goated

Goated means extremely good, the best at something. It comes from GOAT, “greatest of all time,” turned into an adjective.

What does goated mean?

If something or someone is goated, it’s top tier. A goated player is elite, a goated song is a classic, and a goated snack is the best one in the shop. It’s a casual, enthusiastic compliment and can apply to almost anything.

“Goated with the sauce” is a playful extended version that means someone is not just great but stylish or effortlessly skilled.

How to use goated

• “This burger place is goated.”
• “He’s goated at chess, never lost to anyone here.”
• “That album is lowkey goated.”
• “My grandma’s cooking? Goated.”

Goated vs. GOAT

GOAT is a title: there’s supposedly one greatest of all time. Goated is looser: lots of things can be goated at once. You might say a restaurant is goated without claiming it’s the best in history.

Where goated comes from

Merriam-Webster dates the slang adjective goated to 2017, building on GOAT, which it dates to 1996. GOAT itself traces back to Muhammad Ali’s nickname “The Greatest” and was popularized by LL Cool J’s 2000 album G.O.A.T.

Related terms

• GOAT: greatest of all time.
• Cracked: extremely skilled.
• Bussin: really good, especially food.
• Slay: to do something extremely well.

See more terms like this in our Gen Z slang dictionary.