Keeping up with the latest slang is no easy feat. For older people trying to stay fresh with the ever-changing Gen Alpha slang and Gen Z slang, they have their work cut out for them. But many are keeping up.
In a Reddit forum, member @Final-Work2788 posed the question: “What slang that’s come out in the past five years do you have to admit is kind of awesome?”
Boomers, Gen Xers, and more happily shared the slang words that they’re obsessed with. These are 45 Gen Alpha and Gen Z slang terms that older people secretly love.
“”Skills Issue’.” —@GrimaceMusically
“FAFO [f*ck around find out]. So useful!!” —@PrimarySelection8619
“I will always adore, and use at every occasion, the vaunted word ‘YEET’.” —@5ilvrtongue
Rainbow Yes GIF by Lumi Giphy
“Slaps. There’s a lot of good new slang out there but this term slaps.” —@robotlasagna
“Thirsty.” —@Gloomy_Obligation333
“I love using Sus and Sketch and my kids hate me for it.” —@bladel
“‘Mid’ does it’s job perfectly. So short. Anything truly ‘mid’ doesn’t require any more time/verbiage. ‘It’s mid,’ move on.” —@bitsonchips
“That’s a banger, referring to a song. Also the term glazing.” —@haf2go
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“I like rizz. It reminds of the Putting on the Ritz scene from Young Frankenstein.” —@Niniva73
“Younger Aussies are saying ‘cossie livs’ for ‘cost of living’ issues. If you can’t afford something it’s ‘cossie livs’. We’ll make slang out of anything.” —@Mash_man710
“I am Gen X. I love the term crashed out, or crashing out. My daughters say I am not allowed to use it though. I am not sure if it is a cultural appropriation thing or if they just think it’s cringe when I say it. I love it though. It’s very descriptive.” —@Neat-Client9305
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“I love ‘Menty B’ for mental breakdown lol.” —@philmajohnson
“‘…with your whole chest’.” —@Ok-Scallion9885
“I love Gen Z slang. Rizz is so creative. Gyat is hilarious. I have a son in middle school so I hear a lot of it. I’m Gen X and think it’s much cooler than what we came up with.” —@HairyHorseKnuckles
“‘Deplorean’ for a Cybertruck, even though I am a Tesla owner. I don’t hate Cybertrucks, I just think it’s funny.” —@AJ_Mexico
“Fire.” —@keepsummersafe55
Shark Tank Rohan GIF by ABC Network Giphy
“I’m Cooked…as in sick or in a bad way.” —@Scottishdog1120
“Oh, so many!
–Mid
–Okay, no
–Situationship
–Ded (and, the skull and crossbones emoji instead of LOL)
–that ATE (also: ‘Ate and left no crumbs’)
–era (‘villain era’)
–lowkey
–deadass
–SLAPS
–dripped out
–turnt
–a snack (‘Girl looking like a SNACK’)
–IYKYK.” —@CatCafffffe
GIF by RuPaul’s Drag Race Giphy
“Enshittification.” —@Numerous_Problems
“Cap and no cap.” —@ContributionOk9927
Paul Rudd Wear A Mask GIF by GIPHY News Giphy
“Cringe. It’s perfect.” —@meekonesfade
“Pedestrian. This one sums it up.” —@PigpenD27870
“I kind of like deadass meaning for-real or I-shit-you-not. I’m too old to know if it’s within the last five years though.” —@Tom__mm
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“Skibidi is fun to say.” —@BrooklynDoug
“Ohio. I lived there for six years and can confirm, it’s Ohio.” —@those_ribbon_things
“it’s giving. sometimes something isn’t necessarily ‘like’ a thing at all but it’s gives you the same energy or vibes (i enjoy vibes too).” —@coolcoolcool485
“I don’t know why but I find it funny when kids say someone is a ‘D1 Yapper.’ They don’t just talk too much, or never shut up, they have been recruited to a Division 1 school for their yapping, haha.” —@Impossible-Still-128
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“My great niece asking me if I wanted the tea. I said no thanks, I’d just had coffee…boy did she laugh! And said NO, let me tell you want happened and laughed some more! I love that girl to pieces 🥰.” —@Educational-Glass-63
“Brainrot. So appropriate for so much media (including what I’m doing here!)” —@rrddrrddrrdd
“De-lu-lu is my fave.” —@recyclar13
Delulu GIF by Forabeli Beauty Giphy
“The comment, word, reply, phrase: ‘Bet.’ Like wtf does it mean and how did it derive to be so much yet so simple?
Q: ‘Hey, you wanna go get something to eat?’
A: ‘Bet.’
C: ‘Dude, this song is freaking awesome!’
R: ‘Bet.’
Q: “Hey, did you smash that last night?’
A: ‘Bet, Bet!’
C: ‘I can kick your ass!’
R: ‘Bet.’
Q: ‘You want some chips?’ (A) ‘Nah, I’m good.’
A: ‘Bet.'” —@SomeMidnight