Slang dictionary A–Z

Every reviewed entry in SlangDecoded, in alphabetical order. Each one gives a plain-English meaning, real example sentences and what is known about where the word came from.

Looking for a topic instead? Gen Z Slang, Texting Abbreviations, Internet Slang, Aesthetics, Dating Slang, Gaming Slang, British Slang, K-pop Slang, Anime Slang, Work & Money Slang

A

  • acting your wage Acting your wage means matching your effort at work to what you’re actually paid. If the…
  • aegyo Aegyo is a Korean word for deliberately cute behavior: a baby voice, pouting, wide eyes, little…
  • AFK AFK stands for “away from keyboard.” People use it to say they are stepping away for…
  • algospeak Algospeak is coded language people use online to avoid having their posts hidden or removed by…
  • all-kill In K-pop, an all-kill is when a song hits number one on all of South Korea’s…
  • alt girl An alt girl is a girl or woman whose style borrows from alternative scenes like goth,…
  • anti-fan An anti-fan is someone who actively campaigns against a celebrity or group, not just someone who…
  • antiwork Antiwork is an online movement, centred on the Reddit community r/antiwork, that criticises modern working conditions,…
  • ate In slang, “ate” means someone did something extremely well. If someone ate, they nailed it: the…

B

  • backseat gamer A backseat gamer is someone who watches another person play and keeps telling them what to…
  • baddie A baddie is a confident, good-looking woman with a polished, bold style. Calling someone a baddie…
  • baka Baka is the Japanese word for “idiot” or “fool.” English-speaking anime fans often use it playfully,…
  • bare (UK) In UK slang, “bare” means a lot of, or very. “Bare people” means loads of people,…
  • based Based means being unapologetically yourself and saying what you think, even when it’s unpopular. Calling a…
  • beige flag A beige flag is a quirky habit in a partner that is neither good nor bad,…
  • benching Benching is keeping someone as a backup option in dating: staying in touch just enough that…
  • bestie Bestie means best friend. In current slang, it’s also used casually for anyone, even strangers, as…
  • bet Bet means “okay,” “sure” or “deal.” It’s a quick, confident way to agree to a plan…
  • bias In K-pop slang, your bias is your favorite member of a group. If you love a…
  • bias wrecker A bias wrecker is the member of a K-pop group who keeps tempting you away from…
  • brain rot Brain rot is the feeling that your mind is turning to mush from consuming too much…
  • BRB BRB means “be right back.” People send it when they’re stepping away from a chat, game…
  • breadcrumbing Breadcrumbing is giving someone just enough attention to keep them interested, without any real intention of…
  • Bruh Bruh is an exclamation of disbelief, disappointment or exasperation, like “seriously?” or “come on.” It started…
  • bruv Bruv is British slang for “brother.” People use it to address a friend, or any guy…
  • BTW BTW means “by the way.” It introduces a side comment, an extra detail, or a change…
  • bussin Bussin means really good, and it is used most often about food. If a meal is…

C

  • camping Camping means staying in one spot in a game, often a hidden or powerful position, and…
  • canon event A canon event is an experience, usually an awkward or painful one, that feels like an…
  • cap In slang, cap means a lie, and capping means lying or exaggerating. If someone says “that’s…
  • catfish A catfish is someone who pretends to be a different person online, usually to start a…
  • chronically online Chronically online describes someone who spends so much time on the internet that their opinions, jokes…
  • clean girl aesthetic The clean girl aesthetic is a polished, minimal look: slicked-back hair, glowing skin, barely-there makeup and…
  • clutch Clutch means coming through under pressure, especially when everything depends on you. In games, to clutch…
  • coastal grandmother Coastal grandmother is a relaxed, elegant aesthetic inspired by wealthy beach-house living: white linen, cosy knits,…
  • cook In slang, to cook means to do something really well, especially when you’re on a roll.…
  • copium Copium is an imaginary “drug” people supposedly take to cope with a loss, a disappointment or…
  • coquette Coquette is a hyper-feminine aesthetic built on bows, lace, ribbons, pastels and a vintage, romantic mood.…
  • cottagecore Cottagecore is an aesthetic that romanticises a simple, cosy country life: floral dresses, baking bread, tending…
  • cracked In gaming slang, cracked means extremely skilled, so good it almost seems unfair. A cracked player…
  • cringe Cringe means embarrassing, awkward or uncomfortable to watch. As slang, it’s used as an adjective, “that’s…

D

  • daebak Daebak (대박) is a Korean exclamation that means “awesome,” “amazing” or “wow.” Literally it means something…
  • dark academia Dark academia is an aesthetic that romanticises classic education, literature and old universities, with a moody,…
  • dead “I’m dead” means “that’s so funny I can’t breathe.” In slang, being dead usually means you…
  • deadass Deadass means “seriously” or “for real.” It’s used to stress that you’re not joking, or, as…
  • decora Decora is a Japanese street fashion style built on piling on colorful accessories: dozens of hair…
  • delulu Delulu is short for “delusional.” It describes believing something unrealistic, usually about a crush, a celebrity…
  • DM DM means “direct message.” It’s a private message sent to one person (or a small group)…
  • doom posting Doom posting means posting gloomy, everything-is-ruined takes online, usually about the economy, the climate, politics, or…
  • doom spending Doom spending is buying things you don’t need to cope with stress or anxiety, especially worry…
  • doomscrolling Doomscrolling means compulsively scrolling through bad news or upsetting content, even though it makes you feel…
  • drip Drip means stylish clothes, or a cool, fashionable look overall. If someone has drip, their outfit…

E

  • e-boy An e-boy is a young man with an online-born style that mixes emo, skater and grunge…
  • e-girl An e-girl is a young woman with a distinctive online style mixing emo, skater and anime…
  • extra Extra means over the top: dramatic, excessive or trying too hard. Calling someone “so extra” means…
  • EZ EZ means “easy.” In gaming, typing “ez” or “gg ez” after a win taunts the other…

F

  • face reveal A face reveal is when someone who has been anonymous online shows their face for the…
  • fan cam A fan cam is a video, usually shot by a fan, that follows one performer during…
  • fan service Fan service is anything done mainly to please fans. In K-pop it means idols interacting with…
  • fanchant A fanchant is a set of words that fans shout together at specific moments during a…
  • fanum tax Fanum tax means taking a bite or a share of someone else’s food without asking. If…
  • finsta A finsta is a secret or second Instagram account, shared only with close friends. The name…
  • fire Fire means excellent, amazing or really good. If a song, outfit or meal is fire, it’s…
  • flex To flex means to show off, especially money, possessions or achievements. As a noun, a flex…
  • FOMO FOMO means “fear of missing out.” It’s the anxious feeling that other people are having fun,…
  • fr Fr means “for real.” People add it to stress that they mean what they’re saying, or…

G

  • gaslight To gaslight someone is to manipulate them into doubting their own memory, perception or sanity. It’s…
  • gassed In British slang, being gassed means being really excited or hyped up. “I’m gassed for the…
  • gatekeep To gatekeep means to keep something to yourself, or to decide who “deserves” access to it.…
  • GG GG stands for “good game.” Players type it at the end of a match to show…
  • ghosting Ghosting means suddenly cutting off all contact with someone, with no explanation. One day you are…
  • git gud “Git gud” is a deliberately misspelled “get good.” Gamers say it to someone who is complaining,…
  • GLHF GLHF means “good luck, have fun.” Players type it in chat at the start of an…
  • GOAT GOAT means “greatest of all time.” Calling someone the GOAT says they’re the best ever at…
  • goated Goated means extremely good, the best at something. It comes from GOAT, “greatest of all time,”…
  • green flag A green flag is a sign that someone is a good, healthy match. It is the…
  • grindset Grindset, a blend of “grind” and “mindset,” is an attitude that glorifies nonstop work, self-discipline and…
  • gyatt Gyatt is an exclamation people use when they see someone they find very attractive, usually someone…

H

  • hard carry To hard carry is to win a team game almost single-handedly, doing far more than your…
  • high-key High-key means “very,” “totally” or “openly.” It’s the opposite of low-key: instead of hinting at something,…
  • HMU HMU means “hit me up.” It’s a casual way of saying “contact me”: text me, call…
  • hopium Hopium is unrealistic hope, treated as if it were a drug. Someone “on hopium” is clinging…
  • husbando A husbando is a fictional male character, usually from anime, manga or a video game, that…

I

  • ick The ick is a sudden feeling of disgust or turn-off toward someone you were attracted to,…
  • ICYMI ICYMI means “in case you missed it.” It introduces something worth a second look: news, an…
  • IDK Idk means “I don’t know.” It’s one of the most common texting abbreviations, used for genuine…
  • ikr Ikr means “I know, right?” It’s a quick way to agree enthusiastically with what someone just…
  • imo Imo means “in my opinion.” It marks a statement as a personal view rather than a…
  • innit Innit is a British contraction of “isn’t it.” People tack it onto the end of a…
  • IRL IRL means “in real life.” It separates the physical world from the online one: meeting someone…
  • isekai Isekai is a genre of anime, manga and light novels in which the main character is…
  • it’s giving “It’s giving” means something has a certain vibe or resembles something. You say “it’s giving” followed…
  • iykyk Iykyk means “if you know, you know.” It points to an inside joke, a shared experience…

K

  • Kappa Kappa is a Twitch emote, a grey face with a smirk, used to signal sarcasm, trolling…
  • kawaii Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute.” In English it describes things that are adorable in…
  • knackered Knackered is British slang for exhausted. If you are knackered, you are completely worn out. Things…

L

  • L L means “loss.” Calling something an L says it’s a failure, a bad decision or an…
  • laggy Laggy means slow to respond because of a delay, usually in an online game, a video…
  • left no crumbs “Left no crumbs” means someone did something so perfectly that there is nothing left to criticize.…
  • light academia Light academia is a bright, optimistic version of the academia aesthetic: books, art and learning, but…
  • lit Lit means exciting, fun or excellent, especially when talking about a party or event. It can…
  • LMK LMK means “let me know.” It asks someone to get back to you with an answer,…
  • LOL LOL means “laughing out loud.” Today it rarely means anyone is actually laughing. Most of the…
  • loud budgeting Loud budgeting means being open about your money goals and saying so when you turn something…
  • loud quitting Loud quitting describes employees who are openly unhappy at work and actively work against their employer,…
  • love bombing Love bombing is overwhelming someone with affection, attention and gifts early on, in order to gain…
  • low-key Low-key means “a little,” “secretly” or “quietly.” People use it to soften an admission or opinion:…

M

  • main character “Main character” has two slang meanings. On Twitter/X, the main character is the person everyone is…
  • main character syndrome Main character syndrome is acting as if your life is a movie and everyone else is…
  • malding Malding means getting visibly, comically angry, usually over a game. It is a blend of “mad”…
  • mandem Mandem means a group of guys, usually your friends or crew. It is London slang: “the…
  • menhera Menhera is Japanese internet slang for someone who struggles with their mental health. It has also…
  • mewing Mewing is pressing your whole tongue against the roof of your mouth, a posture trick that…
  • mid Mid means mediocre: not bad, not good, just average. Calling something mid is a mild but…
  • mob wife aesthetic The mob wife aesthetic is a loud, glamorous style built on fur coats, leopard print, gold…
  • Mood “Mood” as a one-word reaction means “that’s so relatable” or “that’s exactly how I feel.” “Big…

N

  • nerf To nerf something means to make it weaker. In games, a nerf is an update that…
  • ngl Ngl means “not gonna lie.” It comes before an honest opinion or a small confession, and…
  • no cap No cap means “no lie” or “for real.” People add it to show they are being…
  • noob A noob is a beginner, or someone who plays like one. It comes from “newbie,” and…
  • NPC NPC stands for “non-player character,” a character in a video game controlled by the computer rather…

O

  • old money aesthetic The old money aesthetic is a style that imitates the look of families with inherited wealth:…
  • OOMF Oomf means “one of my followers” or “one of my friends.” People use it on social…
  • orbiting Orbiting is when someone stops talking to you but keeps watching your social media: viewing every…
  • otaku An otaku is a person with an intense, all-consuming interest in a hobby, most often anime,…

P

  • parasocial relationship A parasocial relationship is a one-sided connection someone feels with a public figure, such as a…
  • pay-to-win Pay-to-win describes a game where spending real money gives players an advantage over those who don’t…
  • peak (UK) In UK street slang, “peak” means bad, unlucky or unfortunate. “That’s peak” is like saying “that’s…
  • peng Peng is London slang for attractive, or just really good. A person can be peng, but…
  • periodt Periodt is an emphatic way of saying “period”: end of discussion, and that’s final. It’s added…
  • poggers Poggers, often shortened to pog, is a hype word meaning “awesome” or “that’s amazing.” It comes…
  • POV POV means “point of view.” On TikTok and Instagram, a “POV” caption sets up a scene…
  • pwned Pwned means completely beaten, dominated or humiliated. It’s a deliberate misspelling of “owned,” and it’s usually…

Q

  • quiet firing Quiet firing is when an employer makes a job so unrewarding or uncomfortable that the employee…
  • quiet hiring Quiet hiring is when a company fills a skills gap without hiring new full-time staff, by…
  • quiet luxury Quiet luxury means expensive clothing that doesn’t show off: no logos, no flashy details, just high-quality…
  • quiet quitting Quiet quitting means doing exactly what your job requires and nothing more, without actually quitting. No…

R

  • rage applying Rage applying means applying for lots of jobs in one go because you’re fed up with…
  • rage bait Rage bait is content made to make you angry, so you’ll comment, share and push it…
  • rage quit To rage quit is to quit a game, or anything else, suddenly and angrily because you…
  • ratio A ratio is when replies to a social media post vastly outnumber its likes or shares,…
  • receipts In slang, receipts are proof: screenshots, videos, messages or records that back up a claim. “Show…
  • red flag A red flag is a warning sign that something, or someone, could be bad news. In…
  • rekt Rekt is a misspelling of “wrecked,” meaning badly beaten, destroyed or embarrassed. “Get rekt” is a…
  • rizz Rizz means charm or the ability to attract someone, especially romantically. Someone with rizz can flirt…
  • rizzler A rizzler is someone with a lot of rizz, meaning charm and skill at flirting. It’s…
  • rn Rn means “right now.” It describes what’s happening at this moment, or adds urgency to a…
  • roadman A roadman is a young man, usually in a UK city, who is deeply into street…

S

  • salty Salty means bitter, annoyed or resentful, usually over something minor. If someone is salty, they’re visibly…
  • savage Savage, as slang, means boldly brutal, fearless or shockingly honest, often in a way people admire.…
  • say less Say less means “I’m in, you don’t need to convince me.” It’s an enthusiastic yes: you’ve…
  • selca Selca means selfie. It comes from the Korean word 셀카 (selka), a shortened blend of the…
  • senpai Senpai means an older or more experienced person, like an upperclassman or a senior colleague. In…
  • shade Shade is a subtle, indirect insult: disrespect delivered with a smile, a look or a carefully…
  • shadowban A shadowban is when a platform quietly limits who can see your posts, without telling you.…
  • sheesh Sheesh is an exclamation of amazement, admiration or disbelief, like “wow” or “dang.” Today it’s most…
  • shook Shook means shocked, shaken up or rattled. It can describe real fear, or, much more often…
  • side hustle A side hustle is paid work you do on top of your main job, like freelancing,…
  • side quest A side quest is a detour from your main plans, usually an unplanned errand, a random…
  • sigma Sigma has two slang meanings. A “sigma male” is supposedly a cool, independent lone wolf who…
  • simp A simp is someone who does way too much for a person they are attracted to,…
  • situationship A situationship is a romantic or sexual relationship that has no clear label. It is more…
  • Skibidi Skibidi is a nonsense word that took over Gen Alpha slang thanks to the YouTube series…
  • skinship Skinship means physical affection between people who are close: hugs, holding hands, linking arms, leaning on…
  • slaps Slaps means something is really good, especially a song. If a track slaps, it hits hard…
  • slay To slay means to do something brilliantly, or to look amazing. As a cheer, “slay!” is…
  • smh Smh means “shaking my head.” It shows disappointment, disapproval or disbelief, the written version of shaking…
  • smurf A smurf is an experienced player who uses a new or low-ranked account to play against…
  • soft girl Soft girl is a cute, gentle aesthetic built on pastel colours, playful prints, rosy blush and…
  • spill the tea To spill the tea means to share gossip or reveal the juicy details of a situation.…
  • stan A stan is an extremely devoted fan, and to stan someone is to support them with…
  • subtweet A subtweet is a social media post about a specific person that doesn’t name or tag…
  • sus Sus means suspicious or suspect. If someone is acting sus, they seem shady, untrustworthy or just…
  • sweaty In gaming, sweaty describes someone who plays with intense, over-the-top effort, especially in matches that are…

T

  • tbh Tbh means “to be honest.” People add it to share a frank opinion, admit something, or…
  • tea Tea means gossip, or the inside story about someone’s private business. “What’s the tea?” means “what’s…
  • ting Ting is British and Caribbean slang for “thing.” In London slang it can also mean an…
  • TL;DR TL;DR means “too long; didn’t read.” It’s used either to complain that a text is too…
  • touch grass Touch grass means “go outside and reconnect with the real world.” People say it to someone…
  • try-hard A try-hard is someone who tries too hard, putting in so much obvious effort that it…
  • tsundere A tsundere is a character, or a person, who acts cold, prickly or even hostile at…

U

  • uwu UwU is a text emoticon of a cute, happy face: the two u’s are closed eyes…

V

  • vibe A vibe is the feeling or atmosphere a person, place or thing gives off. As a…
  • vibe check A vibe check is a quick, gut-level read on someone’s mood, energy or attitude. You either…
  • vibecession A vibecession is a stretch of time when the economy looks healthy by the usual measures,…
  • VSCO girl A VSCO girl is a 2019 teen style built around oversized T-shirts, scrunchies, Birkenstocks, shell necklaces…
  • vtuber A VTuber, short for “virtual YouTuber,” is an online entertainer who streams or makes videos as…

W

  • W W means “win.” Calling something a W says it’s a victory, a good decision, or simply…
  • waifu A waifu is a fictional female character, usually from anime, manga or a video game, that…
  • wasteman A wasteman is a useless, annoying or worthless person. It is a London slang insult for…
  • weeb A weeb is a non-Japanese person who is obsessed with Japanese pop culture, especially anime and…
  • WYA Wya means “where you at?”, in other words “where are you?” People send it to find…
  • WYD Wyd means “what (are) you doing?” It’s a casual way to start a conversation, check what…

Y

  • yandere A yandere is a fictional character who seems sweet and loving at first but becomes obsessively,…
  • yeet Yeet is what people shout when they throw something hard, and it also works as a…