Our language evolves to reflect societal changes, resulting in slang created by every generation.

I remember the good old terms of my youth: “groovy,” “cool,” and “hip.” Some from the next generation of voices gave us the terms “rad” and “bodacious”.

Today’s society is no different, and terms seem as strange to us as I am sure ours did decades ago.

The next time you are in the presence of a ‘with it’ group, here are a few terms that may help you understand their conversations.

  • Bet: Used to express agreement or confirmation; similar to saying “okay” or “sure.”
  • Bussin: Describes food that is delicious.
  • Cancel Culture: The practice of withdrawing support for public figures or companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable.
  • Cap/No Cap: “Cap” means to lie, while “no cap” means being truthful or serious about something.
  • Drip: Refers to a person’s style or fashion
  • Flex: To show off or boast
  • FOMO: Acronym for “Fear of Missing Out”; the anxiety of missing out on something fun or exciting.
  • Ghosting: Suddenly cutting off all communication with someone, especially in dating contexts.
  • Lit: Exciting or excellent
  • Savage: Bold or fierce
  • Shade: Subtle, indirect criticism or disrespect; often used in contexts involving gossip.
  • Sick: Used to describe something impressive or cool.
  • Simp: A person, typically a man, who is overly attentive or submissive to someone they are attracted to, often at the expense of their own needs.
  • Slay: To do something exceptionally well
  • Sus: Short for suspicious; used to describe someone or something that seems shady or untrustworthy.
  • Tea: Gossip or insider information
  • Vibe: The atmosphere or feeling of a place or situation
  • Woke: Being socially aware, particularly regarding issues of inequality and social justice.

In the world of texting, Snapchat, and other communication inventions, the slang world will continue to evolve as the norm of conversation.

Let’s all hang in there or “keep it 100,” as another slang term meaning to keep pushing forward.

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