Gen Z phrases and terms may confuse older people

Gen Z are people born after Millennials but before Generation Alpha. They were born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, so are mostly teenagers or young adults in their 20s. Like with any generation, some Gen Z phrases and terms might be confusing if you don’t know what they mean. Don’t worry though, this list will help you understand what young people are talking about.

 

Bet

What does bet mean?: “Bet” means you agree enthusiastically. You might otherwise say “OK!”, “sure”, or “you bet!”.
Example: “Do you want to get Chinese food tonight?” “Bet!”

 

Drip

What does drip mean?: “Drip” means someone who wears very stylish clothing or accessories.
Example: “That teacher has drip”.

 

Flex

What does flex mean?: “Flex” means to show off something, like a bodybuilder would flex their muscles.
Example: “He keeps flexing his new hat”.

 

FOMO

What does FOMO mean?: “FOMO” means “Fear Of Missing Out.” It’s the feeling you get when you think others are having fun without you.
Example: “Everyone else is at the party, and I’ve got FOMO”.

 

Ghosting

What does ghosting mean?: “Ghosting” means to suddenly stop talking to someone.
Example: “We went out for a coffee but she ghosted me afterwards”.

 

GOAT

What does GOAT mean?: “GOAT” means “Greatest Of All Time.”
Example: “Lionel Messi is the GOAT of football.”

 

Lit

What does lit mean?: “Lit” means when something is really fun, exciting, or great.
Example: “BSC colleges are lit!”

 

No Cap

What does no cap mean?: “No cap” means you’re telling the truth. You might otherwise say “no lie” or “I’m serious.”
Example: “That dog was so cute, no cap.”

 

Rizz

What does rizz mean?:“Rizz” means attractive or charming. It is short for “charisma”.
Example: “She’s got so much rizz”.

 

Slay

What does slay mean?: “Slay” means someone is doing a great job, or looks really good.
Example: “You slayed that karaoke tonight!”

 

Stan

What does stan mean?: “Stan” can be used as a noun or a verb. It means to be an obsessed fan of someone. It’s based on the Eminem song of the same name.
Example: “She stans Taylor Swift”.

 

Sus

What does sus mean?: “Sus” means “suspicious”. If something is dodgy or strange, you might call it “sus.”
Example: “Something is wrong, he’s acting sus.”

 

Tea

What does tea mean?: “Tea” means Gossip or news. When someone says “spill the tea,” they want to know the latest gossip.
Example: “How was your date? Spill the tea!”

 

W / L

What do W and L mean?: “W” and “L” mean win and loss.
Example: “Nobody laughed at my jokes at the comedy show. It was a massive L. But then I scored a W on the way home – I found £20!”.

 

Yeet

What does yeet mean?: “Yeet” means to throw something very strongly.
Example: “I yeeted that terrible sandwich straight into the bin”.

 


Confused by Gen Z phrases and terms in English?

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