| Term | Meaning | Example |
| Bae | Stands for “before anyone else.” What Gen Zers use to refer to their crushes/partners/someone they think is attractive. | Friend: “Are you guys dating?” You: “Yeah she’s bae.” |
| Bet | “Okay.” Is often used to agree with someone. | Friend: “See you tomorrow, it’s going to be fun!” You: “Bet!” |
| Big Yikes | Something really embarrassing, disturbing or shocking. | “Did you see Sarah’s mom yell at her yesterday? Big Yikes!” |
| Bussin’ | Something that is really good, delicious, or enjoyable. | “This pizza is bussin’!” |
| Cap | Another word for “lie.” | Friend: “My date is a billionaire!” You: “Cap.” |
| Catch These Hands | Threatening to start a fight. | “Get out of my way, you don’t want to catch these hands!” |
| Cheugy | Describes someone, most often in an older generation, who is trying too hard to be trendy or in style. | “Did you see that millennial try to do that dance? She’s so cheugy!” |
| Dank | Something that is excellent, high quality, smells good and tastes good. | “Those new Nike shoes look dank!” |
| Drag | To criticize or make fun of something. Gen Z version of “roasting” someone. | “That new SNL episode dragged the political system!” |
| Drip | A cool, sexy, or trendy sense of style. | “Let’s go shopping for new clothes so we’ll have that drip at school tomorrow!” |
| E-boy/girl | A boy or girl who is online frequently sharing their fashion sense, ideas, emotions, etc. Their Gen Z peers see them as hot & trendy. | Friend: “Look at this tik toker who went viral.” You: “He is such an e-boy!” |
| Extra | Super dramatic and out there. Also used to describe someone who is trying too hard and/or overreacting. | “Oh my gosh, she is wearing bedazzled shoes…so extra for school!” |
| Facts | Used to refer to something that is true or that you agree with. | Friend: “Carl’s Jr has the best burger.” You: “Facts!” |
| Fam | This shortened form of family isn’t just the people you live with, it’s anyone close to you, anyone who’s got your back. | “You got me, fam.” |
| Finna | Word for “going to.” | “I’m finna eat, I’m starving.” |
| Finsta | An Instagram profile that Gen Zers keep on private to avoid parents or non-close friends from seeing it. | “Did you see that crazy picture I posted on my Finsta? Didn’t want my parents to see, so I posted there.” |
| Flex | Describes someone showing off, gloating, or parading around. | “He is just driving around town, flexing his new car.” |
| FOMO | Stands for “fear of missing out.” The feeling you get when family or friends are doing something without you. | “Seeing my friends on vacation together gives me FOMO.” |
| Frfr | Stands for “for real for real.” This phrase is used for emphasis, usually following a point. | Teacher: “The test was not easy.” Student: “Frfr.” |
| Ghosted | The act of leading someone on and then completely cutting off communication without any explanation. | “We texted for 3 weeks then she ghosted me.” |
| Guap | A lot of money or cash. | “I made guap at work today.” |
| I’m Weak or I’m Dead | Describing yourself as going weak or dying from laughing too much because of something funny. | “That movie had me weak.” |
| L | Stand for “Loss” rather than a win. | “The super bowl was tied until the end, what an L for the Eagles.” |
| Main Character Energy | A way that gen Z romanticizes life and describes someone who is good-looking, popular, and has a relationship, and money. | “She was so fun to be around and she had main character energy!.” |
| No Cap | Opposite of “cap.” Referring to something that is true. Usually used when trying to convince someone you’re telling the truth. | “Bro, no cap, I ran 5 miles yesterday.” |
| Ok Boomer | A catchphrase used to mock someone, usually older, for being dorky and having an attitude associated with baby boomers. | “My mom told me I shouldn’t be on the internet so much and I was like, ‘ok boomer.'” |
| On God | Meaning that you’re swearing, “on god,” that something is true. | “Bro, on God, I’m about to fall asleep.” |
| Periodt | Meant to add emphasis to the point being made, like the period at the end of a sentence. | “She was so rude and I won’t let anyone tell me otherwise, perdiodt!” |
| Say Less | A phrase that means “I’ve got the point.” Opposite of the traditional, “say more,” meaning you’re intrigued and want to learn more. When someone says, “say less,” they are on the same page and don’t need any more convincing. | Friend: “Want to go to Chili’s…they have happy hour starting soon.” You: “Say less, let’s go.” |
| Sending Me | Similar to “I’m weak,” or “I’m dead.” Meaning that something is either so funny, weird, or outrageous that it is “sending” you. | “This new lady gaga outfit is sending me!” |
| Shade | Insult or trash talk. | “Stop throwing shade, I didn’t do anything wrong!” |
| Skrilla | Phrase for money. | “She spent so much skrilla on that new purse.” |
| Slaps | When something is exceptionally good or super relatable, you can say it slaps hard. | “This new Drake album slaps!” |
| Slay | Means “good job,” or “killing it.” | “She is slaying her new dance routine.” |
| Smol | Anything tiny and super cute is called smol to induce an aww. | “The puppy was so smol and cute.” |
| Snack/Whole Meal | A compliment on someone’s appearance. | “You’re looking like a snack/whole meal today in that new dress.” |
| Snatched | Means “fierce” or “on point,” particularly when it comes to someone’s hair, makeup, and physical appearance | “Her new outfit has her looking snatched.” |
| Stan | Originating from Eminem’s iconic song of the same name, ‘stan’ is the term used for the obsessive fans of a popular celebrity. It can also be used as a verb. | Friend: “She’s a huge Taylor swift Stan.” You: “I don’t really stan her.” |
| Sus | Short for suspicious. | “That story she told was sus.” |
| Swole | Muscular from lifting or exercising. | “Looking swole.” |
| Take Several Seats | Like telling someone to “take a seat,” meaning that they are being wrong and need to sit down and shut up. | “You just need to take several seats and be nicer.” |
| Tea | Means gossip and comes from the idea of sitting back over a cup of tea to do exactly that. | “I haven’t seen you in so long, I have so much tea!” |
| This Ain’t It, Chief | Said when you disagree or show disapproval of someone’s actions. | “The way you handled that situation wasn’t it chief.” |
| Tomato | What Gen Zers say when something is bad. Referring to the ancient practice of throwing tomatoes at performances that were bad. | *watching a bad comedy stand-up* Gen Zer: “Tomato, tomato.” |
| Understood The Assignment | Gen Z praise for someone who gives 110% to what they’re doing; someone who goes above and beyond what’s expected. | “Lady Gaga understood the assignment and put out a killer album.” |
| Vibing | A generic positive feeling that someone has about something. Can also be referring to being in a calm space. | Friend: “What do you think of the new album?” Me: “I vibe with it.” |
| W | Stand for “Win” rather than a loss. | “The super bowl was tied until the end, what a W for the Chiefs.” |
| Zaddy | A handsome, sexy, and well-put-together man who possesses stylish confidence. | Gen Zer: “Pedro Pascal is Zaddy.” |
