In today’s age, there are so many new words that, if you’re not actively using, it can be hard to keep up. With the help of social media Generation Z (Gen Z) is especially good at spreading new slang. Some are abbreviations and some words are just completely made up. A lot of the time it just sounds like incomplete sentences, but once you understand, you are hooked. Here is a guide for those who are not up to date on the most recent Gen Z slang.
Slay – This discourse marker is used when someone does or says something that you think is cool or funny. It’s used as a praise when someone does something, and does it well.
Ex: Person One: “I finished all my homework!”
Person Two: “Slay!”
Ate that up – (adj.) To do something really well.
Ex: “You ate the math quiz up!”
OD – (v.) Overdoing it
Ex: Person One: “You have to read 10 chapters for homework.”
Person Two: “Nah, that’s OD.”
Giving – (adj.) This is used to describe something that is cool.
Ex: “Your outfit is giving.”
Girlboss – (adj.) This is used to describe anyone who is giving feminist vibes, or is just being inspirational, but in a joking manner.
Ex: Person One: “Micheal is listening to Harry’s House.”
Person Two: “He’s such a girlboss.”
Ex 2: Person One: “I’m getting all of my work done now, so I can go out later.”
Person Two: “Okay, girlboss.”
Mad – (adj.) This is used as an adjective like very or extremely. Can be compared to “wicked.”
Ex: “It’s mad hot.”
Beef – (n.) This is used to describe when two or more people are having a disagreement.
Ex: “I don’t like her; we have beef.”
Rizz – (v.) Charisma. This is used to describe someone when they are really good at pulling, or successfully attracting people.
Ex: “I rizzed her up; we’re going out this weekend.”
Bussin – (adj.) This is used when something is really good. “I use it when something tastes immaculate,” Shaffer said.
Ex: “That pizza was BUSSIN.”
Sus – (adj.) Suspicious. This is used when something is strange. “You never want to be sus,” said Shaffer. “This is a negative term.”
Ex: “The school lunch looks kind of sus.”
Yktv – Acronym for You Know The Vibes. Used when you’re excited about something.
Ex: “I’m going out later yktv!”
Ick – (n.) This is used when someone does something cringey and it changes your whole perception of that person. “The ick is when you cringe so hard your body can’t take it anymore,” Shaffer said.
Ex: “He gave me the ick when he drank milk with his lunch.”
Dupe – (n.) A dupe short for duplicate. A dupe is something that is supposed to be a cheaper alternative to an expensive product but achieves the same result.
Ex: “The Elf Halo Glow is a good Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Dupe!”
These words come naturally to the community that uses them. You can now communicate with the average slang using highschooler with the help of this guide, and eat it up using all your new vocabulary.
