Low-key struggling to decode teen slang in your kid’s texts or conversations without feeling sus? Don’t sweat it—you’ve just found the GOAT guide to teen slang. Whether you’re trying to vibe with their ever-changing lingo or simply avoid being “big yikes,” this list will help you flex your knowledge and keep things Gucci at home. Let’s spill the tea on the phrases your teens are dropping daily, so you can stay lit and maybe even earn a “bet” from the toughest crowd around. 😉
If you could comprehend all that, bravo! 🙌 If not, read on for all things teen slang 2024—your ultimate cheat sheet to mastering their lingo.
Ultimate Teen Slang Cheatsheet: Parents Edition
General Teen Slang
Here are some of the words you’ll want to know if you’re trying to stay in the loop with the laughs, the trends, and all the daily teen chatter:
🍔 Bussin’: Something extremely good, usually referring to food.
Example: “These tacos are bussin’!”
✅ Bet: Used to confirm or agree, like “okay” or “for sure.”
Example: “You’ll be there at 7? Bet.”
😒 Bruh: A casual way to say “bro,” often expressing disbelief.
Example: “Bruh, you forgot your keys again?”
✨ Glow Up: A major positive transformation, often physical or emotional.
Example: “He had such a glow up over summer break.”
👏 Ate and Left No Crumbs: To do something exceptionally well.
Example: “She nailed that performance—ate and left no crumbs.”
🤪 Skibidi Toilet: Refers to the surreal and humorous viral trend popular on TikTok.
Example: “This party was chaotic; it felt like Skibidi Toilet IRL.”
🎭 Extra: Over-the-top or dramatic behavior.
Example: “Why does he have to be so extra about everything?”
👜 Gucci: Cool, good, or fine.
Example: “We’re all Gucci now that the project is done.”
🤫 Low-Key: Subtly or secretly; less obvious than “high-key.”
Example: “I’m low-key nervous about the test tomorrow.”
🌟 YOLO: “You Only Live Once,” used to justify risky or fun behavior.
Example: “We drove two hours just for ice cream because YOLO.”
😴 Mood: Used to express strong identification with a feeling.
Example: “Sleeping until noon is a mood.”
🏀 Yeet: To throw something with energy, often humorously.
Example: “He yeeted the basketball across the gym.”
🙅 Cap/No Cap: “Cap” means lying; “no cap” means truth.
Example: “You really made that shot? No cap?”
😬 Big Yikes: Something extremely embarrassing, awkward, or cringeworthy.
Example: “She tripped on stage during her big speech—big yikes!”
🤔 Sus: Short for “suspicious,” often used when someone or something seems shady or untrustworthy.
Example: “He said he was studying, but his car was parked at the mall. That’s sus.”
🐐 GOAT: Acronym for “Greatest of All Time,” used to describe someone or something exceptional.
Example: “Serena Williams is the GOAT of tennis.”
💪 Flex: To show off, often in a way meant to impress others.
Example: “He pulled up in a brand-new sports car—what a flex.”
🔥 Lit: Describes something fun, exciting, or energetic.
Example: “That concert was so lit—I didn’t want it to end!”
😲 Shook: Feeling shocked, surprised, or emotionally unsettled.
Example: “I can’t believe I aced the test—I’m so shook!”
🌬️ Throw Shade: To subtly insult or criticize someone, often in a clever or indirect way.
Example: “She totally threw shade at him during her speech without even mentioning his name.”
🖤 Emo: Refers to someone who is overly emotional or has a dark, brooding personality, often associated with a specific music genre.
Example: “My playlist is full of sad songs—I’m feeling so emo today.”
👴 OK, Boomer: A sarcastic or dismissive phrase used to mock outdated opinions or older generations’ criticism of younger people.
Example: “You don’t understand TikTok? OK, Boomer.”
☕ Basic: Describes someone who follows mainstream trends, often in an unoriginal way.
Example: “Wearing Uggs and drinking pumpkin spice lattes is so basic.”
📜 Cheugy: Cringe-worthy or outdated, especially trends that were once popular but are no longer cool.
Example: “That inspirational quote on your wall is so cheugy.”
🍕 Big Back: A slang term used to describe someone as overweight or physically large, often in a critical way. It’s not usually a kind or complimentary term.
Example: “They called him Big Back after he finished the entire pizza himself.”
🎶 Hits Different: Something that feels extra impactful or better than usual.
Example: “That song just hits different on a rainy day.”
🎩 It’s Giving: Used to compare something to a specific vibe or idea.
Example: “Her outfit? It’s giving CEO on vacation.”
❗ Periodt: Used to emphasize a point or end a discussion.
Example: “This outfit is stunning, periodt.”
👏 Pop Off: To excel at something or to encourage someone to continue excelling.
Example: “You aced your finals? Pop off!”
🔥 Fire: Something awesome or impressive.
Example: “This playlist is fire.”
💄 Snatched: Looking great, often referring to someone’s appearance.
Example: “Her makeup was snatched for the party.”
✨ Serving: Displaying an amazing look or vibe.
Example: “She’s serving main character energy today.”
💪 Flex: To show off, either intentionally or humorously.
Example: “Weird flex, but okay.”
🍑 GYAT: Reaction to seeing someone attractive, often with a large bottom. Stands for “Girl, Your A** Thicc.”
Example: “Did you see her at the beach? GYAT!”
🌟 Auramaxxing: Enhancing one’s energy or vibe to appear more charismatic.
Example: “He’s auramaxxing with those cool shades.”
🙃 Delulu: Shorthand for “delusional,” often used humorously.
Example: “She thinks her crush likes her back? That’s delulu.”
👗 Drip: Refers to stylish clothing or accessories.
Example: “Check out my drip—this jacket is fire.”
🍳 Let Him Cook: Used when someone is in the middle of something impressive.
Example: “Did you see her debate skills? Let her cook!”
🌹 Smellmaxxing: Boosting attractiveness through scent.
Example: “He’s smellmaxxing with that cologne today.”
📝 Receipts: Proof of something, like text screenshots.
Example: “I’ve got receipts to prove she said that.”
🍑 Thicc: Used to describe someone with curves in a flattering way.
Example: “She’s so thicc in that dress!”
☕ Tea: Gossip or juicy information.
Example: “Spill the tea—what happened at the dance?”
🔒 Finsta: A private or secondary Instagram account.
Example: “She shared it on her finsta, not her main.”
🌱 Touch Grass: A call to reconnect with reality.
Example: “You’ve been online all day—go touch grass.”
Texting and Acronym Teen Slang
Here are some of the quick and snappy acronyms your teens are texting to keep the conversation flowing, the jokes landing, and the drama alive:
🔥 AF: “As f***,” used for emphasis.
Example: “This pizza is hot AF.”
🤐 IYKYK: “If you know, you know.” Refers to niche references or inside jokes.
Example: “The ending of that movie—iykyk.”
⏰ RN: Right now.
Example: “I’m busy RN, call me later.”
🗣️ TBH: To be honest.
Example: “TBH, I didn’t like that movie.”
Relationship Teen Slang
Teens and relationships—whether it’s their latest crush, a new bestie, or their ride-or-die crew—these years are full of feels. As they figure out who they are and who they vibe with, they’ve got a whole dictionary of slang to capture every emotion, connection, and interaction.
Here are some of the words you’ll want to know if you’re trying to keep up with the drama, the devotion, and everything in between:
💧 Thirsty: Desperate for attention, often romantic.
Example: “Posting selfies every five minutes? She’s so thirsty.”
📸 Thirst Trap: A flirty or provocative post meant to get attention.
Example: “Her vacation pics are just thirst traps.”
🎤 Stan: A devoted or enthusiastic fan.
Example: “I stan Beyoncé so hard.”
💞 Ship: To support or root for a romantic pairing, real or fictional.
Example: “I totally ship those two characters.”
😍 Simp: Someone overly devoted to another person, often romantically.
Example: “He bought her coffee every day—what a simp.”
💓 Catch Feels: Developing romantic feelings for someone.
Example: “I think I’m starting to catch feels for her.”
✨ Rizz: Charisma or charm, especially in flirting.
Example: “He’s got so much rizz; everyone loves him.”
💪 Sigma: Refers to someone who is independent and confident, often defying social norms.
Example: “He’s such a sigma—always doing his own thing.”
Cautionary Slang: Words that Matter
Some slang terms hint at deeper challenges teens may face, like mental health struggles or risky behaviors. Words like body count or KMS/KYS might seem harmless, but they can signal conversations about mental health, relationships, or risky behaviors. Staying informed helps you better support your teen and can open the door to talk with your teen about mental health, sex, and other important topics.
Here are some of the words you’ll want to know if you’re trying to stay informed about the serious and sensitive topics teens might be navigating
🚨 Body Count: Refers to the number of people someone has slept with.
Example: “They were gossiping about his body count.”
💔 KMS/KYS: “Kill myself” or “Kill yourself.” Always take seriously.
Example: “This test is so hard, KMS.”
🚬 Juul: A popular brand of e-cigarettes, often used as slang for vaping.
Example: “He got caught with a Juul in his backpack.”
🌀 Menty B: Short for “mental breakdown,” often used humorously to describe a moment of stress or emotional overwhelm.
Example: “I thought I lost my phone, and I almost had a menty B!”
📱 WTTP: Acronym for “Want to trade photos?” Often used for inappropriate requests.
Example: “He sent me a text saying WTTP, and I blocked him immediately.”
📍 CU46: Short for “See you for sex.”
Example: “That message said CU46—it’s definitely a red flag.”
🎉 Dayger: A party during the day.
Example: “The neighbors were throwing a loud dayger on Saturday.”
💃 Rager: A big, wild party.
Example: “I heard their house party turned into a full-on rager.”
🍸 Turnt: High or drunk (formerly “turnt up”).
Example: “Everyone at the club was completely turnt.”
📺 Netflix and Chill: Often a pretense for inviting someone over to hook up.
Example: “He asked me to Netflix and chill, but I know what he really meant.”
⚡ Plug: A person who provides drugs or other illicit items.
Example: “She told me she knows a plug for concert tickets.”
💔 Smash: To have casual sex.
Example: “They were joking about smashing after the party.”
Why Teens Use Slang
Teens use slang to connect with their squad, flex their individuality, and keep up with the ever-changing world of trends. It’s their secret handshake—a playful way to create inside jokes, establish belonging, and, let’s be honest, leave adults scratching their heads. From TikTok to group chats, slang is more than just words; it’s a way for teens to express themselves in ways that feel fresh, fun, and uniquely theirs.
But slang isn’t just about keeping up with trends. Many of the words and phrases teens use today have deep cultural roots that deserve recognition.
Understanding the Cultural Roots of Teen Slang
Much of today’s slang traces back to Black culture, particularly African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and Black queer culture, where these terms originated long before becoming mainstream. Words like “slay,” “periodt,” and “extra” carry histories that reflect cultural creativity and resilience.
By acknowledging these origins, we can honor the rich contributions behind today’s slang while understanding that it’s not purely a “Gen Z” invention. For parents, this awareness offers an opportunity to approach slang with respect and appreciation for the diverse influences shaping how teens communicate today.
The Wrap Up: Teen Slang
Understanding teen slang isn’t just about keeping up with the latest lingo—it’s about connecting with your teens on their level, respecting the cultural roots behind their words, and gaining insight into how they express themselves. Slang is more than just fun phrases; it’s a snapshot of a generation’s creativity, culture, and connection. By staying curious and open, you’ll not only decode their language but also foster stronger relationships. After all, learning their slang might just be the GOAT move of parenting! 🏆
