Gen Z Slang

Gen Z slang, decoded

What it means, where it came from, and whether it’s already cringe. Updated daily by the desk. · 54 entries, updated daily

A

• ankle biterAn ankle biter is a tiny kid (usually 1-4 years old) or a very small dog.
• aura farmingAura farming is acting to look effortlessly cool or charismatic.

B

• beige flagA 'beige flag' is a quirky, neutral habit or trait that's neither good nor bad, often seen
• brain rotBrain rot is low-quality media that dulls your mind when you consume too much of it.
• brat summerA bold, unapologetically sassy summer vibe inspired by the “brat” aesthetic.
• bussinBussin' means something is really good, especially food.

C

• canon eventA canon event is an unavoidable, often tough moment that shapes someone's life.
• chat gptChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI that generates human-lik
• cheugyCheugy describes something or someone that is out of date, uncool, or trying too hard.
• cookedTo be 'cooked' means to be in a difficult, hopeless, or extremely exhausted state.
• crash outTo lose composure and snap, erupting in an emotional outburst or reckless behavior when ov

D

• deluluDelulu is internet slang for delusional, often used playfully to describe unrealistic but
• delusionshipA delusionship is an imagined romantic relationship that only exists in one person's mind.
• dripDrip is slang for flashy style or swag, especially expensive clothing or jewelry.

E

• eThe letter 'e' is primarily the fifth letter of the English alphabet, but online, it has b

F

• fanum taxFanum tax is a joke where someone takes a portion of another person's food, named after st

G

• gasIn Gen Z slang, 'gas' means something is really good, impressive, or exciting.
• goatGOAT is an acronym that stands for 'Greatest Of All Time,' used to describe someone or som
• gyatGyat - an exclamation (short for “god-damn”) shouted at a curvy or large butt, also used a

H

• hell shipA hell ship is a vessel known for extremely cruel, inhumane conditions, especially those u
• hits differentWhen something "hits different" it feels noticeably better or worse than usual.
• hmHm: The ultimate low-effort, high-impact reply conveying a spectrum of intense emotions or

I

• is instagram downThe phrase "is Instagram down" is a direct question users ask to determine if the social m
• its giving‘its giving’ is a phrase that says something looks cute, stylish, or has strong vibes.

L

• lock inTo lock in means to secure or commit to something, often by focusing on it or fixing a val
• looksmaxxingLooksmaxxing is the act of improving your appearance to look as attractive as possible.

M

• main character energyMain character energy is when someone carries themselves like the star of a movie, confide
• menty bMenty B is a casual Gen Z term for having a mental breakdown or feeling mentally overwhelm
• mewingMewing is the practice of pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth to try to ch
• midmid describes something that’s average, mediocre, or low-quality.
• mrbeastA nickname for the YouTube philanthropist who gives away huge sums of money, used to descr

N

• no cap‘No cap’ means ‘I’m not lying’ or ‘that’s the truth.’
• npcAn NPC is someone called out for lacking original thoughts, like a video-game character yo

O

• ohtani“Ohtani” is Gen Z slang referring to Shohei Ohtani, the legendary baseball player, used to

P

• pookieA cute nickname for someone you love, or slang for a glass pipe used to freebase drugs.
• pretty privilegePretty privilege is the advantage people get because they are considered physically attrac

R

• ratioA “ratio” is when a reply or comment gets more likes than the original post, showing the o
• rent free“Rent free” means someone is stuck in another person's thoughts without being invited.
• rizzRizz is the ability to attract or flirt with someone, especially in a romantic way.

S

• shippingShipping is when fans want two people, real or fictional, to be in a romantic (or sometime
• sigmaSigma describes a self-reliant, independent person, usually a male, who doesn’t follow typ
• situationshipA situationship is a romantic or sexual connection without a clear label or commitment.
• six seven'Six seven' is a viral internet slang term, often used as a nonsensical exclamation or to
• skibidiSkibidi is a versatile nonsense word used as an exclamation, adjective, noun, or verb, oft
• supremeAs Gen Z slang, 'supreme' primarily refers to the iconic streetwear brand known for its li
• sus‘sus’ means suspicious or untrustworthy, like saying something looks shady.

T

• ted lasso'Ted Lasso' refers to the optimistic and folksy leadership style of the titular TV charact
• the ickThe ick is a sudden feeling of disgust toward someone you were interested in.
• tomorrowlandTomorrowland refers to a place or state of being that is idealized, futuristic, or far in
• touch grassTo go outside and get real-world perspective instead of staying online.

U

• unc‘unc’ is a slang term for an older man, especially a middle-aged guy, or a short form of U
• understood the assignmentIt means someone nailed a task or look perfectly, exceeding expectations.

Y

• yappingYapping is talking nonstop in a way that annoys people, like a small dog’s bark.
• yuriYuri is a word for stories that show romantic or sexual relationships between women, espec