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February 06, 2025

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Slang you need to know

2024 Slang You Need to Know

Hey, Bruh! I'm not cappin' and don't be so sus! Read on to know what your kid is saying!

We’re not cappin’, we just need you to know what’s dope or cringe so you can keep up with your kids and their squad. Don’t worry if you’re lost. Sometimes it takes a while to decipher what your kids are really saying. Especially on their devices. And especially if you have a teen. But if you have a teen and a little one, it may not be long before your toddler calls you, “Bruh,” too. Gen Alpha are children of millennials and older Gen Zers. Gen Alpha are heavily influenced by Gen Zers … and they’ve been dubbed mini-millenials, but their generation-specific language is inner mixing. Read on.

Slang You Need to Know

Kids pick up new words on TikTok and from each other in a rapid fire way … so you have to keep up. Herewith, a dictionary of sorts to keep you informed!

  • A mood — A relatable feeling or situation (often shortened to the single word, “mood”)
  • And I oop — Used when something is really surprising or provocative
  • And that’s on [something] — Used to indicate that you’ve just shared a truth that needs no further discussion
  • ASL — Age/sex/location
  • Ate that — Means you successfully did something; you pulled it off.
  • Bae — Significant other or crush
  • Basic — Someone who is viewed as boring or a conforming person
  • Beige flag — A quality or characteristic of a significant other that is weird or off-putting, but not enough to reject them.
  • Bet — A response indicating agreement. Example: “Wanna go to the store?” “Bet.”
  • Bestie — “Best friend”; can also be used as a kind of formal address to a stranger.
  • Bih — Short form of b*tch
  • Bruh — “Bro”; can be used to address anybody
  • Bussin’ — Awesome. Example: These tacos are bussin’.
  • Cake — Used to describe a large bottom
  • Cappin’ — Lying
  • CEO of [something] — To be a representative of some activity or thing. Example: “Taylor is the CEO of sleeping in late.”
  • Cursed — Used to describe something (usually an online image) that is unsettling or creepy
  • Cringe — Causing feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness
  • Daddy — An attractive man, usually older, who conveys a sense of power and dominance
  • Ded — Used when something is really funny or embarrassing. Example: OMG that meme has me ded!
  • Do it for the plot — Said to encourage oneself to take a chance on something. Example: I’m going to try out for the basketball team. Even if I don’t make it, I’ll do it for the plot.”
  • Dope — A way to describe something as cool or awesome
  • Drip — Style, great fashion sense, flashy accessories
  • Facts — An emphatic way to acknowledge the truth of someone’s statement
  • Fam — Friends
  • FINSTA — Fake Instagram account
  • FOMO — Fear of missing out
  • Fire — Amazing
  • FWB — Friends with benefits
  • Gas — Can refer to marijuana, be used to describe something that’s cool, or be used as a verb to mean “hype someone up”
  • Ghosted — Ending a relationship by completely disappearing with no further communication
  • Goals — Something you want or aspire to
  • GTG — Got to go
  • Gucci — Something good or cool
  • GYAT — Shortened term for “godd**n” used to express approval or excitement, particularly when one notices a large bottom.
  • High key — 1. Very interested in 2. Actively spreading information
  • Hits different — When something is better than it normally is because of different circumstances. Example: “A cold soda just hits different when it’s super hot outside.”
  • Ick or Ick Factor — The feeling you get when your attraction to someone is suddenly flipped to a feeling of disgust.
  • ISO — In search of
  • IYKYK — “If you know you know”; meant to imply that there’s an inside joke
  • Karen  — Used to refer to an entitled mom
  • KMS — Kill myself
  • KYS — Kill yourself
  • Left no crumbs — A phrase that means you did something perfectly.
  • Lit/Turnt/Turnt Up — Something that’s active or popular, can also refer to being stoned or drunk
  • LMAO — Laughing my ass off
  • LMP — 1A term that means “like my pic” or 2. Sometimes stands for “lick my p***y”
  • LOL — Laugh out loud
  • Low key — 1. Somewhat interested in 2. Keeping information secret
  • Meal — Someone who looks good enough to eat. See also: “Snack” or “snacc”
  • Mid — Insult meaning “low quality” or “average.” Derives from “mid-tier”— not awful, but not great. Example: “The new Jurassic Park was mid.”
  • Netflix and chill — Getting together and hooking up
  • No cap — Used to indicate that someone is not lying
  • NP — No problem
  • OK, Boomer — Calling out an idea that is outdated or resistant to change
  • Plug — Term used to refer to someone who can “connect” you with drugs; a drug dealer.
  • PMOYS — Acronym that stands for “put me on your Snapchat”
  • Preppy — Used to refer to a particular aesthetic that involves girly, bright-colored clothes and popular name brands, such as Lululemon and Stanley. It’s very similar to the definition of preppy we grew up with, but slightly more refined and “basic”.
  • Rizz — Derived from “charisma.” Someone who has “game” when it comes to romantic pursuits. Example“Taylor has that rizz, they’re so charming.”
  • ROTFLMAO — Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off
  • Salty — To be bitter or cranky about something
  • Same  — “I can relate”
  • Shading — Where teens gossip about another party without naming them; also “throw shade” means to talk about someone
  • Ship — Short for “relationship”; also used as a verb to indicate a desire to see two people together. Ex.: I ship Taylor and Jamie.
  • Simp —Somebody who tries very hard and does a lot for their crush. Ex.: “You got Sarah 3 dozen roses? Stop being such a simp.”
  • Sis — Short for “sister” but can be used to address anybody; usually used to express that drama has occurred
  • Slaps— Used to express that something is awesome. Ex.: “This burrito slaps.”
  • Smash — Means to have casual sex
  • SMDH — Shaking my damn head
  • SMH — “Shaking my head,” meaning “I don’t believe it” or “that’s so dumb”
  • Snack — Describes an attractive person
  • Snapstreak — Created when friends send snaps every day, creating a streak
  • Snatched — On point, very good, or well styled
  • Spam — A fake social media account
  • Squad — Close friend group
  • Stan — A teen slang term meaning an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity
  • Sus — Short for “suspicious.” Popularized by the Among Us game.
  • Swoop — To be picked up in an automobile
  • TBH — To be honest
  • Tea — Gossip or interesting news shared between friends
  • Thicc — Having an attractive, curvy body
  • TF — The f**k, as in “who TF you think are?”
  • Thirsty — Desperate for attention, usually sexual attention
  • Thot — Stands for “that ho over there” and is often used instead of “slut”
  • Trap phone — Also called a burner phone, this is an older, hand-me-down smartphone that kids trade or sell with each other. Kids who get their phones taken away by their parents may seek out a trap phone to have easy internet access (provided they can connect it to WiFi).
  • Trash — “Terrible,” “unacceptable
  • Turnt — Excited and having a good time, often with the help of drugs or alcohol
  • — “Very”
  • Vibing — Chilling out, having a good time, or identifying with a certain kind of energy
  • Woke — Socially or politically conscious
  • WYA — Where you at?
  • WYD — What you doing?
  • YAAS — A very emphatic yes
  • YEET — 1. A very strong word for yes. 2. To throw something.
  • Zaddy — A well-dressed, attractive man of any age

SOURCE: Bark.com.

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About the Author

Susan Swindell Day

Susan Day is the editor in chief for this award-winning publication and all-things Nashville Parent digital creative. She's also an Equity actress, screenwriter and a mom of four amazing kids.