17 Trendy Slang Terms That Seriously Need to Retire
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Slang use is entertaining. It might feel like you’re speaking in a code that only a select few people can decipher when you bring up your significant other or lit during a conversation. But here’s the depressing truth: Slang gives you the appearance of being more of a midlife crisis sufferer than of a hipster, especially if you’re forty years of age or older.
Like a poor wig, it’s kind of like you’re not fooling anyone. You should formally retire these slang terms and phrases from your vocabulary if you’re forty or older. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Yolo
YOLO, an abbreviation for “you only live once,” is frequently spoken before someone is about to do a potentially harmful action. Yes, they will make a huge error, but you never know. It’s officially time to quit acting in ways you know aren’t wonderful when you’re forty.
It’s a firm no on the YOLO, slang, or no slang. Having one life is not a justification for intentionally being stupid.
Bussin’
Something can be described as “bussin’” if it is very good. This phrase first appeared in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), most likely from the meaning of the word “bust,” which means “to explode, do well, enjoy.”
Many claim that the original meaning has been altered via appropriation. Bussin’ usually refers to mouthwatering cuisine in AAVE, while younger generations use it to describe everything from a nice wardrobe to amazing music.
Lit
Something is said to be “lit” when it’s so awesome that it warrants investigation. Lavender vanilla candles are the only things that need to be lighted in your world.
No Cap
Although you’ve probably seen the words cap and no cap used on social media, they stretch back several decades, even before social media. To “cap about” anything is “to brag, exaggerate, or lie” in Black slang. This meaning has existed as far back as the early 1900s.
Therefore, “no cap” has come to mean “no lie” or “for real.” Despite its present popularity, hip-hop culture had a major effect on No Cap.
Cheugy
Do you have a cool or cheesy vibe? It is thought that this phrase was first used in 2013 to characterize “uncool” items that are either out of style or overly attempted to be in style. Reporter Taylor Lorenz of the New York Times claims that Californian Gaby Rasson coined the term “cheugy” to characterize those who make vain attempts at being fashionable.
In 2021, the word became widely known after becoming viral in a TikTok video. The hashtag #cheugy had over 10 million views on TikTok by May 2021. A person who is cheugy may also be referred to as a cheug.
Oh, Snap!
Usually, this slang is followed with a finger snap, in case the meaning of “oh, snap!” wasn’t immediately apparent. We could give you many reasons to stop using this silly terminology, but the primary one is that it came from a children’s book published in 1910 called The Bobbsey Twins at School.
A children’s novel, indeed. Look for yourself if you don’t think we are telling the truth. Written for children over a century ago, this slogan has stood the test of time. It’s time to put it away.
Clap Back
You have clapped back when someone insults you, and you react violently. (By the way, congrats.) However, it’s generally accepted that when someone over 40 claps back, they’re referring to applause. as in, “Are you cheering for me? I guess I’ll simply have to give you a bigger applause in return.” That is absurd, to be sure, but so is a forty-year-old saying “clap back.”
Slaps
The word after that smacks hard. In essence, it means “to be outstanding or remarkable.” Most certainly, you’ve heard the term “slap” used about music, like “This song really slaps.” This colloquialism is also a huge throwback. In the middle of the 1800s, it was an adjective that meant “first-rate,” even earlier, in the mid-1700s, it was an adverb that meant “excellently.”
At least in the early 2000s, slaps were utilized to commemorate excellent cuisine and music. Many attribute the musical slap to hip-hop lingo from the Bay Area. There are several more colloquialisms, such as “bops,” “whips,” and “smacks,” that all rely on force and motion to describe excellent music. A banger is a tune that makes you slap your head.
Say Less
Saying less effectively asks others to stop talking, which might be impolite to some. It’s a direct and frequently humorous way of expressing “I get it” or “I understand.” Say Less is the name of a single by R&B singer Ashanti from 2019.
Also, Canadian artist Roy Woods’ 2017 album of the same name bears this name. Though it first surfaced online in 2011, a 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch is credited with perhaps bringing it to its present degree of fame.
Low-Key/High-Key
In general, “low-key” refers to “calm,” “restrained,” “moderate,” or “easygoing.” Slang-wise, it’s more about a subdued emotion or something you wish to hide, like a low-key infatuation with a famous person or a low-key excitement over a corny new movie about to come out.
On the other hand, high-key is employed to convey outward enthusiasm for something, such as having a high-key interest in the continuing drama involving Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal. Fun fact: although low-key is mainly employed as an adjective, as our examples above demonstrate, it is also frequently used as an adverb.
Simp
While Gen Z did not create simp, they have managed to personalize it. It’s crucial to note that the term “simp” is frequently used in a sexist manner to disparage males who are perceived as being overly obedient to women, particularly when it’s used to try to get their attention sexually.
It’s contentious, though, because many believe the word is a means of intimidating men and demeaning women. Even though the word became well-known on TikTok in 2019 and the first part of 2020, rappers such as DJ Evil E and Ice-T used it as early as 1987.
Vibing
Kids used to hang out together in the past. Instead, you could find them vibing. To vibe is to unwind, connect with positive emotions, and take in the atmosphere in general. It has a lot in common with vibe, an earlier colloquialism that dates back to the late 1960s and denotes “a feeling or flavor of the kind specified.”
In various contexts, but particularly when someone is engrossed in excellent music or a meaningful conversation, vibrating is employed.
Skrrt
If we reveal that slang is an onomatopoeia, does it lose its coolness? Skrrt is a type of exclamation that is meant to resemble screeching tires. When someone is chatting about juicy gossip, for instance, their companion may reply with a question to ask them to stop and repeat what they just said.
The phrase has existed since at least 2015, and its growing ubiquity is closely associated with trap music.
Bet
Are you prepared to master the following slang term? Surely! As shown by the above statement, bet is a word used to express agreement, affirmation, or acceptance, similar to the expressions “Cool!” or “I’m down!” It can also be used to convey skepticism or distrust.
This was probably first used in Black slang. Since the bet dates back to the 1990s, it’s more evidence that people seem to like rehashing patterns from that era.
Snatched
This slang word may have gained widespread usage thanks to RuPaul’s Drag Race. Snatched is synonymous with “fierce” or “on point” among Gen Z, especially regarding a person’s physical attributes like hair and cosmetics.
“Snatched,” originally came from the Black drag scene, where artists frequently used weaves and artificial hair extensions. Slang for “things so amazing they snatched your weave off” is “snatched” in the drag culture.
Drip
Drip was slang for “an ugly, dull, or colorless person” in earlier generations. It’s a positive thing if someone brings up your drip. Drip is a term used to describe your appearance or sense of style, especially when seen as seductive or stylish (think of it as a modern take on swag). There is substantial disagreement over the origins of this use.
While some attribute drip’s origins to Atlanta’s hip-hop culture in the early 2000s, others speculate it was inspired by lingo from the adolescent sitcom Zoey 101. Either way, you can accept compliments if someone acknowledges your drip.
Fam
You know someone is your fam when they feel like family, even when they aren’t biologically related. But naming a group of close friends your family after age forty is akin to calling a peer your best friend. It would be appropriate to sign each other’s yearbooks and exchange friendship bracelets at that moment.
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