good. See '' slaps''. ;green flag : Behaviors or personality traits that are considered positive, healthy, or desirable. See '' red flag''.

H

;hit different :To be better in a distinctive manner. The origin of the term is not clear. ;huzz :A variation of the pejorative word " hoes" similarly used to objectify, degrade, and/or belittle women. Originated and became popular on

TikTok TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...

. The term gained traction with its usage and teaching by streamer

Kai Cenat Kai Carlo Cenat III ( ; born December 16, 2001) is an American online streamer, YouTuber, and internet personality who specializes in comedic live streams and videos. As of 2025, he is the second most-followed Twitch streamer with 17.6 mill ...

I

;

ick Ick or ICK may refer to: * Ick, a character in the children's television show It's a Big Big World * Islamic Community of Kosova, a religious organization in Kosovo *''Ichthyophthirius multifiliis'', a single-celled parasite. Also known as Ich * ...

:A sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion for someone one was previously attracted to. ;IJBOL () :An acronym for "I just burst out laughing". ;I oop :Used to express shock, embarrassment, and or amusement. ;iPad kid :Derogatory term describing late Gen Z and Gen Alpha children who spend most of their time staring at phone or tablet screens. 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. ;iykyk :Acronym for "If you know, you know". Used to describe inside jokes.

K

; Karen :Pejorative term for an obnoxious, angry, or entitled White woman. ; KYS : Kill yourself, an insult typically used online.

L

;L :Short for "loss," used to indicate failure, defeat, or something negative. Often contrasted with "W" (win). ;lit :Remarkable, interesting, fun, or amusing. ; looksmaxxing :An attempt (often pseudoscientific) to maximize physical attractiveness. ;lore :Backstory. ;locked in :A state of total concentration on a task. Similar to flow state.

M

;main character :Someone who is or wants to be the star of their life. Often refers to someone who wants to be the center of attention. ; mew :A pseudoscientific method to restructure someone's jawline by pressing their tongue to the roof of their mouth. Coined by controversial British dentist John Mew and his son, Mike, the term became popular in the late 2010s and on

. ;mid :Average, mediocre, or not special. Sometimes used in a negative or insulting way. ;mog :To look significantly more attractive than someone or something, causing them to appear inferior in comparison. Derived from AMOG, or alpha male of the group. ;moot/moots :Short for "mutuals" or "mutual followers".

N

; Netflix and chill :To watch

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

with a romantic prospect, often with the expectation of sexual activity. ;no cap :"This is true"; "I'm not lying". See ''

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...

''.

O

; OK boomer :Pejorative directed toward members of the

Baby Boomer Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the demographic cohort preceded by the Silent Generation and followed by Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964 during the mid-20th century baby boom that ...

generation, used to dismiss or mock attitudes typically associated with baby boomers as out of date. ;oof :Used to express discomfort, surprise, dismay, or sympathy for someone else's pain. Until 2022, it was also the expression of a

Roblox Roblox (, ) is an online game platform and game creation system developed by Roblox Corporation that allows users to program and play games created by themselves or other users. It was created by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel in 200 ...

avatar when it dies or respawns. Thus the verb "to oof" can mean killing another

player Player may refer to: Role or adjective * Player (game), a participant in a game or sport ** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games ** Athlete, a player in sports ** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who i ...

in a game or messing up something oneself. ;oomf :Abbreviation for "One of My Followers" or "One of My Friends". ;opp :Short for opposition or enemies; describes an individual's opponents. A secondary, older definition has the term be short for "other peoples' pussy". Originated from

street A street is a public thoroughfare in a city, town or village, typically lined with Building, buildings on one or both sides. Streets often include pavements (sidewalks), pedestrian crossings, and sometimes amenities like Street light, streetligh ...

and

gang culture A gang is a group or society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectiv ...

. ''Dexerto'' claims that the primary definition stems from the secondary one, which was derived from a 1991 Naughty by Nature song titled " O.P.P.". The initialism was derived from the acronym "OPM", which was used in the neighborhood the group grew up in and stood for "other people's money". An example of the term being used in popular culture is also in the

Gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of rap music that conveys the culture, values, and experiences of urban gangs and street hustlers, frequently discussing unpleasant realities of the world in general th ...

scene, with

YBN Nahmir Nicholas Alexander Simmons (born December 18, 1999), known professionally as YBN Nahmir (Initialism for Young Boss Nigga Nahmir), is an American rapper. He was the ''de facto'' lead member of the short-lived hip hop collective YBN (collective), ...

and his song " Opp Stoppa". Dictionary.com implies that the origins for the two meanings had little to do with each other. ;out of pocket :To act (or say something) crazy, wild, or extreme, sometimes to an extent that is considered too far. ; owned :Used to refer to defeat in a video game, or domination of an opposition. Also less commonly used to describe defeat in sports. Originated in the 1990s as a term used to describe hackers gaining administrative control over another person's computer.

P

;periodt :Used as an interjection to indicate that the preceding statement is final and that there is nothing more to be said about it; similar to the British term "

full stop The full stop ( Commonwealth English), period (North American English), or full point is a punctuation mark used for several purposes, most often to mark the end of a declarative sentence (as distinguished from a question or exclamation). A ...

". Originated as "period" in the early 1900s, spread in the 2010s via the City Girls rap duo and Black Twitter, and entered into the mainstream by 2019. The addition of the T stems from a common trend in Black English where T is used as a replacement for D. ; pick-me :Someone who seeks validation by trying to stand out, often putting down others in their gender or group to gain favor or attention. ;pookie :An endearing nickname for a close friend or lover. Originates from a German term of endearment in the 1900s. Also used as a

pet name A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek ; sometimes also ''hypocoristic''), or pet name, is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for Isabel or '' Bob'' for Robert, or it ...

. ;pmo :A phrase meaning "Piss me off", mostly used as a sign they are pissed off, or annoyed. ;pushing P :A phrase meaning acting with integrity and style while maintaining and displaying one’s success. The P in the phrase is most often interpreted as standing for the slang word "player". Originated from a trap track by the rappers Gunna,

Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...

and

Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop music, hip hop and trap music ...

Q

;queen :A person (usually female) deemed impressive or praiseworthy. Originates from the noun term "

queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

" which is used to describe a person of high importance and royalty, in this case, someone who did something of importance that "slayed".

R

;ratio :When a post, particularly on Twitter, receives more replies than

retweet A tweet (officially known as a post since 2023) is a short status update on the social networking site Twitter (officially known as X since 2023) which can include Image, images, Video, videos, GIFs, straw polls, hashtags, Mention (blogging), m ...

s and likes combined. It can also been used for when a reply has better reception and more likes than the original post being replied to. Originates from the mathematical term "

ratio In mathematics, a ratio () shows how many times one number contains another. For example, if there are eight oranges and six lemons in a bowl of fruit, then the ratio of oranges to lemons is eight to six (that is, 8:6, which is equivalent to the ...

" which compares the quantitative relationship between a set of numbers. ; red flag :A warning sign indicating behaviors or characteristics within a relationship that may potentially be harmful or toxic. Oppositely, a green flag indicates positive aspects or healthy behaviors. The use of the term red flag as a warning traces back to the 18th century. Historically, red flags were used as signals during wars or battles to indicate danger. The term green flag comes from the use of green-colored flags indicating permission to proceed. The concept of 'beige flags' has gained popularity to represent behaviors that are neither positive nor negative, but rather depend on individual preferences or boundaries. ; rizz () :One's charm/

seduction In sexuality, seduction means enticing someone else into sexual intercourse or Human sexual activity, other sexual activity. Strategies of seduction include conversation and Sexual script theory, sexual scripts, paralanguage, paralingual featur ...

skills. Derived from charisma. ;

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

:A random event, person, incident, or thing that fascinates or intrigues one to the point that one is frequently thinking about it. Originated in 2023 after influencer Saskia Cort encouraged her

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

followers to ask their male partners how often they thought about the

, to which many answered quite often. The term spread internationally and evolved to mean something that frequently occupies one's thoughts. It has also morphed into a joke about how often people think about/mention the Roman Empire.

S

;salty :Used to describe someone who is behaving or expressing themselves in a resentful, bitter, or irritated manner. Originally referred to "racy" or "vulgar" sailors in the 1800s. ;secure the bag :The act of someone working to reach their goals, usually referring to making money. Started in hip-hop culture and used as the opposite of the phrase "fumble the bag". The phrase first appeared on

Urban Dictionary ''Urban Dictionary'' is a crowdsourced English-language online dictionary for slang words and phrases. The website was founded in 1999 by Aaron Peckham. Originally, ''Urban Dictionary'' was intended as a dictionary of slang or cultural word ...

in 2017. Likely popularized by songs with the same title by

Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream a ...

and

Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commer ...

. ;sheesh () :To praise someone when they are doing something good. The vowels are often emphasized, as in "sheeesh". The one being praised is to do the "ice in my veins" pose popularized by Basketball player D'Angelo Russell. Believed to be a variation of another word such as "jeez", "Jesus", or "

shit ''Shit'' is an English-language profanity. As a noun, it refers to fecal matter, and as a verb it means to defecate; in the plural ("the shits"), it means diarrhea. ''Shite'' is a common variant in British and Irish English. As a slang ...

". First used in 1955 as a word to express "disappointment, annoyance or surprise". ;shook :To be shocked, surprised, or bothered. Became prominent in

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

starting in the 1990s, when it began to be used as a standalone adjective for uncontrollable emotions. One famous example is

Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American Hip-hop, hip hop duo formed in Queens, New York (state), New York in 1990. Consisting of rappers/songwriters/record producers Prodigy (rapper), Prodigy and Havoc (musician), Havoc, they are considered to be among the pr ...

's 1995 single

Shook Ones, Part II "Shook Ones, Part II" is the lead single from Mobb Deep's 1995 album ''The Infamous''. The song is a sequel to the group's 1994 promotional single " Shook Ones", with similar lyrics, but less profanity. The original song is featured on the B-side ...

. See also shooketh. ;sigma/sigma male :a person that is individualistic, self-reliant, and successful. Can also mean something that is good. ; simp () :Sycophancy, being overly affectionate in pursuit of a sexual relationship. ;situationship :Refers to an ambiguous romantic relationship where all parties have mutual feelings for one another, but said feelings are not clearly defined; a mid-point between dating and not dating. ;sksksk :Used to convey happiness/laughter. A form of

keysmash A keysmash (alternatively key smash, key mash or keyboard smash) is internet slang for the typing out of a random sequence of letters on a computer keyboard or touchscreen, often to express intense emotion. Gaining popularity since 2019, the term ...

ing. The earliest known usage is by Brazilian users on Twitter. Used by various British, African-American, and gay communities before becoming associated with

stan Twitter Stan Twitter is a community of Twitter users who post opinions on celebrities, music, TV shows, movies, video games, social media, and other topics. It is known for using particular terminology and for incidents of harassment. Discussions in Stan ...

in 2019. Became associated with VSCO girls. Similar forms can be found regionally, like the Indonesian "Wkwkwk" or the Korean "kkkk". ;slaps :Used to refer to something that is perceived to be good, particularly used when referring to music. ; slay :To do something well. ;snatched :Amazing, attractive, or flawlessly styled. Sometimes used to particularly describe a person as having a narrow waist. ; stan :Supporting something to an extreme degree. Specifically used in cases of overzealous or obsessive support of celebrities, originating with the eponymous song by

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...

. ; sus :Short term for suspect/suspicious. Popularized in 2018 by players of the online video game '' Among Us'' and received mainstream usage with the game's explosion in popularity in mid-2020 amidst the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. According to

Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an list of companies of the United States by state, American company that publishes reference work, reference books and is mostly known for Webster's Dictionary, its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary pub ...

, the term has been in use among English speakers since at least the 1960s. ;sussy baka :A combination of "sus" and " baka", the Japanese word for "fool". Stemmed from TikToker Akeam Francis. ;skill issue :Refers to a situation where a person's lack of ability or proficiency is seen as the cause of their failure or difficulty in completing a task. Sybau :Acronym for "Shut your bitch ass up".

T

;tea :Secret information or rumors. Originates from

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

drag culture of the 1990s. The letter "t" stood for "truth". "Spilling the tea" means to share gossip or rumors. ;touch grass :A way of telling someone to "go outside", usually after said person is believed to have been online for too long. Believed to have originated in 2015, before experiencing a resurgence in 2020–2021. ;tweaking :To be acting strangely or thinking that someone is hallucinating. ;TS :An abbreviation for "This shit", or just "This".

U

;unalive :A

euphemism A euphemism ( ) is when an expression that could offend or imply something unpleasant is replaced with one that is agreeable or inoffensive. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the u ...

for the word "

kill Kill often refers to: *Homicide, one human killing another *cause death, to kill a living organism, to cause its death Other common uses include: *Kill (body of water), a body of water, most commonly a creek *Kill (command), a computing command *K ...

" or other

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

-related terms, often in the context of

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

. This word is often used to circumvent social media algorithms, especially

, from censoring or demonetizing content that involves death-related terms. ;understood the assignment :To understand what was supposed to be done; to do something well. Popularized by American rapper Tay Money's 2021 song "The Assignment". She posted a video on TikTok stating that she "understood the assignment". ; uwu () :Used to portray happiness or one wanting to appear cute. Used more or less as an expression. Became popular in the 2000s. The expression is commonly associated with e-girls,

furries The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Some examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The te ...

, femboys, and

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

fandoms. ;unc :Abbreviation of uncle. Used in a mocking manner to refer to someone who is old or acting old. Originated in

African American English African-American English (AAE) is the umbrella term for English dialects spoken predominantly by Black people in the United States and, less often, in Canada; most commonly, it refers to a dialect continuum ranging from African-American Vern ...

in the early 2000s.

V

;valid :Socially acceptable. Gained prominence in

Tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...

(and later TikTok) discourse. ;vibe check :To check one's personality or attitude. ; VSCO girl :A stereotypical white girl who often takes trendy and "''basic''" pictures of herself to later edit and post online. Named after VSCO, a photography app released in 2011. The term originated in 2018 and was popularized in 2019 on social media platforms such as TikTok, where it became a trendy Internet aesthetic. It fell out of popularity in late 2019.

W

;W :Short for "win," used to indicate success, victory, or something positive. Often contrasted with "L" (loss). ;wig :To do something so well as to "make one's wig fly off". Unrelated to wig out. Originated from Black LGBT ballroom culture. American singer

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...

is generally credited with propagating the word into the mainstream after using it to compliment a contestant on ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

'' in 2018. ;who is this diva? :An affectionate rhetorical question used to compliment people who positively embody

diva Diva (, ) is the Latin word for a goddess. Diva is a name from Roman mythology, and is associated with the nouns divus, diva, which means god, goddess, and the adjective divinius, which means divine or heavenly. It has often been used to refer t ...

-like qualities such as boldness, style, and/or confidence. Sometimes used with a purple heart emoji at the end. Originated from

Y

;yap :To talk too much, especially without significant meaning. Speculated to be used as early as 1592 to express annoyance and irritation. Became a

trend in 2023 for someone who talks too much or whose talking does not make sense. ;yeet () :To throw something with force and without regard. Also used as a generic positive exclamation.

References

{{Generation Z slang

Generation Z