Understanding the Gen Z Vocabulary
- Dr. James Emery White Mecklenburg Community Church
- Published Aug 20, 2018
First, I want you to know it’s totally lit to be writing this. Hope nothing that follows feels cringey. Sometimes I can get a little extra. And when we’re not F2F, it’s hard to tell. I’m just hoping it reads fleeky. But trust me, what follows is high-key. TBH, I just hope you don’t throw any shade my way but, instead, will read and wig.
Need a dictionary or, better yet, a translator? You’re not alone. Learning to “talk teen” is a constantly moving target, to be updated (at least) annually. Throw in the increasing use of gifs and memes instead of words, and the challenge only grows.
So here’s a cheat sheet of the latest teen slang and acronyms:
Beef = a disagreement or hostility
BRB = be right back
Bruh = another way of saying "bro" or "brother"
Canceled = done, deleted, finished, blocked on social media
Clout Chaser = someone who tries to latch on to other, more popular people
Clout Demon = a wannabe
Cringey = awkward, uncomfortable, cringe-worthy
Curve = reject someone’s advances
Dead A— = to be completely and honestly serious
Dead = overwhelmed or exhausted
Dime = rating of attractiveness, 10/10
Down in the DM = direct messaging someone privately, usually to hook up
Drip/Drippin = flashy, ostentatious
Extra = over the top
F2F = face to face, meeting in person
Fam = the friends you are closest with
Finna = going to/about to, short for “fixing to”
Finsta = a fake Instagram account
Fleeky = amazing or great
Glow-up = an incredible transformation
Goals = a lifestyle to strive for
GOAT = greatest of all time, mainly used in sports
Gucci = good, cool
High-key = a lot, wanting everyone to know something
Hit a lick = to steal something
Hundo P = 100 percent, confirming something
It’s lit = cool, awesome, great
I’m weak = something so funny it made you weak
Juice = credibility, respect, can also mean booze or drugs
Juul = a popular brand of vaporizer used by teens
Kickback = a casual get-together
KMS/KYS = kill myself, kill yourself, used sarcastically
Lean = an intoxicating drink made using soda and cough syrup
Meme = a joke or reference to something
OP = out of pocket, used when something is extreme or offensive
Pods = disposable cartridge for a nicotine vaporizer
Ratchet = loud, obnoxious, trashy
Saucy = feisty or sassy
Savage = wild or harsh
Shade = trash talk
Shook = shocked, upset
Sips tea = minding your own business
Smash = to hook up, have sex
Squad = your closest group of friends
Stan = have an intense fandom for a particular object, such as a singer, athlete or company
Straight fire = popular, trendy or awesome
Sus = short for suspect, when something is suspicious or sketchy
TBH = to be honest
Tea = gossip
Thicc = voluptuous, curvy body (usually a compliment)
Thirsty = wants attention, usually from a specific person
Throw shade = talking badly about a person or thing
Tweaking = high, usually on amphetamines
V = very
Wig = when something crazy or unexpected (good) happens
Woke = enlightened about social issues, originally to describe being aware about racism and police violence
I know. This blog was the GOAT.
James Emery White
Sources
Jennifer Jolly, “‘It’s lit’: The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Your Teen’s Text and Speak,” USA Today, August 10, 2018, read online.
About the Author
James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president. His latest book, Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World, is available on Amazon. To enjoy a free subscription to the Church & Culture blog, visit ChurchAndCulture.org, where you can view past blogs in our archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the world. Follow Dr. White on Twitter and Instagram @JamesEmeryWhite.
