30 Most Popular Slang Words Used By Teenagers On Social Media In 2018
Want to stay hip and up to date on the latest slang terms?
Confused by today’s slang? Don’t worry; knowing what a new word is meant to express can get overwhelming at times for anyone. I’ll be the first to admit that modern day slang can be irritating.
I frequently find myself rolling my eyes at the latest slang term and then immediately going to yell at the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn (see what I did there - it's an "I'm old" joke).
But, we have to remember that we all spoke in a hidden language back when, and just like our parents wished we wouldn't, today's kids will do it too (much to our disdain). I won’t pretend that I wasn’t annoying in my teen years with the slang of that time.
Every generation has/had its own slang terms that evolved as a result of their culture. We’re all basically the same in our teens just with different trends and funky new words to differentiate ourselves from the previous generation.
You think “groovy” or “rad” didn’t sound ridiculous to your grandparents when your parents were saying it? Get real.
Frankly, my youthful phrase “the bomb” isn’t all that much more sophisticated than today’s “lit” (especially since they’re both fire related … I guess slang doesn’t actually even change all that much).
Regardless of how you feel about slang, there isn’t any denying that it has it’s place in society and that those who use it tend to fit in more (especially for those under 25).
Slang generally evolves from the pop culture of that decade and speaks to the youth in that particular decade. Which is where I’m convinced this phenomenon of only thinking the slang from your generation wasn’t stupid comes from (guilty).
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The reality is that no matter how much we may like or dislike the latest slang words, they’re going to change rapidly. Heck, I’m only 25 and I only knew a handful of the ones on this list. You’ve got to stay up to date to continue sounding cool.
Now that I’ve accepted the phenomenon of modern day slang, I’ve become "woke" on the subject and I’ve compiled a totally "lit" list of the top 30 trending slang terms for 2018 below. Stay cool.
1. "Sus"
According to Urban Dictionary, “sus” is synonymous with scandalous or doing something wrong in some way. According to PopSugar, “sus” comes from the word “suspect” and is basically the internet’s new word for shady.
2. "Snatched"
According to Urban Dictionary, “snatched” is a popular term in the gay community and refers to something good or, more commonly, a positive note to someone’s appearance. According to PopSugar, “Snatched” is the new “fleek”. More often than not the word is used to refer to something about a person’s appearance.
It also can mean taking someone's respect from them. It can also mean taking someone's wig off, or grabbing something that doesn't belong to you and then pulling it back.
3. "Boots"
According to The Online Slang Dictionary’s website, “boots” is synonymous with ugly and unattractive.
4. “Sis”
According to PopSugar, “sis” is the new “bro”. Basically, however you would have used “bro” before, you can now use “sis" instead. So, I guess it’s an affectionate term for friends.
5. “Hunty”
“Hunty” is word meant to combine “honey” and “c*nt” and, according to PopSugar, was popularized by RuPaul’s DragRace and was used as an affectionate term. Although it CAN be used in a demeaning way. Especially in groups of women who may not like the “C” word.
6. “AF"
According to the Urban Dictionary, “AF” is an abbreviation for “as f**k”. “AF” is generally used after an adjective to give emphasis. For example, “I am hungry AF”. It is generally used as internet slang, but personally I have ACTUALLY heard people use it in conversation (generally people who think they’re cool, but are too scared to curse in front of mommy).
7. “Doggo” or “Puppo”
These terms are basically just cutesy ways of saying dog and puppy. It’s sort of implied that the term only refers to K9’s that are superiorly cute. According to Bustle, who spoke with internet linguist, Gretchen McCulloch, “Doggo” and “Puppo” have been predicted to remain mainstream in 2018.
8. “Stan”
According to PopSugar, “Stan” is now internet slang for someone who is a hardcore fan and it originated with a Eminem song about an obsessed fan.
9. “Swole"
According to Urban Dictionary, “swole” refers to being muscular or buff. Bustle is predicting that “swole” will stay mainstream in 2018, as fitness trends become more and more prominent in mainstream media (people will be “getting swole”).
10. “Extra”
According to PopSugar, when someone calls you “extra” they are implying that you are trying too hard or being dramatic. For example, Titus from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was always “so extra”.
11. “OTP”
According to PopSugar, “OTP” is an acronym for “One True Pairing” and refers to a couple (generally famous or fictional) that you’re emotionally invested in (like Ron and Hermione were for the Harry Potter generation).
12. “Clapback”
According to Urban Dictionary, “clapback” is the new “come back” and refers to responding to negativity (sometimes with attitude or sass). According to Bustle, the slang term “clapback” originated with a hit song from 2003, but is predicted to be extremely relevant in 2018 as people stand up for what they believe in.
13. “Ship”
According to PopSugar, “ship” is just a shortened form of the word “relationship” and is used to refer to wanting two people in a relationship. For example, the Harry Potter generation “shipped Ron and Hermione”.
14. “DM"
Simply, “DM” stands for “Direct Message”. However, according to PopSugar, “DM” also has undertones of wanting to hookup with someone so you ask them to “DM you” for privacy.
15. “Bitcoin”
"Bitcoin" simply refers to digital currency. Bustle predicts that this is another slang word that will become more mainstream in 2018, although they have noted that, “many financial analysts are warning the digital currency may collapse soon”.
16. “Gucci”
According to Refinery 29, “Gucci” no longer only refers to the luxury brand (although that is where the word comes from). “Gucci”, when used as a slang term, is synonymous with “good” and “fine”.
17. “Squad Goals”
According to Refinery 29, this slang term refers to “the kind of behavior a friend group aspires to”.
18. “Bible”
According to Refinery 29, you “begin a statement with "Bible" if [you]'re about to say the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
19. “Adulting”
The term “adulting” is a basically slang used by millennials being dramatic about doing things considered “adult” of them. For example, having to go work, spend money on cleaning products, pay rent, etc. could all be described as “adulting”.
20. “Turnt”
According to Refinery 29, “Turnt” is an abbreviated version of the longer slang phrase “turned up” and it can either merely mean that you’re excited about something or that you’re having fun because you're intoxicated.
21. “On Fleek”
According to Refinery 29, “on fleek” became slang in 2003 and generally meant anything that was “smooth, nice or sweet”. But today, it is used to mean “looking perfect”. Hence the phrase, “eyebrows on fleek”.
22. “Lit”
According to USA Today, “Lit” is slang for something that is “hot and happening” and is generally synonymous with cool.
23. “Keeping it 100”
According to Refinery 29, if you’re “keeping it 100” then you are, “acting in a way that's true to yourself and aligned with your values, as well as being respectful to others.”
24. “Hundo P”
According to USA Today, “Hundo P” is slang for something that is 100%, certain, or just “really awesome”.
25. “Trill”
According to Refinery 29, “Trill” is just a combination of the words “true” and “real”. According to Urban Dictionary, “trill” is slang used in hip hop culture and means someone well respected.
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26. “JOMO”
According to Refinery 29, we now have an alternative to FOMO in the way of “JOMO”, which stands for the “joy of missing out”. Frankly, I can get behind this one way easier than FOMO.
27. “GOAT”
According to Urban Dictionary, “GOAT” is merely an acronym for “greatest of all time”, so even though it is a form of slang, it's meaning comes from the abbreviation of the sentence itself. Pretty creative!
28. “Salty”
According to USA Today, “salty” is slang for a person who is angry or bitter (generally at a specific person).
29. “Woke”
According to USA Today, “woke” is a slang word used to describe someone who is aware and knowledgeable. According to Refinery 29, “The more woke one is, the more sympathetic and knowledgeable one is about a topic or type of person.”
Refinery 29 also noted that “woke”, “is most often used to describe a man who is also a feminist (as most men should be).”
30. “Fam”
According to USA Today, the slang word “fam” refers to a person’s close knitted friend group, but can also just refer to one person. It seems to refer to a closeness level in friendship.
Nicole Bradley-Bernard is a writer who needs coffee more than she needs anyone’s approval. She enjoys putting bright colors in her curly brown hair, spending time outside on cool days and being with her partner in life, Eric, who she considers a continuing source of inspiration.