Gen Z Slang
150 terms · English and Spanish
This is how people talk in comments, in DMs and in captions under videos.
Most of these words you already know with another meaning — cap, mid, ate, cooked — and the sentence shows which one is in play. The Spanish pair sits next to it, and the word itself is the same on both sides; what changes is the sentence around it.
RizzCapNo capMidSlayFlexGhostingSusBetVibeVibe checkSaltyCringeLowkeyHighkeyGlow upFOMOGOATSimpStanTeaShookMoodKarenFireLitDripBopSlapsBestieIckRed flagGreen flagSituationshipGaslightCloutRatioCancelledYeetAtePeriodtWLBruhTouch grassDoomscrollingMain characterCookedBasedSending meCopeNPCDeluluSigmaRent freeReceiptsHits differentCaught in 4KUnderstood the assignmentIt's givingEraBratBeige flagGatekeepGirlbossGoblin modeSlept onPressedThrow shadeHard launchSoft launchCanon eventBrain rotFanum taxAuraLocked inOppYapReal oneWholesomeGassedCrash outUncDemureGirl dinnerGlow downSnatchedDragSnackPick meGlazeGoatedCheugyVibe shiftIYKYKPushing PFace cardBaddieBasicNepo babyRoman EmpireOnly in OhioSkill issueLarpGaggedClapbackFinnaFit checkTwinPookieMootsOK boomerRage baitSlopChoppedWashedTweakingCrackedOut of pocketFunctionSkibidi6-7GyattMewingLooksmaxxingMoggingAura farmingClankerJestermaxxingSussy bakaIJBOLGlizzyUnaliveNPC streamerChudServingRizzlerOhioMid-keyType shitPmoAte downBakaSigma grindsetChatDeadassFrfrOn godGriddyCooking
Everyday words
Rizz
Charm or skill in flirting; short for charisma. If you 'got rizz,' you win people over fast.
He's got rizz — walked over and had her laughing in a minute.
Cap
A lie or exaggeration; to 'cap' is to lie.
You beat him one-on-one? That's cap.
No cap
For real, no lie; used to stress you're being honest. The opposite of cap.
That was the best show I've seen all year, no cap.
Mid
Mediocre or overrated; not as good as the hype.
Everyone loves that place, but the food's kinda mid.
Slay
To do something exceptionally well; to nail it.
You slayed that presentation, honestly.
Flex
To show off — usually wealth, looks, or a win.
New watch every week — bro loves to flex.
Sus
Suspicious or shady; popularized by the game Among Us.
He left right when the bill came? Kinda sus.
Bet
Okay, deal; a casual yes or sign of agreement.
Meet at eight? Bet.
Vibe
The mood or feel of something; 'vibing' means relaxing into it.
This café has such a good vibe, I could stay all day.
Vibe check
A quick read of someone's mood or energy.
Ran into my ex today — failed the vibe check instantly.
Salty
Bitter or annoyed, usually over something small.
He's still salty he lost at Mario Kart.
Cringe
So awkward it makes you wince; secondhand embarrassment.
Watching him try to rap was pure cringe.
Lowkey
Slightly, quietly, or secretly; softens whatever follows.
I'm lowkey nervous about the interview tomorrow.
Highkey
Openly, very much; the opposite of lowkey.
I highkey want pizza right now, not even hiding it.
Fire
Excellent, amazing; also said as 'lit.'
That new track is straight fire.
Lit
Exciting, wild, or excellent; usually of an event.
The party last night was so lit.
Drip
A stylish, expensive-looking outfit or accessories.
New sneakers, new jacket — the drip is undeniable.
Yeet
To throw something hard; also a shout of excitement.
He just yeeted his phone across the couch.
Ate
Did something flawlessly; often 'ate and left no crumbs.'
Did you see her outfit? She ate.
Periodt
An emphatic 'period'; end of discussion.
I'm not going, and that's final, periodt.
W
A win or something good; the opposite of an L.
Free food at the meeting? Big W.
L
A loss or failure; to 'take the L' is to accept it.
Forgot my ticket at home — massive L.
Bruh
An exclamation of disbelief or disappointment; from AAVE.
Bruh, you forgot my birthday again?
Cooked
Doomed, exhausted, or in serious trouble.
Three exams tomorrow and I haven't studied — I'm cooked.
Based
Admirably true to yourself, no matter what others think.
He said pineapple belongs on pizza and stood by it. Based.
Delulu
Delusional in a hopeful, self-aware way.
I keep thinking he'll text back — I'm so delulu.
Rent free
Stuck in your head; something you can't stop thinking about.
That awkward text from 2019 lives rent free in my mind.
Hits different
Feels uniquely better or more intense than usual.
Cold water after a run just hits different.
Understood the assignment
Delivered exactly what the moment called for.
Everyone dressed casual, but she understood the assignment.
It's giving
It gives off the vibe of; it resembles.
That outfit? It's giving main character.
Finna
'Fixing to'; about to do something; from AAVE.
I'm finna head out, it's getting late.
Function
A party or social gathering.
You pulling up to the function tonight?
Gyatt
An exclamation at someone's large backside; a bit crude.
He turned around, saw her, and just went 'gyatt.'
Rizzler
Someone with masterful rizz; often said about kids.
Six years old and already the biggest rizzler in class.
Mid-key
Between lowkey and highkey; moderately so.
I'm mid-key excited — curious, but not losing my mind.
Ate down
An intensified 'ate'; did it exceptionally well.
She styled that whole look herself and ate down.
Deadass
Seriously, for real; an intensifier from AAVE.
I deadass forgot we had a test today.
Cooking
Doing great; 'let him cook' means don't interrupt a good run.
Don't stop him now — let him cook.
Talking to each other
Ghosting
Cutting off all contact with no explanation.
We had three great dates, then he just started ghosting me.
FOMO
Fear of missing out — anxiety that others are having fun without you.
Everyone's at the beach and my FOMO is killing me.
Stan
To be an obsessive fan; from an Eminem song about a superfan.
I've streamed the album 40 times — I fully stan.
Tea
Gossip or juicy news; 'spill the tea' means share it.
Okay, sit down — I've got so much tea about last night.
Bestie
Best friend; also a friendly way to address anyone.
Bestie, you cannot wear that on a first date.
Red flag
A warning sign about someone's character or behavior.
He trash-talks all his exes? Red flag.
Green flag
A reassuring sign; the opposite of a red flag.
He remembered my coffee order — total green flag.
Clout
Influence or fame, especially online.
He only posted that for the clout.
Cancelled
Publicly rejected over offensive behavior.
The brand got cancelled after that tone-deaf ad.
Receipts
Screenshots or proof of what someone said or did.
She denied it, so I pulled up the receipts.
Gatekeep
To hoard info or access so others can't join in.
Just tell me the café name, stop gatekeeping.
Throw shade
To insult or criticize someone subtly.
She threw shade at his cooking without naming him.
Hard launch
Openly revealing a relationship online.
They finally hard launched with a couples photo.
Soft launch
Hinting at a relationship without showing your partner's face.
A mystery hand in the photo? That's a soft launch.
Real one
A loyal, genuine friend.
She drove across town at midnight for me — a real one.
Drag
To publicly criticize or roast someone harshly.
The comments dragged him for that opinion.
Pick me
Someone chasing approval by claiming to be 'not like the others.'
'I'd rather hang with guys' — such a pick me line.
Glaze
To over-praise someone to an embarrassing degree.
Stop glazing him — he missed an open goal.
Vibe shift
A noticeable change in mood, style, or cultural direction.
The whole friend group felt a vibe shift after summer.
Nepo baby
Someone whose success rides on famous parents; 'nepotism baby.'
Great actor, sure, but also a total nepo baby.
Fit check
Showing off your outfit of the day.
Quick fit check before we leave — thoughts?
Twin
A close friend you're in sync with; used as a form of address.
Twin, you already know I'm down for that.
Moots
Mutuals; people who follow each other online.
We've been moots for years but never actually met.
Memes and types
Karen
An entitled woman who demands to 'speak to the manager.'
A Karen yelled at the barista over oat milk today.
Sigma
A lone-wolf 'alpha' who plays by his own rules; often ironic.
Eating lunch alone in the stairwell — real sigma move.
Girlboss
A hustle-driven, ambitious woman; now often used ironically.
Waking up at 5 a.m. to grind — girlboss, I guess.
Canon event
An unavoidable formative moment you shouldn't prevent; from 'Spider-Man.'
Getting your heart broken at 16 is a canon event.
Fanum tax
Taking a bite of a friend's food; from streamer Fanum.
He reached over for the fanum tax on my fries.
Girl dinner
A snacky, low-effort meal thrown together from odd bits.
Crackers, cheese, and three olives — girl dinner.
Roman Empire
A topic you think about constantly and out of nowhere.
That flight I missed in 2019 is my Roman Empire.
Only in Ohio
A tag for something absurd or surreal; brainrot humor.
A raccoon stole a phone at the drive-thru — only in Ohio.
OK boomer
A dismissive reply to an out-of-touch older person.
'Kids these days'... ok boomer.
Skibidi
A nonsense word from 'Skibidi Toilet'; a flagship of brainrot humor.
He just yells 'skibidi' and thinks it's a full joke.
6-7
A deliberately meaningless catchphrase; Dictionary.com WOTY 2025.
Ask him anything and he just says 'six-seven.'
Aura farming
Doing things purely to look cool and rack up 'aura.'
He walked off without looking back — pure aura farming.
Sussy baka
A goofy 'suspicious fool'; sus plus Japanese 'baka.'
You ate my leftovers? You sussy baka.
NPC streamer
A streamer who acts robotic on cue for paid reactions.
She does the NPC streamer bit — 'ice cream so good' every donation.
Chud
A clueless, obnoxious person.
Don't bother arguing with that chud in the comments.
Ohio
Weird, cursed, or surreal; from the 'only in Ohio' meme.
That was the most Ohio thing I've seen all week.
Baka
'Fool' or 'idiot,' borrowed from Japanese anime.
You forgot the tickets again, baka.
Sigma grindset
A hyper-independent hustle mindset; used ironically.
Cold showers at 4 a.m. for the sigma grindset.
Chat
Addressing an imaginary 'chat' out loud, borrowed from streaming.
He dropped his keys and asked, 'Chat, is this real?'
Griddy
A celebratory dance from the NFL and Fortnite.
He scored and hit the griddy in front of everyone.
Praise
GOAT
Greatest of all time; the very best at something.
Say what you want, but she's the GOAT of this sport.
Bop
A really catchy, good song.
Skip? No way, this song is a bop.
Slaps
Sounds great; hits hard — usually of music.
Turn it up, this beat slaps.
Aura
Your cool factor; you 'gain' or 'lose' aura points by how you act.
Tripped in front of everyone — lost serious aura there.
Locked in
Fully focused and dialed in.
No phone, no snacks — I'm locked in until this is done.
Gassed
Hyped up, by others' praise or your own excitement.
They told him he was funny once and now he's gassed.
Snatched
Looking flawless; perfectly styled or toned.
Her waist is snatched in that dress.
Goated
The greatest; the verb form of GOAT.
That chef is goated — every dish was perfect.
Cracked
Extremely skilled, especially at games.
That kid is cracked at chess — beat me in ten moves.
Serving
Delivering a striking, flawless look.
She walked in serving, head to toe.
Jokes and digs
Mood
Something so relatable it captures exactly how you feel.
Girl lying face-down on the floor? Big mood.
Sending me
Making me laugh uncontrollably.
That video of the cat is sending me.
Yap
To talk a lot without saying much; a 'yapper' won't stop.
He yapped for an hour about his fantasy team.
Unc
An older guy acting his age; short for 'uncle.'
Talking about back pain at 25 — you're being real unc.
Glow down
The opposite of a glow up; getting worse in looks or vibe.
That haircut was a real glow down, sorry.
Clapback
A sharp, witty comeback to a critic.
His clapback got more likes than the insult.
Out of pocket
Wildly inappropriate or out of line.
That joke at dinner was so out of pocket.
Jestermaxxing
Leaning all the way into being the clown for attention.
He'll do anything for a laugh — total jestermaxxing.
IJBOL
'I just burst out laughing'; a newer replacement for lol.
He tripped on the flat sidewalk, IJBOL.
Glizzy
A hot dog, used jokingly.
Grab me a glizzy from the stand, extra mustard.
Behavior
Gaslight
To manipulate someone into doubting their own memory or sanity.
Stop gaslighting me — you literally said that yesterday.
Doomscrolling
Endlessly scrolling depressing news you can't stop reading.
It's 2 a.m. and I'm still doomscrolling.
Cope
To deal with a loss badly; 'copium' is desperate self-comfort.
'It was rigged anyway' — man, that's just cope.
Goblin mode
Lazy, messy, unbothered self-indulgence; Oxford Word of the Year 2022.
Stayed in bed eating chips all day — full goblin mode.
Crash out
To lose your composure and react recklessly.
One more email and I'm going to crash out.
Demure
Modest and mindful, usually ironic; from the 'very demure' trend. Dictionary.com WOTY 2024.
I fixed my hair — very demure, very mindful.
Rage bait
Content built to make you angry so you engage; Oxford WOTY 2025.
That headline is pure rage bait, don't click it.
Tweaking
Overreacting or acting irrationally; also glitching out.
You think I said that? You're tweaking.
Unalive
A euphemism for kill or die, used to dodge platform filters.
The video said 'unalive' to avoid getting taken down.
Everything else
Glow up
A big improvement in looks, style, or confidence.
She had a serious glow up over the summer.
Simp
Someone who does way too much to impress a crush.
He drove two hours just to bring her coffee — total simp.
Shook
Shocked or badly rattled.
That plot twist left me shook for a week.
Ick
A sudden turn-off that kills all attraction.
He called his mom to ask permission — instant ick.
Situationship
A romantic thing with no clear label or commitment.
We're not dating, not just friends — it's a situationship.
Ratio
When a reply gets more likes than the post, signaling disapproval.
His bad take got ratioed into the ground.
Touch grass
Go outside; log off and get some real-world perspective.
You've been arguing online all day — touch grass.
Main character
Acting like the star of your own story.
She walked in with headphones on — full main character energy.
NPC
Someone acting robotic or thoughtless; from game 'non-player characters.'
He repeats every trend word for word — total NPC.
Caught in 4K
Caught red-handed with clear, undeniable evidence.
He said he was home but got caught in 4K at the game.
Era
A personal phase you're fully leaning into.
I'm in my quiet, save-money era right now.
Brat
Messy, confident, party-girl energy; Collins Word of the Year 2024.
Neon green everything — she's fully in her brat era.
Beige flag
A quirk that's neither good nor bad, just oddly boring.
He texts 'haha' with no emoji ever — beige flag.
Slept on
Underrated; not getting the attention it deserves.
This band is so slept on — they're incredible live.
Pressed
Upset or worked up over something.
Why are you so pressed about a game?
Brain rot
Low-quality online content, or the mush it makes of your mind; Oxford WOTY 2024.
I've watched three hours of brain rot and feel nothing.
Opp
An opponent or enemy; from AAVE, short for opposition.
Don't tell him anything — he's an opp now.
Wholesome
Warm, sweet, and heart-warming.
The dog waiting at the school gate was so wholesome.
Snack
An attractive person.
New guy in accounting? Absolute snack.
Cheugy
Trying too hard or out of date; tied to older millennials.
Live-laugh-love signs are peak cheugy.
IYKYK
'If you know, you know'; marks an inside reference.
The 3 a.m. diner run after prom — IYKYK.
Pushing P
Keeping it real and classy; popularized by rapper Gunna.
Paid for everyone and stayed humble — that's pushing P.
Face card
A strikingly attractive face; it 'never declines.'
No makeup, still gorgeous — the face card is real.
Baddie
A confident, glamorous, self-assured woman.
She rolled up in sunglasses looking like a total baddie.
Basic
Unoriginal; into only mainstream, popular things.
Pumpkin spice every fall is a little basic, honestly.
Skill issue
Your failure is your own fault, not bad luck.
Can't beat the level? Sounds like a skill issue.
Larp
To act out a fake persona as if real; from live-action role-play.
He's not a chef, he just larps as one online.
Gagged
Stunned speechless, usually in a good way.
When she hit that high note, I was gagged.
Pookie
An affectionate nickname, like 'sweetie' or 'babe.'
Good morning, pookie, I made you coffee.
Slop
Low-quality, mass-produced content, often AI-generated.
My feed is nothing but AI slop these days.
Chopped
Ugly or badly done.
That filter made the photo look chopped.
Washed
Past your prime; no longer good at something.
He used to carry the team, now he's washed.
Mewing
Pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth to 'sharpen' your jaw.
He stopped mid-sentence to keep mewing.
Looksmaxxing
Maxing out your looks by every means possible.
New skincare, gym, haircut — full looksmaxxing arc.
Mogging
Outclassing someone else's looks so hard it's obvious.
Standing next to him, he was straight-up mogging everyone.
Clanker
A derogatory term for robots or AI.
The chatbot got it wrong again, stupid clanker.
Type shit
An agreeing tag meaning 'that kind of thing, exactly'; often 'TS.'
Grinding all weekend to hit the goal — type shit.
Pmo
'Pisses me off'; a texting shorthand for irritation.
The wifi dropped again, pmo so bad.
Frfr
'For real for real'; total sincerity.
That was the best burger I've had frfr.
On god
'I swear'; used to stress you mean it; from AAVE, also 'ong.'
I'll pay you back tomorrow, on god.
In the app, these cards come as the day's set — already made.
