The Meaning of the 30 Most Popular Slang Words These Days
This list is a major mood.
Bob Dylan said the times are a-changin' all the way back in 1964 ... and they haven't stopped since. So many slang words are floating around these days that you may not even realize you're using half of them. And thanks to our obsession with texting and Twitter, new abbreviations keep popping up all the time.
These millennial slang words get thrown around on internet and in person, but good luck finding them in the dictionary. Although Merriam-Webster has officially added the likes of "bingeable" and "hangry" to its thousands of entries, etymologists may have a hard time keeping up with all of the lingo making it into the mainstream these days. And if you've ever hung out around teens, then you also know that existing words like "ghost" and "receipts" can have completely different meanings. Fair warning: Prepare for major eyerolls before using any of these terms around your kids, but at least you'll understand the memes getting thrown around in the family group text.
Basic
Outside of chemistry class, basic describes something (or someone) extremely mainstream. Things that are basic include: Starbucks lattes, Taylor Swift, and blue J. Crew button downs.
Clap Back
Clapping back (as a verb) is synonymous for responding to criticism, e.g., Chrissy Teigen is quick to clap back at internet trolls in her Twitter comments. You can also use clapback as a noun to describe said comeback.
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Ghost
Dating apps made it easy to ghost — or cut off all communication with — someone you're no longer interested in. Slipping out of the party undetected? That also counts as ghosting.
Mood
Use mood in lieu of saying "same." Generally, it describes something you're into, as in, "All I want to do tonight is lay on my couch and watch The Bachelorette." "Big mood."
Receipts
No, not the really long ones from CVS. These kinds of receipts usually come in digital form, like screenshots of text messages or Snapchats. They’re considered evidence or proof when something dramatic is going down.
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Salty
Feeling salty is akin to feeling upset or angry — usually over something minor, like getting teased.
Shade
Yeah, you can call your sunglasses shades, but the singular form can mean suspicious or disrespectful behavior. Ever casually dissed something? That’s considered throwing shade.
Shook
Use it as an adjective and you’ll mean shocked, surprised, or startled. The inner monologue for feeling shook is "Whoa, what just happened?"
Slay
To slay means to kill something — in a good way. Aced a test? You slayed it. Wearing something amazing? You're slaying!
Tea
Consider a tea a synonym for gossip. If someone asks you to spill the tea, she wants the inside scoop on what went down.
AF
Want to emphasize something? AF stands for "as f*ck" — as in people who use this word think they're cool AF.
Bae
No, it's not short for babe or baby. The letters actually represent the phrase "before anyone else," usually referring to the speaker's significant other.
Bye Felicia
The perfect dismissal, bye Felicia dates back to the 1995 movie Friday, when Ice Cube shuts down a character named (you guessed it) Felicia. If you're ready to wave goodbye to someone or something unimportant, this is the phrase for you.
Extra
Not too different than its dictionary definition, extra in a slang sense usually translates to over the top. The key difference? It's kinda got a negative connotation, as in trying too hard or doing too much.
GOAT
Often accompanied with the requisite goat emoji (🐐 ), GOAT is an acronym for "greatest of all time," and pops up a lot when people start arguing about sports. Think Serena Williams or LeBron James.
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High Key
If you think you've mastered the phrase "low key" (like on the down low), try using its antonym. Anything you're saying loud and proud is definitely high key.
Hundo P
This means 100%. That's it. Use it instead of "of course" or "definitely."
JOMO
We've all experienced FOMO, or the "fear of missing out," but JOMO describes the opposite. If you're more than content to stay in and watch Netflix, that's the joy of missing out.
Kk
Legend has it kk originated in online gaming forums as an abbreviation for "okay, cool," except the two Ks refer to the more informal "k, kewl." Put it together, and it usually signals "messaged received," or "gotcha."
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LB
Instagrammers know that LB stands for "like back," while FB similarly means "follow back." If you start seeing these all over your post's comments, know that some people want tit for tat — essentially I like your photo, you like mine.
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
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