21 Slang Words That Should Still Be Cool To Use In 2022 (2024)

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Slang is forever changing, and every decade the youth of the generation produces new lingo that puts a cool spin on the English language.

TV One / Via media.giphy.com

Even though there is a variety of slang in the world, some of the best slanguage that was invented happens to derive from African-American culture. African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) comprises an extensive repertoire of verbiage that is so enthralling that it has become used by countless people outside of the Black community and within it.

Some individuals use certain colloquialisms to make themselves appear more trendy, while others use them because it's an intrinsic part of their culture. These types of jargon hold much meaning and coolness to them, hence why many people like incorporating them in their everyday speech. While all slanguage has a level of coolness to it, it can go out of style and become no longer cool to use.

Below are 21 slang terminologies that are outdated but need to make a comeback.

1.On Fleek

Bravo

"On Fleek" was a term created by Kayla Newman aka Peaches Monroee in 2014. For a few years after that, anytime someone wanted to describe how stylish they were, the term "on fleek" was used. This phrase needs to circle back around because it had a nice ring to it.

2.Buggin'

3.Trippin'

Disney

The term "trippin'" never has really gone out of style, just used less in comparison to back in the day. Nonetheless, "trippin'" needs to be brought back and used more often.

4.Illin'

Fox

The 1980s rap trio Run-DMC had an entire song dedicated to the slang word "illin'" back in the 1980s. Illin' should totally become a thing again.

5.Word

21 Slang Words That Should Still Be Cool To Use In 2022 (2)

6.Poppin'

Tenor

"Poppin'" is still a slang word that is used, but not as much as it once was. It's time we started using it again.

7.Bomb

Fox

"Bomb," "The Bomb," "Super Bomb." All of these are different ways people describe something or someone that is awesome in the past. Although some people may think this slang term is corny, I like it and want it to become a thing again.

8.Flava

The Bump / Via forums.thebump.com

"Flava" just sounds cool. Let's give it a comeback in 2022.

9.Fresh

10.Turn up

21 Slang Words That Should Still Be Cool To Use In 2022 (4)

11.Boo

CBS

Nowadays, everyone is calling their significant other "stink." I miss the old days when significant others were called "boo." Let's go back to that...

12.Fly

Saradipity Productions/Regan Jon Productions

I still love the slang term "fly" until this day. Sometimes, "fly" is the only word that can illustrate things that are fashion-forward or avant-garde.

13.No doubt

GIPHY

Instead of us replying "yes" to something, we should start saying "no doubt" again.

14.Tight

Tenor

When Black people got sick of using the word "cool," they started using the term "tight." We should go back to using "tight" as a synonym for cool.

15.Frontin'

Tenor

What the word "frontin'" is to older generations is what the term "no cap" is to Gen Z. In comparison, the term "frontin'" sounds cooler than "no cap." Both essentially mean stop lying.

16.Words ending in -eezy

Disney

"Fosheezy," "Heezy," "Neezy," any word with the suffix -eezy needs to make a resurgence.

17.Playa hate, playa hater

Columbia Pictures/Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Something about the terms "playa hate" and "playa hater" hits differently than just the word hater.

18.Steelo

Motown Records

The term "steelo" is a great word to use in place of the word style, energy, vibe, and personality.

I.e. Person 1: I think Jason is pretty cool and dresses well.

Person 2: Yeah, I like his steelo.

See how nice that word would flow in a conversation? We need to start using "steelo" again ASAP.

19.Dope

Tenor

"Dope" is a catch-all word for anything positive. There is something about it that just screams, "I'm with #TheCulture." Let's revive the word "dope" in 2022.

20.Swag

Universal Records

"Swag" has been around for a long while; however, it peaked in the late 2000s and 2010s. The term "swag" was always inserted to describe anything that was cool, fashionable, fun, etc. We should bring this phraseology back expeditiously.

21.Y.O.L.O. (you only live once)

Tenor

Y.O.L.O was overly used throughout the 2010s, and then it sort of vanished. We can thank either Lil Wayne or Drake for the famed phrase that still should be used today.

Do you agree with my list? What other slang terms need to make a comeback in 2022?

21 Slang Words That Should Still Be Cool To Use In 2022 (2024)

FAQs

21 Slang Words That Should Still Be Cool To Use In 2022? ›

Dope - Cool or awesome. Extra - Over-the-top, extreme. Fit - Short for outfit. Fire - Hot, trendy, amazing, or on point (formerly "straight fire")

What is the current slang for really cool? ›

Dope - Cool or awesome. Extra - Over-the-top, extreme. Fit - Short for outfit. Fire - Hot, trendy, amazing, or on point (formerly "straight fire")

What do Millennials say instead of cool? ›

Calling someone “dank” is the equivalent of calling them cool or great. 15. Dead - When someone has laughed so hard they can't laugh anymore they're “dead.” The term is often seen in response to memes or other phrases.

What are Gen Z slang? ›

Teen Slang: Decoding Gen Z. As a parent, you've probably overheard some slang from your kid. They may say things like, “I'm amped about my drip today,” or, “He's got rizz. Giving off major BDE.” Maybe they've said something like, “No cap, this sandwich is bussin',” or, “Spill the tea, sis!”

What does yeet mean? ›

What does Yeet mean? “Yeet” means to forcefully throw something. Originally, it came from a Vine (a video app before TikTok that was discontinued).

What does Gen Z say instead of cool? ›

Colloquially: "Enlightened", "Hot", "Fire." The new hotness; something remarkable, interesting, fun or amusing. Generally positive. Semantically the same as cool of earlier generations, but contradicts the former's normative semantics.

What is your 20 slang? ›

Have you ever heard someone ask, “What's your 20?” The term refers to your location. It comes from “10–20” and is part of the Ten Code used by CB radioers, who borrowed and adapted it from the police and emergency services.

Is rizz a Gen Z word? ›

“Keeping up with the latest slang can be tough, however, [and even] more so with social media's power to turn phrases into overnight sensations.” Out of over 150 trending Gen Z slang words on Google, other top-searched terms are “Gyat” (264,500 searches), “Simp” (220,880), “Rizz” (201,000), and “NPC” (88,400).

What do kids say instead of "cool"? ›

What is cool, though, is just how many slang words we've used over the years to talk about people and things that we think are fab, funky, fresh, groovy, fly, phat, lit, gnarly, rad, and the cat's meow. And that is just a taste of the coolness we managed to find over the years.

Why do Gen Z use ✨? ›

For Gen Z, this emoji is more exclusively used to indicate positive feelings, like when something is so funny, cute, or sweet that it's totally overwhelming.

Do people still say "cool"? ›

The slang usage dates all the way back to the 1940s when African-American jazz musicians first started saying “Cool, daddy-o!” Cool is here to stay.

What is a drip slang? ›

Drip [drɪp]

Something that is a drip, drippin', or drippy is very cool, awesome and stylish. It's usually used for clothing and accessories like shoes, watches, and jewelry. For example: “Did you see her new dress? She is really drippin' tonight.”

What does YEET mean in 2022? ›

Yeet is also used as an interjection, most often to express excitement or enthusiasm. Update: This word was added in September 2022.

What is the current Gen Z slang for cool? ›

"You're the GOAT." Meaning good, cool, fashionable, or excellent. Used to express approval or satisfaction for something.

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