120+ Modern Teen Slang Words That Will Leave You Stunned

Q: What slang do teens use today?

Kids today use trendy phrases like ‘ate,’ ‘bussin,’ ‘no cap,’ ‘bet,’ and ‘rizz’ in their daily conversations to express themselves.

Q: What is lowkey slang for teens?

‘Lowkey’ in teen slang means something subtle, moderate, or secret. Teens use it to describe when they don’t want to make a big deal about something.

Q: What do the cool kids say in 2025?

In 2025, the most popular slang words among teens include ‘rizz,’ ‘drip,’ ‘cap,’ ‘mid,’ and ‘brain rot.’

Khushboo Kumari

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Digital Safety Content Writer

18 min read

Post Contents

120+ Popular Teen Slangs That You Must Know
Wrapping Up!
FAQs

Teen slang words literally feel like a whole new language that millennial parents like us struggle to decipher.

Sometimes, I am not able to decode what my kid is saying in his cool Gen Z slang lingo with his friends. That’s when I realized how strong the language barrier can become if we as parents don’t try to keep up with the changing teen lingo.

So, if you’ve ever felt lost in teen talk, I’ve got your back! Here’s the ultimate teen slang words list that will help you communicate like a pro with the younger generation without even trying too hard.

120+ Popular Teen Slangs That You Must Know

This teen slang words list is going to be your ultimate savior and will help you seamlessly navigate the new teenage slang words so that you become the certified slay-age parents.

S.No.	Slang	Meaning	Example
1.	Bet	It’s a casual way of saying ‘okay’ or ‘sure thing.’ This is generally used to show agreement or affirmation.	– Will you come to Hunter’s party tonight? – Bet!!
2.	Fire	A form of compliment and a playful way of saying ‘amazing,’ ‘impressive,’ or ‘really good.’	The new Taylor Swift track is totally fire!!!
3.	Flex	Used for someone who does a lot of showing off and bragging.	She always flaunts her luxurious bag. What a flex!
4.	Drip	Generally used as a compliment for someone’s awesome fashion sense to tell them that their outfit is cool and stylish.	Damn, girl! Your drip is giving some serious boss energy today.
5.	Bussin	Usually used for food to say it’s really delicious and a delight for taste buds.	This pasta and hamburger is bussin.
6.	Slay	It means to succeed spectacularly, dominate, or look amazing in a particular outfit.	You totally slayed the presentation with that European client.
7.	Goated	GOAT means “Greatest of All Time” to describe someone who is best in their field.	Outfit so goated, even Shein is taking inspo from it.
8.	Lit	It means something is pretty exciting, fun, and awesome and is used to describe something as great, enjoyable, and high-energy.	Jeff Bezos’s marketing strategy is so lit.
9.	W Take	Used to refer to a good or winning opinion and perspective that is accepted by a majority.	You said pineapple belongs to Pizza. W Take!!
10.	Main Character	A popular teen slang prominently used for someone who is always the center of attention or has the main character energy.	She was totally giving off main character energy while walking in those high heels.
11.	Cap/No Cap	‘Cap’ means a lie or exaggeration, and no cap refers to telling the truth.	He flexed that he can bench 300 lbs—that’s cap.
12.	Dead	It means something is so funny or shocking that it killed you.	That Taylor Swift meme had me dead.
13.	Low-key	This slang term is used to refer to something that is subtle, secret, or quiet.	I low-key want to have dinner with you tonight.
14.	High-key	It’s the opposite of low-key and means very openly and intensely. This phrase is used to express a strong or unashamed feeling and opinion about something.	I high-key love the Friends show!
15.	Period	A casual way of saying ‘end of discussion.’ It is used for emphasizing finality or strong agreement.	I won’t go to Anne’s gender reveal party, period!
16.	Extra	It means to be over-the-top and is used to refer to someone who is dramatic or excessive.	He brought a full karaoke setup to the school picnic. So Extra!!
17.	Sus	Shorthand for suspicious and is used to highlight someone’s shady or questionable behavior.	Why is he being so nice all of a sudden? It’s kind of SUS!
18.	Cringe	Used to refer to something that is embarrassing or awkward, mainly in a secondhand way.	That influencer’s fake crying was pure cringe.
19.	Canceled	It means being rejected or boycotted for a bad take or bad behavior.	He got canceled for those racist and sexist tweets.
20.	Ick	A popular expression used to denote a sudden turn-off or feeling of disgust.	Rachel wanted pizza with pineapple and sauce. I got instant ick!
21.	Gaslight	Manipulating someone to an extent that they question their very own reality or memory.	He kept denying what he said, total gaslighting behavior.
22.	L Take	Used to refer to a bad or unpopular opinion.	Saying tacos are overrated—L take!
23.	Ghosted	One of the teen slang words that is highly popular in Gen Z dating culture. It means suddenly cutting off all communication without giving any proper explanation.	We went on two dates, and then he ghosted me.
24.	Clout Chaser	Someone who does everything only to get fame, attention, or popularity.	He only hangs with influencers. Such a clout chaser!
25.	Mid	Short form for mediocre, and mainly used to refer to something average and not impressive.	The Conjuring movie is so mid, definitely not worth the hype!
26.	Pick Me	Someone who is trying too hard to get all the attention by putting others in a down position.	Always criticizing other girls—such a ‘pick me’ behavior.
27.	Salty	Means bitter, upset, angry, annoyed, or irritated over a minor inconvenience.	He’s salty because he lost the baseball finals.
28.	Try Hard	Someone who puts in a lot of effort in order to impress others or seek validation.	She wore a ball gown to a casual dinner—such a try-hard.
29.	Shady	Used for a dishonest person with sneaky or suspicious behavior.	He offered her free drinks, but something is shady about it.
30.	Basic	Used to refer to something mainstream, unoriginal, or stereotypical, and is often used for online trends.	You like pumpkin spice lattes? That’s so basic!
31.	Dry Texter	Typically used to refer to someone who texts with minimal effort, thought, and enthusiasm.	I hate texting him—he’s such a dry texter.
32.	L	Shorthand for ‘loser,’ and is used to denote a loss or failure.	He tried spreading rumors about Jessica, which made her popular—such an L move.
33.	Stan	An overzealous and obsessive fan who blindly supports a public figure or celebrity.	I Stan Beyoncé so hard!
34.	Ratio	Denotes a post that has more replies or quote tweets than likes.	His dumb tweets got ratioed instantly.
35.	Yeet	Throwing something with force or excitement and is also used as an exclamation.	Yeet, he has the limited edition Louis Vuitton backpack.
36.	Bop	Mainly used for complimenting a song that is really catchy or good in terms of beats and music.	This new Tyla song is a bop.
37.	Slaps	Used for describing a song or something that hits hard or is really amazing.	The beats of this album slap so hard.
38.	Simp	Someone who does too much for a person they like, and it often gets unreciprocated.	She bought him a PS5, and they aren’t even dating—such a Simp.
39.	Yay/Nay	Yay means yes and Nay means no. It is casually used in a poll.	Movie night today? Yay or nay?
40.	Snack	Used to refer to someone who has really attractive looks.	Damn, boy, you look like a snack in this three-piece suit.
41.	Zoomies	A sudden burst of hyper energy and excitement, used particularly in reference to pets and people.	I need a coffee RN to get zoomies.
42.	Sheesh	An exclamation of disbelief or admiration to hype things up.	Sheesh, these new edition One Piece sneakers are so good.
43.	Thirsty	Someone desperate for attention or affection, often in a romantic or sexual way.	He literally liked all her Instagram pictures. Classic thirsty behavior.
44.	BAE	It stands for ‘Before Anyone Else.’ BAE is a term of endearment used for someone special.	Planning to chill with my bae tonight.
45.	Curve	Rejecting someone mainly in a romantic way.	He tried his luck, but she curved him immediately.
46.	Ship	Shortened for relationship, Ship means to support or desire a romantic relationship between two people. They can be real-life individuals or fictional characters.	They look so cute together; I totally ship them.
47.	Thirst Trap	A social media post might be a photo or video that intends to attract sexual attraction, validation, or admiration.	He dropped a thirst trap just a moment after breaking up.
48.	Situationship	It’s Gen Z dating, teen slang that refers to a romantic relationship between two people lacking defined labels or commitment.	We both have commitment issues so we are in a situationship.
49.	DMs	Stands for ‘Direct Messages,’ which includes private messages sent between two users on any social media platform.	He always slides into my DMs late at night.
50.	Glow Up	Teenage slang word that refers to a positive transformation, particularly in appearance, lifestyle, or confidence.	Robert has had a major glow-up since high school.
51.	IRL	Shorthand for ‘In Real Life,’ mainly used to distinguish between social media platforms or virtual worlds and the real world.	We talk online on a daily basis but haven’t met IRL.
52.	NPC	It stands for ‘Non-Playable Character,’ to describe someone who is perceived as unoriginal or lacking individual thought, especially the person who mindlessly adheres to a script similar to a video game character.	He behaves like an NPC without any real feelings and emotions.
53.	OOMF	Acronym for ‘One of My Followers/Friends’ and is used on social media platforms to refer to someone without naming them directly.	OOMF followers sent me flowers today.
54.	OOTD	New teen slang for ‘Outfit of the Day,’ and is used mainly on social media to showcase outfits and accessories online for a specific event or day.	Hey fam, check out my OOTD for this festive season.
55.	AFK	It’s an acronym for ‘Away from Keyboard,’ to indicate that someone is temporarily not available online, especially on gaming and messaging platforms.	Be right back! Going AFK to have lunch.
56.	TBH	A common slang abbreviation for ‘To Be Honest,’ and is used to preface a candid statement or opinion honestly.	TBH, I am not a fan of the Wednesday series.
57.	FYI	Shorter form for ‘For Your Information,’ used in online texts and messages to share some valid information that is important from the sender’s POV.	FYI, the finals are postponed until further notice.
58.	TLDR	Famous internet acronym for ‘Too Long Didn’t Read,’ used for summarizing long content and lengthy texts or documents.	TLDR, send me the summary of the final PDF.
59.	CEO of	A modern teenager slang meaning someone is a master or an expert at something.	She’s the CEO of comebacks. No one can ever win an argument with her.
60.	TFW	A shorthand for ‘That Face/Feeling When,’ and is used to express an emotion or reaction to a particular situation or incident.	TFW when you realize it’s Monday again.
61.	OFC	Teen slang abbreviation for ‘Of Course,’ mainly used in texting to quickly agree with something or show agreement to a request.	OFC, I’ll be there at your birthday party.
62.	FYP	It stands for ‘For You Page,’ to refer to a personalized feed that is algorithm-driven and appears mainly on social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube.	Damn, girl, your video finally arrived on my FYP.
63.	HMU	HMU is a teen slang that means ‘Hit Me Up’ and is used to show interest in connecting with someone.	I need help with my homework. HMU when you reach home.
64.	LMAO	An internet acronym for ‘Laugh My A Off,’** to compliment someone when you think, they are incredibly funny.	That stand-up video had me LMAO.
65.	ASAP	Abbreviation for ‘As Soon As Possible,’ and is used to tell someone they need to do something as fast as they can.	Give me the final draft ASAP.
66.	Sweaty	Someone who is overly competitive and trying too hard to win, especially in gaming.	Bro, it’s just a friendly match! Would you stop being so sweaty?
67.	Noob	Used as a playful tease or light insult to refer to a new or inexperienced player.	Do not rush in killing people like a noob. Let’s make a strategy first.
68.	Grind	Constantly putting in immense hard work to succeed, especially in gaming.	I’ve been grinding for two days to clear level 50.
69.	Lag	Refers to the delay between player action and server response.	Sorry for the defeat, I was lagging a lot.
70.	Buff	Denotes an improvement to a character’s ability in gaming or virtual space.	They buff the main character with advanced armor.
71.	GG	Shorthand for ‘Good Game,’ and is usually said at the end of the match.	It was a GG! We won despite all the odds!
72.	Cracked	Someone who is extremely good at something, specifically in the context of gaming.	He totally cracked at the Fortnite game.
73.	OP	A casual abbreviation for ‘Overpowered’ to denote that something is too unfair or strong.	This character’s ability is way too OP!
74.	Nerf	It means reducing the power or effectiveness of something, often a software update.	They better nerf that gun; it’s lame.
75.	Main	This phrase is used for a character or role a player uses the most.	I main Mercy in the Overwatch game.
76.	Core	Refers to a vibe or aesthetic that defines someone’s core personality or vibe.	Your outfit is giving clean girl core.
77.	Vibe-Check	It means testing someone’s energy or behavior to see if it matches the mood of the people or an individual.	She failed the vibe check by yelling at the hotel staff.
78.	Valid	Used for someone who is approved and admired by others, often in terms of looks and opinions.	He made such a valid remark in the courtroom.
79.	Delulu	It means being delusional in a humorous or conscious way.	Will it be so delulu, If I think I might get the show?
80.	Clean	A very casual teen slang term for referring to something stylish, smooth or impressive.	That outfit transition, mid-performance, was so clean.
81.	Gatekeep	To keep something exclusive by not letting others know about it.	I’ve been gatekeeping this amazing hair serum.
82.	That’s So Me	Generally used when something embarrassing or funny seems so relatable.	Hey, look at that girl getting awkward while her friend is crying. That’s so me!
83.	Feral	Indicates a wild, unhinged, or chaotic behavior, usually in a playful or dramatic way.	When the sale went live, I went feral!
84.	Vibe Shift	Refers to a noticeable change in mood, style, or social energy.	Did you feel that major vibe shift when he walked in?
85.	Real One	Used for a close friend who is really trustworthy, loyal, and genuine.	She is my real one, as she stayed with me through it all.
86.	Chaotic	Someone who is wild and unpredictable, mainly in a funny or unpredictable way.	Posting an Instagram story at 3am. Such a chaotic energy!
87.	Mood	It refers to a strong, relatable feeling or situation.	Listening to Arijit Singh in the rain is such a mood.
88.	Beef	A casual way of referring to a conflict, argument, or bad mood between two people.	They’ve had a major beef since high school.
89.	Boomer	Used to denote an older person, especially one born between the years of 1946 and 1964.	He doesn’t understand the internet lingo. Such a boomer!
90.	Sauce	It means style, confidence, and flair and is generally used to request the source or origin of something, especially of a social media post.	Your edit is so good. What’s the sauce?
91.	Big Yikes	This phrase is a more intense version of Yikes and is often used when something is really awkward.	He proposed at someone else’s wedding. Big Yikes!!
92.	Soft Launch	A subtle hint or reveal of a relationship by an online post, story, or video.	Everyone soft-launched their partners in the Ghibli trend.
93.	Tapped In	Someone who is aware, informed, or actively involved in a niche or trend.	You’re really tapped in about jazz music.
94.	Viral	Something or someone that is widely popular or shared online on social media platforms.	Her classical dance video went viral overnight, making her a dancing sensation.
95.	Petty	It means being intentionally small or spiteful, even over small things.	She unfollowed him right after the argument. How petty!
96.	Boomin’	A gen Z teen slang term for something thriving, exciting, successful, or very active.	Your party was boomin’ last night.
97.	Hard Launch	Refers to a public and very obvious launch of a relationship.	He posted private trip pictures with her fiancé. That’s a hard launch!
98.	Pull Up	To show up somewhere, but in an uninvited and casual way.	He pulls up at the party without informing anyone.
99.	Lurking	It refers to watching someone online without directly engaging or interacting with them.	I see you lurking in my stories online.
100.	Messy	Often used in a sarcastic or ironic way for someone who is very smart or clever.	He’s flirting right in front of her girlfriend—that’s messy!
101.	Big Brain	Someone who is very intelligent, clever, and takes smart decisions even in tense situations.	Sneaking snacks into the theater under a hoodie is a big-brain move.
102.	TMI	Shorthand for ‘Too Much Information,’ and is used in terms of oversharing something awkward or personal.	That’s TMI to process in 30 seconds.
103.	Moots	Refers to mutual friends and followers on social medial platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.	My moots are always asking me for links to the products I use.
104.	Heated	A casual slang for being angry, agitated to a state of high emotion that becomes intense and confrontational.	The conversation between them turned into a heated argument.
105.	Core Memory	A moment that feels significant and nostalgic and is likely to be remembered for a very long time.	Dancing in the rain that night has become our core memory now.
106.	Small Brain	Often used in a joking or self-deprecating way to refer to a dumb or silly idea.	I poured the milk before the cereal—small brain moment.
107.	ICYMI	Abbreviation for ‘In Case You Missed It,’ used for drawing attention to certain content or a piece of information that was previously shared.	ICYMI, I rescheduled the concert to Friday.
108.	Out of Pocket	It is used to refer to something unexpected, wild, or inappropriate in behavior and content.	Your body-shaming joke was out of pocket, bro.
109.	It’s Giving	Generally used to describe the vibe or aesthetic something gives off.	This outfit is giving CEO!
110.	Zaddy	Refers to an attractive, confident older man that has an impressive style or swag.	Jason is such a zaddy!
111.	Main Character Energy	Mainly used to refer to someone who has confidence and behaves like they are the star of the show.	She walked into the hall with main character energy.
112.	SZN	A quick acronym for season, it is generally used for defining a mood or phase.	It’s the glow-up szn!
113.	Rent-Free	It means something you can’t stop thinking about, and it lives rent-free in your head.	She lives rent-free in my head.
114.	Touch Grass	Going outside and taking a break from the internet and social media.	Go touch grass and get some fresh air in the park.
115.	Rizz	Refers to the charisma or flirtatious skills of an individual with an irresistible appeal.	He got zero rizz.
116.	Catch These Hands	Used jokingly and seriously to give warning to someone.	Talk trash again and you’ll catch these hands.
117.	No Thoughts, Head Empty	It means feeling blank, unaware, or spaced out.	I usually have no thoughts, head empty at 3 am.
118.	Pressed	This teen slang refers to being upset, mad, or bothered.	She’s still pressed about losing the beauty pageant.
119.	Finsta	A fake Instagram account created for close friends to post unfiltered content.	I posted about my Finsta on IG today!
120.	Green Flag	New teenage slang in Gen Z dating culture to refer to someone who has a positive sign or quality that makes them ideal for dating.	Ross is a total green flag!
121.	Big Flex	Showing off stuff, but in an impressive way.	Wearing a branded hoodie for street shopping is a big flex.
122.	Say Less	Casual way of saying understood, and there’s no need to explain anything.	Are you planning a trip? Say less, I’m in!
123.	Red Flag	Another dating teen slang that means a warning sign of potential danger, unhealthy behavior, or a relationship deal-breaker.	He doesn’t believe in PMS. Such a red flag!
124.	Ate and Left No Crumbs	Doing something flawlessly.	Girl, you ate and left no crumbs in today’s presentation.
125.	Outfit Check	Reviewing an outfit that someone has worn.	It’s time for an outfit check before we leave.

Wrapping Up!

This teen slang words list will simplify the complex modern-day internet lingo in the easiest way possible. So that you’ll be able to not only decode your kid’s conversations but also give them savage answers, just in case they throw any teen tantrums at you.

Remember that these slang terms are not just fancy phrases; they are a reflection of Gen Z’s vibrant energy and creativity. Therefore, you need to learn it to better connect with the upcoming generation.

To expand your knowledge of internet teenage slang words, you should definitely check out the Text slang dictionary and add advanced phrases to your daily lingo.