Some of the most important US slang includes, “cool,” “chill,” “woke,” and “sick” and are generally used for situations and feelings casually.
American slang includes informal words, phrases, and expressions highly used in the USA within different age groups and regions in everyday speech.
Being part of mainstream language, slang phrases are subject to constant evolution. Therefore, it’s important for parents to keep up with the ever-evolving digital lingo.
It will keep the conversations with the kids more personal and strengthen your connection with them.
Hence, take a careful look at the American slang words to familiarize yourself with American sayings and master using American phrases effortlessly!
Key Takeaways!
- American slang is an informal and nonstandard English used in everyday speech, but is avoided in formal writing.
- American sayings are creative and shortened.
- It’s important to keep an eye on the slang phrases your kids are using because not all of them are child-friendly.
The list below highlights the trendiest American slang words. So read between the lines to master American sayings like a pro!
Example: Let’s meet at 7pm tomorrow? Bet!!
Example: He claimed to run 4 miles in 4 minutes—that’s definitely cap.
Example: I high-key love the new Drake song. It has amazing beats and lyrics!
Example: He is always flexing his sneaker collection on Gram.
Example: Sunidhi Chauhan’s concert is lit, FR!
Example: You’re literally the best dancer on the team, bro, no cap!
Example: She works on what she believes is right and doesn’t care about others’ opinions—so based!
Example: What’s up, fam? How’s everyone doing?
Example: Alex’s party is boring. Let’s bounce to a club.
Example: He ditched the History test to go to the mall.
Example: The Annabelle movie is legit one of the scariest movies.
Example: My bad! I mistakenly spilled your drink.
Example: I’m low-key tired of travelling four hours daily for work.
Example: She left early today, dunno where exactly she went.
Example: No sweat! I’m always ready to serve you freshly prepared hot meals.
Example: Gordon Ramsay is the best cook in the world, periodt!
Example: Damn, check out her drip. Those heels are on fire!
Example: Sorry, I’m late. No worries!!!
Example: This cooking show is so awesome, word!
Example: Girl, spill the tea. What happened at your office party?
Example: She has got crazy rizz. Everyone really likes her aura.
Example: She’s totally into anthropology and will become a great anthropologist one day.
Example: She stitched me up for the incorrect presentation.
Example: Girl, your outfit is so spicy.
Example: The new Beyoncé track is dope.
Example: Hiya! How have you been?
Example: Hey man! How’s it going?
Example: Yo! What’s up, bro?
Example: Hey! Long time no see.
Example: Sup, buddy! How have you been?
Example: I’m going out for dinner with my bae tonight.
Example: Bread toast again? You’re so basic, man!
Example: I’m so broke, I don’t even have money for dinner today.
Examples: She did fireworks for her dog’s birthday—how extra!
Example: Don’t count on him—he’s super flaky.
Example: He’s totally jacked with all the tight gym schedules.
Example: Damn, she has a house in Malibu. She’s totally loaded.
Example: She’s such a Geology nerd!
Example: I’m a newbie in tennis, still learning the nitty-gritty of the game.
Example: Look at her abs—she’s totally ripped.
Example: She roasted him in front of everyone, so savage!
Example: What’s the sitch? Why is everyone freaking out here?
Example: Hey girl, what’s shaking?
Example: He buys her gifts every day, and she barely texts him—classic simp behavior.
Example: Relax, dude! Stop being so uptight over small issues.
Example: Wow, girl! You look like a snack in this yellow sundress.
Example: Guys, I’m so amped for Drake’s concert tonight.
Example: The overtime this weekend has really burned me out.
Example: Why is he behaving so crabby all of a sudden?
Example: The Kylie Jenner meme is so hilarious—I’m dead!
Example: Grover’s totally wildin’ by signing up for the Everest summit.
Example: Joey is feeling blue since his cat passed.
Example: He’s so down bad, constantly stalking her social media posts.
Example: I was so loopy in the morning due to the night out.
Example: I totally love the Vibe of your drama society.
Example: Phoebe is fully hyped for the concert tonight.
Example: Monica is salty about losing the Football game.
Example: The new Billie Eilish track is a banger.
Example: The new pizza outlet is a total bomb.
Example: The Kantara movie is totally epic. I’m definitely going to see it again.
Example: Everything’s Gucci! Don’t worry about tomorrow’s plan.
Example: Your skateboard trick is sick, bro!
Example: Your ball outfit is so snatched.
Example: Damn, bro, these fresh bun burgers slap.
Example: Shakira’s performance was lit in the award show.
Example: The weather’s so bleak today.
Example: Yak! Your pick-up lines are so cheesy.
Example: His behavior is so dorky.
Example: This house deal is definitely shady.
Example: Why he deleted all the messages. That’s SUS!
Example: This game is wack! Let’s stream something.
Example: Pizza for the win.
Example: Rachel’s presence at Emily’s wedding is a total bummer.
Example: You couldn’t make it to your child’s birth. That’s a shame!
Example: She failed her finals. What a pity!
Example: He got kicked out of the show last minute. That sucks!
Example: We cannot afford to take the L so work hard, guys.
Example: He was caught red-handed cheating on paper.
Example: I was planning to ask him out, but he ghosted me.
Example: I’m going to crash out my ex’s wedding.
Example: It’s way past your bedtime. You better hit the sack, RN!
Example: The result is due tomorrow. So, hold your horses till then.
Example: I feel you, girl! I also had a Prom disaster.
Example: This chewing noise gives me the ick.
Example: You’ve got finals next week. So you better hit the books.
Example: It’s giving the office baddie energy.
Example: Want to stream Netflix tonight? I’m down!!
Example: He let the cat out of the bag about her birthday bash.
Example: I had to pay hospital bills out of pocket, despite the insurance.
Example: Long story short, he proposed and cheated on her on the same day.
Example: The History test is a piece of cake.
Example: Since it’s your Golden Jubilee, the cake is on the house.
Example: He pigged out on the tacos.
Example: He tried to rizz up the new professor.
Example: You’ve been online all day. Go touch grass before dinner.
Example: Doja Cat’s new look is straight fire.
Example: She put him on blast online for cheating on her.
Example: You really nailed the marketing campaign.
Example: He thinks he can defeat me. Bless his heart!
Example: You think you can sneak out for a party? That dog won’t hunt!
From classic street talk to viral internet phrases, here are 100 American slang words that will help you sound like a native.
| S. No. | Slang | Meaning | Example |
| 01. | Uppity | Acting arrogantly and snobby, mainly beyond one’s status. | After the promotion, she started acting uppity. |
| 02. | Y’all | Abbreviation for “you all” and is used to address a group. | How are y’all doing tonight? |
| 03. | Yonder | Used in the southern US. It means over there, at some distance. | The corn maze is yonder past the trees. |
| 04. | Aloha | It’s a Hawaiian word for hello, goodbye, or love. | Aloha! Welcome to Los Maui. |
| 05. | For Sure | Used to agree upon something. It means ‘definitely’ or ‘absolutely.’ | Are you coming for the baseball game?For Sure! |
| 06. | Grom | Abbreviation for grommet. ‘Grom’ refers to a beginner, someone young, or naive. | They are hosting a competition exclusively for groms. |
| 07. | Bro | Informal short form for ‘brother,’ mainly used between friends. | What’s up, bro? |
| 08. | Hella | It means ‘very’ or ‘a lot.’ | Jack’s party was hella fun. |
| 09. | Gnarly | Originally surfer slang, ‘Gnarly’ means intense, extreme, or impressive. | This wave was gnarly. |
| 10. | Good Looks | It’s an appreciation used for saying thanks to someone. | You bought me lunch, good looks! |
| 11. | Rad | It means ‘awesome’ or ‘cool.’ | Your new look is rad. |
| 12. | Heavy | Something deep, emotional, or serious. | The Notebook is a heavy movie. |
| 13. | Yeah No | It’s a polite way to disagree. | Yeah no, I don’t like the idea of skipping finals. |
| 14. | Tryna | Abbreviation for trying to. | I’m tryna get into the team. |
| 15. | You Know | It’s a filler phrase that means ‘you understand’ or ‘right?’ | This is really awkward, you know! |
| 16. | Bang a Uey | Popular phrase in Northeast America. It means make a U-turn. | We missed the exit; bang a uey. |
| 17. | Book It | It means leave quickly and run fast. | The cops showed up and we booked it. |
| 18. | Flatlander | Someone who is not from a mountainous region. | It’s just a group of flatlanders. |
| 19. | Brick | A Northeastern American slang for extremely cold. | It’s brick out there—come, let’s grab a jacket. |
| 20. | Gavone | It’s an Italian-American slang term that means a greedy or uncouth person. | Stop being a Gavone, think about others as well. |
| 21. | Capeesh | A casual way of saying ‘understood.’ | You will cook the dinner tonight—capeesh? |
| 22. | Janky | Something low quality or broken that cannot be relied upon. | This machine is so janky. |
| 23. | Pie | An abbreviation for ‘Pizza,’ highly popular in New York. | Let’s grab a pie. |
| 24. | Statie | Highly used in New England, it means ‘state trooper’ or ‘ a state police officer.’ | Slow down! There’s a statie ahead. |
| 25. | Townie | Used for a local resident in a college town. | This café is full of townies |
| 26. | On Line | It means standing in a line. | I’ve been waiting in line for, like, three hours now. |
| 27. | Shkeeve | To be grossed out by something. | I shkeeve public bathrooms. |
| 28. | Strunz | Used for a stupid or foolish person. | That strunz stole my parking spot again. |
| 29. | Doesn’t Know Beans | An Italian-American slang that means knows nothing about something. | He doesn’t know beans about chess. |
| 30. | Oh For Cute | It’s an expression for admiration, used mainly in the upper Midwest. | This baby’s outfit is oh for cute!! |
| 31. | Pop | Soda or a cold drink. | Want a pop with your burger? |
| 32. | Supper | Used in the Midwest and South America. Supper means dinner. | We have fried chicken for supper. |
| 33. | Putting on the Dog | It means dressing up fancy or showing off. | She is putting on the dog for her friend’s wedding. |
| 34. | Tuckered Out | Being exhausted or very tired. | After the long hike, I’m tuckered out. |
| 35. | You Betcha | Means definitely or of course, and is used for agreeing with someone. | See you at the trade fair?You betcha! |
| 36. | Puthergoin | This American slang is popular in the Southern part, and it means fussing or getting worked up. | She was all puthergoin over the mess. |
| 37. | If I had my druthers | If I had my choice or preference. | If I had my druthers, I wouldn’t go out in the rain for class. |
| 38. | Mad | It’s an east coast slang that means extremely hard. | The math test was mad hard. |
| 39. | Guap | A lot of money, mainly cash. | He’s making guap at his new job. |
| 40. | Bubbler | Drinking fountain. | The bubbler’s by the entrance. |
| 41. | Holy Wah | It’s an expression of surprise. | Holy wah, the rain is wild. |
| 42. | Got the Holler Tail | Someone who is acting angry or all grumpy. | Don’t mess with him. He has got the holler tail today. |
| 43. | Doncha Know | It’s a tag question for agreement and an acronym for ‘don’t you know?’ | It’s so cold out there—doncha know? |
| 44. | Ope | Oops. | Ope! Sorry, I didn’t see you coming. |
| 45. | Caddy Corner | Diagonal from something. | The gas station is caddy-corner to the mall. |
| 46. | Catawampus | Used to denote something crooked, uneven, or out of order. | The tiles here are all catawampus. |
| 47. | Hotdish | A casserole or main dish. | Grandma’s hotdish is the best. |
| 48. | Wicked | It means ‘really’ or ‘extremely.’ | Titanic is wicked good. |
| 49. | Yerr | Greet or shout to get attention. | Yerrr! What’s up, bro? |
| 50. | Whip | Car | Guys, check out my new whip. |
| 51. | Hobnob | Someone who socializes with the people of higher status or influencers. | He hobnobs with celebrities. |
| 52. | Popo | Police | Hide the beer; popo is coming. |
| 53. | Airhead | A silly person or someone who is not smart. | He behaves like such an airhead sometimes. |
| 54. | Cram | Studying hard right before the test. | I need to cram for tomorrow’s test. |
| 55. | DM’s | Abbreviation for ‘Direct Messages.’ | Stop sliding into my DMs. |
| 56. | Steez | It means styling with ease or being cool effortlessly. | Damn, she’s such a steez. |
| 57. | Spox | Shorthand for spokesperson. | The Nestle’s spox cleared the air about Maggie. |
| 58. | Yuppie | Refers to young urban professionals who are often materialistic and career-driven. | Starbucks is full of yuppies with laptops. |
| 59. | A-Game | Someone’s best performance or effort. | I’ll bring my A-game to the meeting tomorrow. |
| 60. | Woke | A socially aware person, particularly about injustice and inequality. | She is really woke about air pollution. |
| 61. | Swole | Used to refer to a very muscular or fit person. | After grinding at the gym daily, he is really swole. |
| 62. | Hypebeast | Someone who is obsessed with fashion trends, specifically streetwear. | He spent $500 on sneakers, classic hypebeast. |
| 63. | Hip | It typically means cool, popular, and trendy. | All the hip people hang out here. |
| 64. | Lemon | Used for disappointing or defective products. | This coffee machine is a lemon. It broke in two days. |
| 65. | Chicken | Popular American slang for a cowardly person who gets scared easily. | Stop being a chicken and go tell her the truth. |
| 66. | Dump | It’s a messy or unpleasant place and can also mean ending a relationship. | She dumped him after catching him red-handed. |
| 67. | Jonesing For | A sudden craving or desperately wanting something. | I’m jonesing for some cake. |
| 68. | Score | Successfully achieving or accomplishing something. | She scored free tickets to Taylor’s concert. |
| 69. | Corny | Someone who is old-fashioned, cheesy, or overly sentimental | Your jokes are sometimes very corny. |
| 70. | Booze | An American slang for alcohol. | Let’s get some booze tonight. |
| 71. | Wasted | Used to refer to someone who is very drunk or intoxicated. | He got totally wasted at the office party yesterday. |
| 72. | In the bag | It means there’s a certainty or guarantee of something. | The basketball finals are in the bag! We are in the lead by 7 points. |
| 73. | You Bet | Absolutely or certainly. | Will you come tomorrow?You bet!! |
| 74. | Never mind | Casual slang term for saying ‘forget it’ or ‘don’t worry.’ | Never mind, we can meet some other day. |
| 75. | No biggie | Informal ways of saying ‘no problem’ or ‘not a big deal.’ | Sorry, I’m late! No biggie. |
| 76. | Once in a Blue Moon | Very rarely. | We go out for family dinner once in a blue moon. |
| 77. | Keep in Touch | Casual way of saying stay in touch. | Let’s keep in touch after office. |
| 78. | Show Up | Arriving or appearing somewhere. | He didn’t show up for the date. |
| 79. | Get Hitched | Getting married. | She’s getting hitched in a week. |
| 80. | A Turn-Off | It is something that makes someone lose interest. | Chewing noise is such a turn-off. |
| 81. | I’m Beat | Refers to being very tired or exhausted. | I’m beat from the gymnastics class. |
| 82. | Tie the Knot | Another American slang for getting married. | After 5 years of dating, they’re finally tying the knot. |
| 83. | Couch Potato | A very lazy person who always watches TV. | Stop being a couch potato and start studying. |
| 84. | Party Animal | Someone who parties a lot. | Chandler is a party Animal. |
| 85. | It Sucked | Casual phrase for referring to something bad or unpleasant. | The movie sucked—a total waste of money. |
| 86. | Get Fired | It means losing one’s job. | He got fired yesterday. |
| 87. | Have a Blast | To have a great time. | We had a blast at the concert. |
| 88. | Ride Shotgun | It means sitting in the first passenger seat of the car. | I call riding shotgun. |
| 89. | Have Dibs on | Claiming something before others. | I’ve got dibs on the last pastry. |
| 90. | Rip Someone Off | Cheating or overcharging someone. | The branded stores totally rip off people. |
| 91. | Stan | Used for someone who is an obsessive fan or supporter. | I Stan Beyoncé! |
| 92. | Turnt | A person who is energetic, excited, or hyped mainly from partying. | The concert crowd was turnt. |
| 93. | Cheugy | Someone or something that is trying too hard to be trendy but is outdated in a basic way. | Skinny jeans are so cheugy. |
| 94. | Emo | A popular American slang for emotional, moody, or relating to style of music and fashion. | He is still in his emo phase. |
| 95. | Wig | Casual phrase for saying something is amazing or mind-blowing. | Your dance was wig; it totally stunned me. |
| 96. | Boujee | Someone who is trying to be fancy, high-class, or luxurious but often pretentiously. | She’s so boujee with her designer bags. |
| 97. | Lewk | Mainly used for a striking or a fashionable look, | Girl, this dress is lewk!! |
| 98. | Low | It means feeling sad or depressed. | I feel low after dance class. |
| 99. | Finsta | Refers to a fake or private Instagram account made exclusively for close friends. | She posts memes on her Finsta. |
| 100. | Yikes | An expression of shock, embarrassment, or disapproval. | She’s back with him, even though he cheated. Yikes! |
These are the most popular American slang words that you should definitely know to speak with confidence.
| S. No. | American Slang | Meaning |
| 01. | Fresh Meat | A newcomer in a group or place. |
| 02. | Pass the Buck | Shifting responsibility to someone else. |
| 03. | Taken for Granted | Not valued or appreciated. |
| 04. | Hit the Road | Leaving or starting a journey. |
| 05. | Loose Canon | Someone who is unpredictable or reckless. |
| 06. | Hit the Spot | To get exactly what was needed. |
| 07. | All-Ears | Listening carefully or paying complete attention. |
| 08. | Go Dutch | Equally, splitting the cost of something, especially a bill. |
| 09. | Take a Rain Check | Postponing or delaying an invitation. |
| 10. | Wrap Up | To finish or conclude something. |
| 11. | Tune Out | Stop paying attention to. |
| 12. | Around the Clock | Doing something nonstop, all day and night. |
| 13. | All-Nighter | Staying awake all night, either working or studying. |
| 14. | Armchair CEO | Someone who criticizes without having real experience. |
| 15. | I’m Baby | I want care or attention. |
| 16. | Open up Pandora’s Box | Starting something that leads to many problems. |
| 17. | Off the Chain | Extremely fun or amazing. |
| 18. | Amped Up | Totally excited or full of energy. |
| 19. | Bye, Felicia | A dismissive goodbye, usually to someone unimportant. |
| 20. | On Point | Exactly right or perfect. |
| 21. | Cancel Culture | Socially rejecting a person due to inappropriate behavior. |
| 22. | Grill | Intensely questioning someone. |
| 23. | Have Beef | Having conflict or issues with someone. |
| 24. | NoHo | Neighborhood in Manhattan. |
| 25. | Three Commas Club | Billionaires who have three commas in their income. |
| 26. | Zombie Mood | Feeling drained or completely exhausted. |
| 27. | Phubbing | Looking at a phone to ignore someone. |
| 28. | All Hat, No Cattle | Someone who talks big but lacks substance. |
| 29. | Dale | Let’s go or let’s do it. |
| 30. | Florida Man | Someone who has bizarre or stupid behavior. |
| 31. | JIT | American slang for a younger person or kid. |
| 32. | Bussin | Gen Z slang for something very delicious in taste. |
| 33. | Down the Shore | Going to the beach. |
| 34. | Fat Sandwich | New Jersey phrase for a sandwich stuffed with fried food. |
| 35. | TBH | Shorthand for ‘To be honest.’ |
| 36. | Mahalo | Hawaiian word for ‘Thank You!’ |
| 37. | Shoots | Okay and see you in the Hawaiian language. |
| 38. | Disco Fries | New Jersey fries topped with gravy and cheese. |
| 39. | Hit the MAC | Go to the ATM for money. |
| 40. | Jersey Slide | Changing lanes suddenly without giving any indication. |
| 41. | SMH | Abbreviation for ‘Shaking My Head.’ Used for disapproval. |
| 42. | GOAT | Greatest of All Time. |
| 43. | FOMO | Fear of missing out. |
| 44. | TFW | That feeling when. |
| 45. | FYI | For your information. |
| 46. | LOL | Laugh out loud and lots of love. |
| 47. | RSVP | Request for response to an invitation. |
| 48. | LMIRL | Let’s meet in real life. |
| 49. | Sigma | Confident and independent man. |
| 50. | AFK | Away from keyboard. |
| 51. | At One’s Fingertips | Something easily accessible. |
| 52. | Big Deal | Very important or significant. |
| 53. | Break the Ice | Start a friendly conversation. |
| 54. | Blown Away | Extremely impressed or surprised. |
| 55. | Check Out | To leave or to look at something. |
| 56. | Drive Me Up the Wall | Greatly annoying or irritating someone. |
| 57. | Flunk | Failing a test or class. |
| 58. | Cut-it-Out | Stop doing something that annoys others. |
| 59. | Cop-Out | A weak excuse. |
| 60. | Gripe | Complaining. |
| 61. | Hang in There | Stay strong and don’t give up. |
| 62. | Hold Up | Wait or stop. |
| 63. | Luck Out | Getting very lucky. |
| 64. | Play it by Ear | To improvise or see how things are going. |
| 65. | Out of the Question | Not allowed or impossible. |
| 66. | Pull One’s Leg | Teasing someone. |
| 67. | Put-Down | Insulting or making a remark to hurt someone. |
| 68. | Scam | A fraudulent scheme. |
| 69. | Pull Strings | Using influence to get something done. |
| 70. | Wet Blanket | Someone who is dull and keeps others from having fun. |
| 71. | Under the Weather | Feeling sick. |
| 72. | Under the Table | Something secret or illegal. |
| 73. | Through the Grapevine | Hearing something through informal or illegal channels. |
| 74. | Touch Base | Discussing future plans with someone. |
| 75. | Underhanded | Dishonest or sneaky. |
| 76. | Eager Beaver | Someone hardworking or enthusiastic. |
| 77. | Earworm | A catchy tune stuck in the head. |
| 78. | For the Birds | Useless or unimportant. |
| 79. | Elephant in the Room | An obvious problem that people are ignoring. |
| 80. | Gets My Goat | Annoys or irritates me. |
| 81. | Quit Cold Turkey | Suddenly stop an old habit. |
| 82. | Smell a Rat | Sensing something suspicious. |
| 83. | Call the Shots | To be in control or make decisions. |
| 84. | Drop the Ball | Making a mistake or failing at a task. |
| 85. | Cheap Shot | An unfair or mean remark from someone. |
| 86. | Dead Ringer | An exact look-alike. |
| 87. | Hit the Mark | Being accurate or successful. |
| 88. | In the Ballpark | Approximately correct. |
| 89. | Out of League | Too good or unattainable. |
| 90. | Below the Belt | Something unfair or cruel. |
| 91. | Make the Cut | Qualifying or getting selected. |
| 92. | Take Sides | Supporting one person or group in a conflict. |
| 93. | Toe the Line | To conform to rules and expectations. |
| 94. | Give Me a Hand | Help me. |
| 95. | It’s Like Pulling Teeth | A task very difficult to do. |
| 96. | Itchy Feet | Strong desire to travel or move. |
| 97. | Bought the Farm | To die. |
| 98. | Graveyard Shift | Overnight work shift. |
| 99. | Party Pooper | Someone who ruins the fun. |
| 100. | Shoot the Breeze | Chatting casually. |
Most of the American sayings and slang are safe for kids. However, some of them have explicit meanings, so depending on the context, American slang words can be both safe and unsafe for kids to use.
Popular American slang phrases like Slay, GOAT, Drip, Stan, etc., are generally safe for kids, and, there’s no problem in children using them. Meanwhile, slang like Dope, KYS, etc., is not safe for your little fellow. Hence, you should keep an eye out for such phrases.
I recommend installing the Radarro parental control in order to create an additional layer of safety against strangers and cyberattacks
Language never stands still! Hence, the radarro slang dictionary will help you stay updated with the latest American slang words.
Understanding these expressions will help you in naturally engaging with the native speakers. That’s why it’s important for parents to stay updated with new slang words to decode their teen’s texts.
Some of the most important US slang includes, “cool,” “chill,” “woke,” and “sick” and are generally used for situations and feelings casually.
The most typical American sayings are ‘a dime of dozen,’ which means common; ‘piece of cake,’ used for saying easy; and ‘the ball is in your court,’ which means it’s your turn to act.
To seamlessly speak in American slang, you need to immerse yourself in pop culture, then try practicing with the native speakers, and lastly, start incorporating it into your daily conversations.
The expression “cool” in American slang means awesome, impressive, and fashionable, and is typically used for giving general approval.
