Gen Z slang has taken over social media and everyday conversations in 2024, creating a whole new way of communicating. From “no cap” to “rizz,” these terms have become part of daily life for many young people online and IRL (in real life). Let’s break down the most popular Gen Z phrases and what they actually mean!
| Category | Popular Terms | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmation | No cap, FR, Bet | Expressing truth or agreement |
| Reactions | Shook, Slay, Fire | Showing excitement or approval |
| Descriptions | Mid, Bussin, Sus | Describing quality or situations |
| Emotions | Cooked, Salty, Delulu | Expressing feelings or states |
Most Used Gen Z Phrases in 2024
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Delulu | Being purposefully delusional in a playful way about hopes or expectations |
| Rizz | Natural charm or charisma, especially in romantic situations |
| Slay | Doing something exceptionally well or crushing a goal |
| No cap | Being completely honest, no exaggeration |
| Core | Suffix describing a specific aesthetic or lifestyle (e.g., softcore, normcore) |
| Real | Expression of genuine agreement or authenticity |
| Based | Having a strong, unique opinion without caring what others think |
| Ate | Performed exceptionally well or succeeded impressively |
| Valid | Acceptable or understandable behavior/feelings |
| Main character | Being the center of attention or living life dramatically |
| Unserious | Not taking things seriously or being playfully ridiculous |
| Hits different | Having a uniquely good or special quality |
| Living | Thoroughly enjoying a moment or experience |
| Understood the assignment | Executed something perfectly or met expectations |
| Rent free | Constantly occupying someone’s thoughts |
| Slept on | Underappreciated or overlooked |
| Giving | Resembling or emanating a particular vibe |
| Caught in 4K | Being caught doing something with clear evidence |
| Tea | Interesting gossip or drama |
| Purr | Expression of approval or satisfaction |
| Bussin | Extremely good or impressive |
| Mid | Mediocre or disappointing |
| Ratio | Getting more replies than likes, indicating disapproval |
| Lowkey | Subtle or secretive about something |
| Highkey | Being obvious or upfront about something |
| Ate and left no crumbs | Did something perfectly with no room for improvement |
| It’s giving | Something reminds you of or resembles something else |
| Snatched | Looking extremely good or put together |
| Iconic | Memorably impressive or unique |
| Vibe check | Assessing someone’s mood or energy |
Also read: 99 Gen Z Slang Words
15 Trending New Phrases
Slanginfo.com predicted 15 Gen Z phrases for 2025:
- Core-pilled – Taking an aesthetic or lifestyle to the extreme
- Main NPC – Someone who stands out despite trying to blend in
- Zero cap – An intensified version of “no cap,” meaning absolute truth
- Vibe shift – A sudden change in mood or atmosphere
- Meta-delulu – Being self-aware about being delusional
- Chronically offline – Someone who purposely avoids social media trends
- Anti-slay – Deliberately going against popular trends
- Quantum rizz – Having inexplicable charm or appeal
- Side quest energy – Getting easily distracted by unimportant tasks
- Touch grass premium – Taking an extended break from online life
- Ultra W – An extremely big win or success
- Reality check loading – Moment before realizing something obvious
- Aura blocked – When someone’s energy doesn’t match yours
- Reverse flop – Something becoming popular because it failed
- Peak coded – When something represents the absolute best of its category
These predictions are based on current Gen Z language patterns, social media trends, and the tendency for slang to build upon existing terms while getting more meta and self-referential.
Check out what FOMO means if you’re worried about missing out on the latest trends!
Emotional Expression Terms
Here’s how Gen Z expresses different emotions:
| Emotion | Term | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Joy | Bussin | “This day is absolutely bussin!” |
| Sadness | Down bad | “Been down bad since the breakup” |
| Pride | Ate | “My presentation really ate today” |
| Frustration | Cooked | “I’m completely cooked after that exam” |
| Amazement | Shook | “Still shook from that plot twist” |
| Jealousy | Pressed | “You’re just pressed because I got the promotion” |
| Confidence | Main character | “Today I’m in my main character era” |
| Embarrassment | Dead | “I’m literally dead from that moment” |
| Excitement | Living | “I’m living for this new album!” |
| Indifference | Zero rizz | “Having zero rizz about this drama” |
| Anger | Tilted | “Got me tilted with those comments” |
| Love | Based | “This relationship is so based” |
| Anxiety | Unserious | “My brain is being unserious right now” |
| Satisfaction | Purr | “Everything’s just purr today” |
| Disappointment | Mid | “This movie was honestly mid” |
Note: These terms often evolve quickly and can have multiple meanings depending on context and regional usage. They represent current usage patterns but may shift over time.
Also read: Gen Z Slang
Common Reactions
- FR FR (For real, for real): Used to emphasize agreement
- Big Yikes: Expression of secondhand embarrassment
- Let them cook: Giving someone space to succeed
Social Media Favorites
Here are the most popular Gen Z social media slang terms:
| Term | Meaning | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Caught in 4K | Being caught doing something with clear evidence | “Trying to sneak out but caught in 4K by mom’s security camera” |
| Chronically Online | Someone who spends too much time on social media | “You’re chronically online if you know all these trends” |
| IYKYK | If you know, you know – referring to inside jokes | This cafe at 3 AM hits different IYKYK” |
| Living rent-free | Something you can’t stop thinking about | “That song is living rent-free in my head” |
| POV | Point of view – used for perspective-based content | “POV: you’re the last person at the party” |
| Ratio | Getting more replies than likes, indicating disapproval | “Your take got ratio’d hard |
| Slay | Doing something exceptionally well | “Your Instagram aesthetic slays” |
| Tea | Gossip or drama | “The tea about their breakup is wild” |
| Ate and left no crumbs | Did something perfectly | “Her photo dump ate and left no crumbs” |
| Aura | Someone’s overall vibe or energy | “Her TikToks have such good aura” |
These terms are particularly popular on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, where Gen Z creates and consumes most of their content.
Social Media-Driven Terms 🌟
TikTok-Born Phrases
Meaning: These terms originated or gained popularity through TikTok videos
Usage in Text: Here’s how they’re commonly used:
- Caught in 4K
- Meaning: Being caught doing something embarrassing with clear evidence
- Usage: “Trying to sneak candy in class but caught in 4K by the teacher 📸”
- Ate and Left No Crumbs
- Meaning: Did something perfectly
- Usage: “Your presentation ate and left no crumbs!”
Platform-Specific Terms
| Platform | Popular Terms | Context |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | POV, FYP, Viral | Content creation |
| Fit check, Main character | Photo sharing | |
| Ratio, Based, W | Reactions |
Context-Specific Usage
Compliments and Praise
- GOAT
- Meaning: Greatest Of All Time
- Usage: “Tom Brady is the GOAT fr fr
- Hits Different
- Meaning: Something that’s uniquely good
- Usage: “Late night drives hit different”
Want to express strong approval? Check out how to use “pop off” in your conversations!
Criticism and Shade
Sus
- Meaning: Suspicious or questionable
- Usage: “That discount code looks kinda sus”
Looking for more ways to express doubt? Learn about “side-eye” and its usage!
How to Use Gen Z Slang Properly
Do’s and Don’ts
✅ Do:
- Use terms naturally in casual conversations
- Learn the proper context for each phrase
- Stay updated with new meanings
❌ Don’t:
- Overuse slang terms
- Use them in formal situations
- Mix different eras of slang
Future Trends and Evolution
Rising Terms
- Rizz
- Growing popularity in dating contexts
- Variations like “unspoken rizz” emerging
- Core
- Used as a suffix (-core) to describe aesthetics
- Example: “Cottagecore,” “Goblincore”
For more trending terms, check out our guide on “boujee” and its modern usage!
Understanding Context and Usage
Situational Guide
| Situation | Appropriate Terms | Terms to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| With Friends | Slay, FR, No cap | None |
| Social Media | IYKYK, POV, Based | None |
| School/Work | (Avoid slang) | Most slang terms |
| Family | Basic terms only | Complex/new slang |
Tips for Staying Current
- Follow Trends
- Watch TikTok trends
- Pay attention to meme culture
- Notice how terms evolve
- Learn Origins
- Understand cultural context
- Respect where terms come from
- Know when to use them
- Practice Natural Usage
- Start with common terms
- Use them in appropriate settings
- Don’t force it
Final Thoughts
Gen Z slang is constantly evolving, and what’s hot today might be “cheugy” tomorrow. The key is understanding not just what these terms mean, but when and how to use them naturally.
Remember:
- Context matters more than knowing every term
- Slang should enhance, not dominate, communication
- Some terms may be region-specific
- Not every new phrase will stick around
Stay updated, but remember to keep it real! 😊
