Gen Z slang list: Learn the language of the next generation

Gen Z rules the world of modern language by introducing their own set of words commonly called Gen Z slang. These words may be their own inventions in terms of abbreviations, phrases, or acronyms. The generation born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s, commonly called Gen Z prefer to communicate in their own slang language. These words may sound strange to older generations and that’s why they may have difficulties understanding them.

In this article, we will explore the most common terms used widely by Gen Z all over the world. Familiarity with this slang language will help parents and elders connect with this young generation in a better way. We will also discuss some practical tips that will help guard this generation to ensure their safety and wellbeing.  

What is Gen Z slang and why does it matter?

To understand the Gen Z slang, you must know what Gen Z actually is. It is the group of children born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s. This young generation prefers to communicate with each other in specific unique ways by using special terminologies. This special set of informal words are referred to as Gen Z slang.

This slang language generally spreads through social media platforms, especially through memes.

Characteristics of Gen Z slang

In order to fully understand the Gen Z slang meaning and their main idea behind that slang word, you must know about the characteristics of that slang. These special attributes set this slang apart from usual slang language. Let’s go through some of them below:

Rapid evolution and short life cycle: The Gen Z slang often evolved very quickly, sometimes overnight. And it spreads very quickly too. So, if you haven’t heard of a new word that kids start using quickly, it is probably a Gen Z slang word. These words also vanish very quickly and become outdated within days. New words may replace older ones very soon.

Heavily influenced by internet culture, memes, and social media platforms (TikTok, X, Instagram): What is Gen Z slang in reality and where do these terms usually take birth? It’s usually the social media platforms where these terms are usually coined. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are the birthplaces of these slang words where kids usually get a lot of influence from viral memes and interactive posts. This internet culture is what parents and educators need to keep a close watch at if they want to go deep into the world of Gen Z slang.

Often concise, adaptable, and context-dependent: Although the investors of these slang words are often unknown, these words are usually highly adaptable. Kids get easily influenced by these words and soon they are a part of their usual communication on and off screens. These words are concise. You will seldom find lengthy words in their slang. The idea is to explain a situation and relate to it by using a minimal amount of words. That’s what kids and teens like to do.

Most popular Gen Z slang words

Let’s go through some of the Gen Z slang words below to have an idea of their nature:

Core Gen Z slang (Everyday)

Following are some of the words that come on top of the Gen Z slang list.

Bet: A sign of confirmation about certain situations. They can also use this slang word just to say “yes.” For example, if someone asks a kid if he or she is coming to school tomorrow, the reply can be “bet” instead of “yes”.

Cap / No cap: These slang words may mean two things. They can either use these words to define the limits or they can simply use them to express a truth or a lie. For example, a kid can say that he can have 50 pushups in a row, no cap.

Vibe: This word represents their mood, energy, or an overall atmosphere. They can use this word for a person, place, or certain situations. For example, a kid can say that a village gives him positive vibes. This would mean that the village keeps him in a good mood or he likes being there.

Slay: Kids can use this word just to explain about something exceptionally good. For example, instead of saying that you did well in your exams, they may say that you slayed in your exams.

GOAT: This is an abbreviation for Greatest Of All Time. You may have heard about this word lately, especially after the last football world cup. Gen Z used this word frequently to determine the best football player of all times, which in fact, turned out to be Lionel Messi. Instead of calling him the best player, they used to refer to him as GOAT to show their appreciation or praise in a unique way.

Lowkey / highkey: This means slightly and openly respectively. Gen Z may say something like “I highkey want a burger right now.” It would mean that he or she strongly wants a burger. They use this word to express their confessional tone in a casual manner.

Periodt: This slang word means ultimate agreement or finality of a discussion. A kid may say that he or she only likes suspense movies, periodt. So, instead of saying “period,” they add a “t” at the end of this word to sound more assertive or decisive about their statements.

Hits different: Kids use this slang to show their inner feelings about a certain place or situation. For example, instead of saying “I like this place at night,” a kid may say, “This place hits different at night.”

TikTok & viral terms

TikTok and Gen Z slang go hand in hand. Just like Instagram, Gen Z is also very active on TikTok. That’s why they use a lot of such words on this platform.

Let’s go through some of the most famous terms below:

Rizz: It is a short term for the “Charisma” word. For example, a kid may say, “Bob has got enough rizz to attract every girl on the campus.” They use this word to show their flirty attentive feelings in a fun and shorter way.

Gyatt: Often also called Gyat, this word means to show attraction for someone for her bodily figure. Instead of saying that a girl is attractive, they may say that the girl’s got gyatt. They use this term to show their flirty feelings.

Sigma: This word is used for a person who is alone enough to impress everyone. A kid may say that a person is Sigma, and has his own charm. They use this word to show admiration for someone.

Delulu: Since “delusional” doesn’t sound cool enough for Gen Z, they use “delulu” instead of the original word to express the same meanings. They may say that a person is a delulu about enjoying a college trip to a boring place. They use this word to be short and specific in a unique way.

Ate: Although the real word means about eating, Gen Z uses this word to hint about doing something exceptionally well. For example, they may say that you ate that dance step. They use this word to express their honest praise about someone.

NPC: It is a short for “Non Player Character.” They use this word to describe a person who is not a leader or a main player. For example, a kid may say that the class teacher is an NPC in the college faculty. It would mean that the teacher doesn’t hold much importance or value in the college. They use this word casually as their disapproval of someone or something.

Main character energy: Used to show a person who is the main point of attraction in a crowd. For example, a kid may say, “She always enters the college gate as the main character energy.” They use this word casually to express their admiration for a person.

Relationship & flirting slang

Gen Z has introduced a whole set of new words to express their feelings of romance, flirting, and relationships. They prefer using concise and short words to have deep meanings. Let’s go through some of these words below:

Rizz: As explained earlier, the Rizz word is a short form for charisma. A kid using the Rizz word for someone shows that the person has that charisma in his or her personality to be attractive. For example, a kid may say that Bob has enough rizz to be the center of attraction in the college.

Ick: This word shows sudden feelings of disapproval or withdrawal for someone. For example, if a person was in a relationship and suddenly notices a bad habit in the other person, he may say, “She snores while daydreaming, ick.” This word is used to show sudden disappointment or disapproval in a relationship.

Simp: This word is used for expressing overly caring or submissive behaviour to get attention from the other person. This is especially used when the other person doesn’t respond with the same amount of interest. For example, a person may say, “He bought her a new phone, so much of simping with no use.” They use this word to show one-sided love or care.

Situationship: This is a twisted form of relationship and situation. They use this word to hint towards a relationship that has no clear definition or commitment. They often use this word to point out a relationship that merely relies on physical involvement with no pure intentions. For example, kids may say that students go to prom just for having situationships, not for real love.

Sneaky link: Used to denote a secret sexual or romantic connection without any proper admission from both persons. You can say that this word describes an actual sneaky relationship between two persons. Kids can say that a girl and a boy have been in a sneaky link for two years. It would mean that both have secretly agreed for a relationship and show those symptoms without formally acknowledging it.

Reaction/emotion slang

You will find a lot of words in Gen Z slang that denote deep emotions and feelings for certain people or situations. These words are self expressive and may have contextual meanings too.

Let’s go through some of them below:

I’m dead: This slang denotes extreme laughter for a hilarious or funny event. Instead of saying “I’m highly excited,” a Gen Z kid may say, “This TikTok post made my day. I’m dead.” This slang usually follows with a laughing smiley gesture.

Sending me: This phrase is rather difficult to understand. Gen Z may say that a TikTok post about a cat hitting a mouse is sending me. They mean that the post is quite hilarious or absurd.

Rent free: Gen Z uses this phrase to show that a person, an event, or a social media post or a meme is so overwhelming that they are unable to get it off their minds. They may say that the latest meme about a movie is living “rent free” in their minds. In another example, they may say that Lionel Messi is living rent free in their heads after the soccer world cup.

Unhinged: This slang describes the feeling of an irrational or chaotic behaviour. A Gen Z kid may say that her reaction to her recent breakup is overly unhinged. They may say use this word to describe a situation which is beyond their usual understanding or expectation.

Sus: This word is just a short form of “suspicious.” They may use this word to describe their suspicion over a person or an event by saying something like, “He just said he hates pizzas… sus.” In this context, they mean that they highly suspect the truth of the statement about someone not liking the pizzas.

Gen Z Text Slang (Abbreviations & acronyms)

Gen Z highly rely on using abbreviations instead of using complete words or phrases. This is their way of showing a cool attitude during their conversations. They usually use these abbreviations and acronyms in their text messages, chats, and social media posts.

Let’s learn about some of them below:

Common abbreviations

Here are some of the most commonly used Gen Z acronyms and abbreviations they use frequently use in their daily chats:

IYKYK: This means “If You Know, You Know.” They use this abbreviation to hint towards a background that the reader is already aware about. They may say something like, “Her all-time favourite pink boots… IYKYK.”

FR / FRFR: This is a short form of “For Real or For Real, For Real.” This is just to denote their feeling of inside truth about someone or something. They may say something like, “Our college watchman is actually an awesome soccer player, FRFR.”

NGL: This is short for “Not Gonna Lie.’ Gen Z may use this abbreviation to show that they are being honest about their statement. They may say, “NGL, our college canteen sells the worst cookies in town.”

TBH: A very common abbreviation used to say “To Be Honest.” They use it to give a truthful opinion about something. They may say, “TBH, I think the Avatar movie was overrated.”

IDK: This is an old abbreviation that was even used by the generation prior to Gen Z. This means “I Don’t Know.” A Gen Z kid may say, “IDK from where to start when it comes to time management.”

IMO or IMHO: It is short for “In My Opinion or In My Honest Opinion.” They use it to show their real and honest views in a polite way. They may say, “IMO, Tom Cruise is the best action hero ever.”

How to use them in a sentence?

Gen Z acronyms are part and parcel of the Gen Z text slang. They may use these words and abbreviations in their daily life conversations, especially during their text messages. They find these terms as a shorter way to complete their sentences and elaborate their real messages behind their words.

For example, a typical Gen Z teen may say, “NGL, this TikTok post is sending me. I’m dead.” They may also send the subsequent replies like, “FR, the English accent of our new professor is hilarious, IYKYK.”

Navigating gen z slang: a guide for parents and educators

Parents and educators, being mature people may not like or enjoy learning Gen Z slang words. Some words rather won’t make any sense to them. Still, it is of much importance to know about the meanings behind these words, phrases, and abbreviations.

Why understanding gen z slang is crucial for adults?

Here are some of the reasons why understanding the Gen Z slang is crucial for adults:

Fostering connection: Parents and educators always feel a need to connect with the younger generation. So that they can communicate with them in the language they are comfortable with. This way, they’ll be better related to this generation. Learning this slang will help them avoid the feeling of being left out among them.

Building rapport and showing interest in a child’s world: You may want to learn their slang just to build a stronger rapport so that they know you care about them. This may also make them feel that you’re also one of them.

Identifying red flags: If you know what exactly their slang words mean, you will be in a better position to identify when they face a challenging situation. You will know if your child is facing cyberbullying or they are being exposed to inappropriate content or language.

Stronger digital literacy: These words will make you stronger to cope up well with the ever changing digital environment. This will also allow you to teach your kids about the do’s and don’ts of the online world.

How to engage in conversations about online language?

The key to engaging in conversations with your kids about online language is to show curiosity over being sarcastic. Here are the two practical tips that will help you engage better with Gen Z:

Approach with curiosity, not judgment: If you read or listen to a Gen Z communicating in slang, don’t be judgmental about it. Don’t let them feel that they’re using inappropriate language. Instead, ask them what does that new word really mean? Show your curiosity for their new language. That would make them feel special by explaining new things to you and preparing you to be a part of their world.

Discuss context and nuance: You should try teaching your kids about the context and nuance of words. Try explaining to them that the same words can have different meanings and interpretations depending on the situation or a particular set of people. For example, “gyatt” may be used to express shock at a surprising element, and people often use it to express praise for a woman’s well-shaped figure (especially her buttocks). Such context and nuance explanation will enhance their digital literacy and they’ll be better positioned to interpret slang the right way.

Use FlashGet Kids for digital safety

You cannot always be physically present with your kids to see what they are communicating via their physical or online interactions. That’s why you must have a digital way out to keep your kids protected from the potential harms of the online world. That’s why you must use a parental control app like FlashGet Kids.

This app will allow you to use useful features like getting live notifications on your phone about your kids’ activities on their phones. It will also keep you informed about your kids’ locations at all times. You can also set it to send you notifications about certain keyword detection. You can have notifications when your kids interact using potentially concerning conversations in slang language.

This way, you will have an ultimate peace of mind by ensuring your kids’ safety at all times. In case you detect any red flags, you can take immediate actions to either limit the screen time of your kids or block the usage of certain apps by using the parental control features within the same app.

FAQ

Conclusion

Gen Z slang is a robust set of words that are deeply rooted into the younger generation. They use these words to show their style and relate to a certain context by using a minimal amount of words. Learning these words are crucial for parents and educators to fully understand the style in which this generation communicates. This will help adults connect better with the younger generation to stay connected with each other.

While physical monitoring may not be possible and practical at all times, you can rely on using a parental control app like FlashGet Kids to constantly monitor your kids’ activities. This app will ensure to keep the full track of words your kids use on social media platforms. This way, you will have enough means of healthy supervision to ensure their digital safety and overall well-being in the long run.