Have you ever heard a group of Gen Z-ers talking and thought, “Wait, what does that word even mean?” If so, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Just like the generations before them, Gen Z uses specific slang words in conversations—some of those slang words are even new words in the dictionary.
If you aren’t in that generation, though, Gen Z slang may be a whole new ballpark for you. No worries—we’ve put together an alphabetical list of some of the most common Gen Z slang terms and decoded them to keep you in the know.
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Basic
Meaning: A word to describe someone who likes mainstream things and is considered unoriginal.
Example: “His taste in music is pretty basic.”
RELATED: Slang Words No One Outside Your State Will Understand
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Bet
Meaning: A term for agreement or approval.
Example: “Are we still on for Saturday night?” “Bet.”
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Big yikes
Meaning: Think of it as an emphasis on the word “yikes”—it’s something that’s really embarrassing, disturbing, or shocking.
Example: “My mom called me 30 times after I broke curfew—big yikes.”
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Bop
Meaning: A really good song or beat.
Example: “Listen to this new song—it’s a bop.”
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Canceled
Meaning: To stop supporting something or someone by doing a number of things, including boycotting their work, products, or unfollowing on social media.
Example: “I can’t believe that company was caught dumping waste in the river—it’s canceled.”
RELATED: 29 Trendy Slang Words That Seriously Need to End
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Cap
Meaning: Something that’s considered false or an outright lie. It’s most commonly used in the phrase “no cap,” which means “no lie.”
Example: “That was the best pizza I’ve ever had—no cap.”
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Catch these hands
Meaning: To start a fight. It’s typically used in a confrontational matter.
Example: “Get out of my way—you don’t want to catch these hands.”
Meaning: To criticize or make fun of something. Many people equate dragging someone to roasting someone.
Example: “Why are you dragging me so hard today?”
RELATED: 15 Slang Words You Didn’t Know Were in the Dictionary
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Drip
Meaning: A cool sense of style. It can refer to clothes or the way someone carries themselves.
Example: “Her drip is iconic.”
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Fam
Meaning: A shortened term for “family” typically used to describe one’s inner circle.
Example: “I’m hanging out with the fam today.”
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Finesse
Meaning: The act of getting what you want by tricking or manipulating someone.
Example: “I finessed my co-worker into covering my shifts next week.”
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Ghosted
Meaning: To stop communicating with someone out of the blue.
Example: “I was talking to this guy, but he ghosted me last week.”
RELATED: 10 Online Dating Terms You Need to Know Now
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Glow up
Meaning: To go through a positive physical, mental, or spiritual change.
Example: “He had a major glow up over the summer.”
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High key
Meaning: The opposite of “low key;” commonly used when you want to emphasize something. Synonyms include “really” and “very.”
Example: “I high-key love those shoes.”
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Hits different
Meaning: Used to describe something that stands out from the rest or makes you feel different compared to other things.
Example: “My mom’s cooking just hits different.”
RELATED: Common British Slang You Didn’t Realize You Knew
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I’m dead
Meaning: An expression to use when you find something hilarious.
Example: “Did you hear her crack that joke? I’m dead.”
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Main character
Meaning: A phrase used to describe someone who seems to naturally have charismatic energy that draws people in. Someone described as a “main character” tends to be well-liked, confident, and knows they’re in control of their life. If a movie were to be made, they’d be the main character.
Example: “Debbie’s definitely the main character in this group.”
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Periodt
Meaning: A more intense version of “period,” meant to add emphasis to the point being made.
Example: “This is the best song I’ve ever heard—periodt.”
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Pressed
Meaning: Being mad or upset about something.
Example: “Why are you so pressed about what they said?”
RELATED: How Many of These 13 Old-School Slang Words Do You Know?
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Sis
Meaning: A shortened version of “sister” typically used as an affectionate greeting for a close friend.
Example: “Sis, it’s been too long! How are you?”
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Sending me
Meaning: A term to describe how funny you find something.
Example: “This movie is sending me—you have to see it.”
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Slaps
Meaning: An adjective that describes how great something is.
Example: “This song slaps!”
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Snack
Meaning: A term to describe someone you think is good-looking.
Example: “They’re looking like a snack today.”
RELATED: 10 Funny Vintage Slang Words People Should Start Using Again
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Snatched
Meaning: A term to describe something that looks really good, typically when it comes to style.
Example: “Your outfit is snatched!”
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Stan
Meaning: Another word for someone who’s a super fan, and sometimes excessively enthusiastic of, a celebrity’s work. The term originated from Eminem’s song “Stan.”
Example: “She’s a Taylor Swift stan.”
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Sus
Meaning: Short for “suspicious.” It typically means something is not as it may seem.
Example: “That story is sus.”
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Tea
Meaning: Another word for gossip.
Example: “Sit down—I have some tea to spill.”
RELATED: These 17 “Modern” Words Are Much Older Than You Thought
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Vibe
Meaning: The mood or emotional state someone has. People typically radiate this and people associated that vibe with that specific person.
Example: “She has such a chill vibe.”
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Wig
Meaning: An expression used when something completely blows you away. It would refer to the fact that, if you had a wig on, what happened would cause so much shock and admiration that it would fly off your head.
Example: “Did you see that concert?! Wig!”
Next, find out what does the word “literally” mean.
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Yeet
Meaning: So this one technically has two meanings. One is a word that’s essentially an exclamation of approval or excitement. The other is to describe a powerful throw.
Example 1: “He yeeted the football 30 yards!”
Example 2: “Did you see that throw? Yeet!”
Now that you know what these common Gen Z slang words mean, expand your vocabulary further by checking out these funny words you probably didn’t know existed.
Originally Published: April 29, 2021
Kelly Kuehn
Kelly Kuehn is a former editor for Reader’s Digest who covered entertainment, trivia and history. When she’s not working you can find her watching the latest and greatest movies, listening to a true-crime podcast (or two), blasting ‘90s music and hiking with her dog, Ryker, throughout the Finger Lakes.
As an enthusiast well-versed in contemporary linguistic trends, particularly within the context of generational slang, I can assure you that the landscape of language is constantly evolving. My depth of knowledge extends to the nuances of expressions used by different age groups, including the latest colloquialisms employed by Generation Z. It's imperative to recognize that staying abreast of such linguistic shifts is key to effective communication and cultural understanding.
Now, turning our attention to the article from RD.COM updated on September 8, 2023, authored by Kelly Kuehn, let's delve into the Gen Z slang terms presented:
Basic:
Meaning: Describes someone who likes mainstream things and is considered unoriginal.
Example: "His taste in music is pretty basic."
Bet:
Meaning: A term for agreement or approval.
Example: "Are we still on for Saturday night?" "Bet."
Big yikes:
Meaning: Emphasis on the word "yikes"; used for something embarrassing, disturbing, or shocking.
Example: "My mom called me 30 times after I broke curfew—big yikes."
Bop:
Meaning: A really good song or beat.
Example: "Listen to this new song—it’s a bop."
Canceled:
Meaning: To stop supporting something or someone through various actions like boycotting or unfollowing.
Example: "I can’t believe that company was caught dumping waste in the river—it’s canceled."
Cap:
Meaning: Something considered false or a lie; often used in the phrase "no cap," meaning "no lie."
Example: "That was the best pizza I’ve ever had—no cap."
Catch these hands:
Meaning: To start a fight, typically used in a confrontational manner.
Example: "Get out of my way—you don’t want to catch these hands."
Drag:
Meaning: To criticize or make fun of something; akin to roasting.
Example: "Why are you dragging me so hard today?"
Drip:
Meaning: A cool sense of style, referring to clothes or the way someone carries themselves.
Example: "Her drip is iconic."
Fam:
Meaning: A shortened term for "family," typically used to describe one’s inner circle.
Example: "I’m hanging out with the fam today."
Finesse:
Meaning: The act of getting what you want by tricking or manipulating someone.
Example: "I finessed my co-worker into covering my shifts next week."
Ghosted:
Meaning: To stop communicating with someone abruptly.
Example: "I was talking to this guy, but he ghosted me last week."
Glow up:
Meaning: To go through a positive physical, mental, or spiritual change.
Example: "He had a major glow up over the summer."
High key:
Meaning: The opposite of "low key"; used to emphasize something.
Example: "I high-key love those shoes."
Hits different:
Meaning: Used to describe something that stands out or evokes a unique feeling.
Example: "My mom’s cooking just hits different."
I’m dead:
Meaning: An expression used when finding something hilarious.
Example: "Did you hear her crack that joke? I’m dead."
Main character:
Meaning: Describes someone with charismatic energy who draws people in and would be the main character if a movie were made.
Example: "Debbie’s definitely the main character in this group."
Periodt:
Meaning: A more intense version of "period," adding emphasis to the point being made.
Example: "This is the best song I’ve ever heard—periodt."
Pressed:
Meaning: Being mad or upset about something.
Example: "Why are you so pressed about what they said?"
Sis:
Meaning: A shortened version of "sister," used as an affectionate greeting for a close friend.
Example: "Sis, it’s been too long! How are you?"
Sending me:
Meaning: Describes how funny something is.
Example: "This movie is sending me—you have to see it."
Slaps:
Meaning: An adjective that describes how great something is.
Example: "This song slaps!"
Snack:
Meaning: Describes someone you find good-looking.
Example: "They’re looking like a snack today."
Snatched:
Meaning: Describes something that looks really good, typically in terms of style.
Example: "Your outfit is snatched!"
Stan:
Meaning: Another word for someone who’s a super fan of a celebrity’s work.
Example: "She’s a Taylor Swift stan."
Sus:
Meaning: Short for "suspicious"; implies that something is not as it seems.
Example: "That story is sus."
Tea:
Meaning: Another word for gossip.
Example: "Sit down—I have some tea to spill."
Vibe:
Meaning: The mood or emotional state someone has; often associated with a person.
Example: "She has such a chill vibe."
Wig:
Meaning: An expression used when something completely blows you away.
Example: "Did you see that concert?! Wig!"
Yeet:
Meaning: Technically has two meanings—a word of approval or excitement, and to describe a powerful throw.
Example 1: "He yeeted the football 30 yards!"
Example 2: "Did you see that throw? Yeet!"
By understanding these terms, one can navigate conversations with Generation Z more effectively, fostering better communication and cultural comprehension. This knowledge not only enriches one's vocabulary but also serves as a testament to the dynamic nature of language in contemporary society.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Kelly KuehnUpdated: Sep. 08, 2023
