50 American slang terms with their meanings and usage examples. Keep in mind that slang evolves quickly, and new terms may have emerged.
- Lit
- Meaning: Extremely cool or exciting.
- Example: “The concert last night was so lit!”
- Flex
- Meaning: Show off or brag.
- Example: “He’s always flexing his new gadgets.”
- Cap
- Meaning: Lie or exaggerate.
- Example: “Are you serious, or are you capping right now?”
- FOMO
- Meaning: Fear of Missing Out.
- Example: “I have serious FOMO; I should’ve gone to that party.”
- GOAT
- Meaning: Greatest of All Time.
- Example: “Michael Jordan is the GOAT of basketball.”
- Savage
- Meaning: Fearless or brutally honest.
- Example: “She’s so savage; she tells it like it is.”
- Thirsty
- Meaning: Desperate for attention, often romantically.
- Example: “Stop being so thirsty on social media.”
- Sus
- Meaning: Suspicious.
- Example: “That guy is acting sus; I don’t trust him.”
- Tea
- Meaning: Gossip or information.
- Example: “Spill the tea on what happened last night.”
- Bae
- Meaning: Before Anyone Else, used for a significant other.
- Example: “Date night with my bae.”
- Ghost
- Meaning: Suddenly stop responding or disappear.
- Example: “He ghosted me after our first date.”
- Stan
- Meaning: A devoted fan.
- Example: “I’m a stan for that new artist; their music is amazing.”
- Vibe
- Meaning: The overall feeling or atmosphere.
- Example: “This place has such a chill vibe.”
- Clout
- Meaning: Influence or popularity.
- Example: “He’s doing it for the clout on social media.”
- Thicc
- Meaning: Curvy or voluptuous, often in a positive way.
- Example: “She’s looking thicc in that outfit.”
- Ship
- Meaning: Support or endorse a romantic relationship.
- Example: “I totally ship them; they would make a cute couple.”
- Glow Up
- Meaning: Positive transformation, often in appearance.
- Example: “Her glow-up over the past year is incredible.”
- Lowkey
- Meaning: To keep something on the down-low or discreet.
- Example: “I lowkey have a crush on them.”
- Highkey
- Meaning: The opposite of lowkey, meaning very obvious or intense.
- Example: “I highkey love this song.”
- AF
- Meaning: As F*** (used to intensify).
- Example: “It’s cold AF outside.”
- Woke
- Meaning: Socially aware or enlightened.
- Example: “She’s so woke; she always stands up for what’s right.”
- Snack
- Meaning: A good-looking person.
- Example: “Did you see that new guy? He’s a snack.”
- Flexin’ on the Gram
- Meaning: Showing off on Instagram.
- Example: “She’s always flexin’ on the Gram with her vacations.”
- Cringe
- Meaning: Uncomfortable or embarrassing.
- Example: “That TikTok dance was so cringe.”
- Receipts
- Meaning: Evidence or proof.
- Example: “I’ve got the receipts to prove it.”
- No Cap
- Meaning: No lie.
- Example: “That’s the best pizza in town, no cap.”
- On Point
- Meaning: Perfect or flawless.
- Example: “Your outfit is on point tonight.”
- Simp
- Meaning: Someone who goes above and beyond for someone they are attracted to.
- Example: “He’s such a simp for her; he bought her flowers again.”
- Capisce
- Meaning: Do you understand? (from Italian “capisci”).
- Example: “We’re meeting at 7, capisce?”
- Sis
- Meaning: Short for sister, but often used to address a friend.
- Example: “Hey sis, what’s up?”
- Litty
- Meaning: A combination of lit and pretty, used to describe something exciting and attractive.
- Example: “The party was litty; the decorations were also litty.”
- Betrayed
- Meaning: Feeling let down or deceived.
- Example: “I can’t believe she betrayed us like that.”
- Cray-Cray
- Meaning: Extremely crazy.
- Example: “The party last night was cray-cray; you missed out.”
- Chillax
- Meaning: A combination of chill and relax, meaning to calm down and take it easy.
- Example: “Let’s just chillax and watch a movie.”
- Lit AF
- Meaning: Extremely exciting or excellent.
- Example: “The concert was lit AF; I’ll never forget it.”
- Bet
- Meaning: Agreement or confirmation.
- Example: “Want to grab pizza later? Bet!”
- Wavy
- Meaning: Cool or stylish.
- Example: “His new haircut is so wavy.”
- Fam
- Meaning: Short for family or close friends.
- Example: “I’m hanging out with the fam this weekend.”
- Bless Up
- Meaning: Wishing someone well or expressing gratitude.
- Example: “Thanks for helping me out; bless up.”
- JOMO
- Meaning: Joy of Missing Out (the opposite of FOMO).
- Example: “I skipped the party and enjoyed some JOMO.”
- Salty
- Meaning: Bitter or resentful.
- Example: “Why are you so salty about losing the game?”
- Lituation
- Meaning: A situation that is lit or exciting.
- Example: “This weekend is going to be a lituation.”
- Came through Drippin’
- Meaning: Looking exceptionally stylish or fashionable.
- Example: “She came through drippin’ at the party.”
- Mood
- Meaning: Relatable or expressing one’s current feelings.
- Example: “This rainy weather is a whole mood.”
- Finesse
- Meaning: To skillfully handle a situation or achieve a goal.
- Example: “She totally finessed her way out of that problem.”
- Lit AF
- Meaning: Extremely exciting or excellent.
- Example: “The party was lit AF; the DJ was amazing.”
- Ghost
- Meaning: To suddenly stop responding or disappear.
- Example: “He ghosted me after our first date.”
- Gucci
- Meaning: All good or okay.
- Example: “Everything’s Gucci; don’t worry about it.”
- Slay
- Meaning: To excel or do something exceptionally well.
- Example: “She slayed that presentation.”
- 100
- Meaning: Keeping it real, being authentic, or expressing complete agreement.
- Example: “I’m 100% down for that plan.”
Remember, slang terms can vary in popularity and may evolve over time. It’s essential to be aware of the context and appropriateness when using slang in different situations.