This article lists and defines numerous slang words and phrases that are commonly used by those of the Generation Z and millennial generations. Its target audience is individuals who are older than those in the aforementioned groups who want to better understand this slang for any reason.
The days of “LOL,” “ROFL,” and “GTG” are quickly disappearing. The slang vocabulary that today’s youth uses has quickly evolved into an amalgamation of strange words and phrases that sound like a foreign language to those who aren’t in the loop. If you don’t have the slightest idea what “poggers,” “yeet,” or “shooketh” means, rest easy; this article is your compendium, and with it, you’ll be on the fast track to understanding the lingo that dominates the online and offline conversations of today’s youth.
Based:
This word is used to describe individuals or groups that have committed some kind of commendable action, or hold commendable and agreeable morals. In an example sentence, “I think Mr. Smith’s pretty based. He let us hang out and eat pizza on the last day of school in his class”.
Catch these hands:
If someone is about to “catch these hands,” it means they are about to be punched or beaten up by the speaker. It is usually used jokingly, but it can be used in serious contexts as well. For example, “Mike, if you take another one of my carrots, you’re gonna catch these hands.”
Clout:
This word refers to fame and experience in a certain field or activity. In a sentence, “Dude, don’t diss Elon Musk. He’s got huge clout in the space industry.”
Cringe:
This word is the exact opposite of “based.” It’s used to describe individuals or groups that have committed some kind of offensive action, or hold disagreeable and unsavory morals. It’s also used to describe individuals or groups that have done something incredibly embarrassing, to the point where it might cause the user to recoil in mental disgust. A stronger alternative is “cringelord.” Used in a sentence, “Dude, stealing candy from trick-or-treaters is really cringe. Don’t talk to me ever again.”
Extra:
To call something “extra” is to say that it is unnecessary and indicative of someone who is trying too hard to reach some goal. For example, if a teacher mandates business casual attire for a speech project and a student shows up in a full suit and tie to try and get extra points, his fellow students would probably call his attire “extra.”
Finna:
This word is used to replace the phrases “going to” or “about to.” Used in a sentence, “I’m finna buy myself some coffee at the café. You want anything?”
Lit:
This word is used to describe objects that are extremely cool or awesome according to the one using the word. For example, an individual might say, “This party is extremely lit. Really liking the strobe lights, and the music is awesome”.
Low key/high key:
“Secretly” and “obviously” respectively. If someone is running on three hours of sleep but looks mostly fine, they’re “low key tired.” If they’re slumping over and jerking awake every 30 seconds, they’re “high key tired.”
Mood/that’s a mood:
These phrases are used to express agreement with an opinion or statement that someone else has made. “Big mood” is an alternative phrase that increases the phrase’s intensity. In a sentence, “Dude, that’s a big mood. I hate shoveling while it’s snowing too”.
Noob/n00b:
Short for “newbie,” the word is a derogatory label for individuals who are new at something and also bad at it. It is most commonly used to describe players in a video game, but it can also be applied in real life. In a sentence, “You’re such a noob at this game. Come back when you’ve practiced for a hundred hours”.
Oof:
This word is used to convey disappointment, sadness, and/or sympathy. “Big” can be added in front of the word to increase its intensity. In a sentence, “I got second place in the tennis tournament, big oof.”
Poggers/PogChamp:
Poggers, or PogChamp as it was first called, is the name of a popular emoticon from the internet streaming platform Twitch.TV. The emoticon depicts popular streamer Ryan Gutierrez conveying a feeling of immense excitement and surprise by opening his mouth in a circular shape. In textual form, users of the slang might add “poggers” or “PogChamp” to any part of their message to convey a similar sense of excitement. For example, “I just got a new phone, its camera is pretty poggers.”
Shook/Shooketh:
The use of this word in text conveys that the user is in shock about something which they have experienced. An individual might be “shook” about a celebrity announcing an engagement, or about the closing of a popular chain store.
Sksksk:
A modern equivalent of “LOL.” It’s used to convey laughter but can also apply to situations where one is embarrassed or has made a mistake. For example, “Dude, I totally failed the biology exam today sksksk.”
Stan:
To be a big fan of, or to express one’s extreme interest in something. For example, teens today might “stan” famous actors like Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr.
Sus:
Short for “suspicious”. Saying something is “sus” is just an easier way of saying that something’s weird and not worth the time, effort, or risk. In a sentence, “The e-mail I got yesterday looked pretty sus. Probably a scam or something”.
Swag:
A derivative of the word “swagger”, the word swag is used to describe something or someone that is cool and potentially expensive. For example, “That handbag’s pretty swag. Where’d you pick it up?”
Take the L/Take the W:
“Take the loss” and “take the win” respectively. If someone is about to lose in any kind of situation, be it a bet, a game, or a failed pickup line, a friend might tell them to “take the L”. It is possible to simply speak the letters “L” or “W” to convey the same ideas. An individual might say “I was so close to winning that match of Fortnite yesterday, but my mom said it was lights out. Kinda had to take the L there.”
This slaps/XYZ slaps:
Typically used to describe music, saying that something slaps is to say that it is of high energy and/or quality. In a sentence, “Did you listen to her new album? It slaps so freakin’ hard!”
Throw shade [at someone]:
To insult someone and their behavior, often secretly or indirectly. In a sentence, “Dude, did you hear Mark throwing shade at Susie at lunch? He must really be holding a grudge against her for beating him at soccer”.
Woke:
Used to describe an individual or a group that the user believes to be incredibly smart or knowledgable. It can also be used to describe an individual or a group that holds similar beliefs to the user but is more active in putting them into action. In a sentence, “Dude, Josh was totally woke in French today. He got a ten out of ten on the speaking quiz!”
Yeet:
This word is primarily spoken aloud as a way to exclaim one’s excitement or to announce an imminent attack of some sort by the speaker. For example, an individual might exclaim “YEET!” before suddenly hugging a friend, or digging into a meal. The word may also be used to describe the tossing or throwing of something. For example, an individual might “yeet their phone at their bed” because it’s not working properly.
Keep the above definitions in mind, and you’ll have an easier time comprehending conversations between those under the age of 30 than before. If you’re feeling brave enough, perhaps you’ll even consider engaging them with their own lingo… good luck!
(c) Innovator’s Guide Switzerland, May 2020