11 Outdated Phrases Boomers Use That Gen Z Would Love To See Banned
Boomers may flip a wig when they hear this, but Gen Z would really prefer that they chill on someone of their favorite things to say.
Andrii Iemelianenko / Shutterstock Just like any other generation, baby boomers have often connected with each other over shared experiences — characterized by certain emotions, language, and memories that bond them, regardless of their individual identities. Language, specifically, is powerful in facilitating these connections, providing a shared content through with certain phrases and slang that other generations may not relate to or even fully understand.
Today, there are several outdated phrases boomers use that Gen Z would love to see banned. Given the generational tension between Gen Z and baby boomers, it’s important to understand why this language can come across as offensive, invalidating, or at the very least, purely annoying.
Here are 11 outdated phrases boomers use that Gen Z would love to see banned
1. ‘Back in my day…’
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For some Gen Zers, a phrase like this feels dismissive, for others, it’s simply annoying. While boomers who use this phrase to share their own experiences or compare the current state of the world may not have malicious intentions, the person on the receiving end often feels invalidated.
Whether preceding a criticism of modern technology or the social skills of today's kids, you’ve probably heard a million different versions of this phrase. It's not usually intended to make anyone mad, but almost certainly to do the exact opposite. Many of the outdated phrases boomers use that Gen Z would love to see banned cause them to feel similar feelings of invalidated, unheard, and misunderstood by people in older generations. .
2. ‘Respect your elders’
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Alongside sociopolitical discussions and pop culture shifts, Gen Z is now at the forefront of modern change — actively moving away from traditional beliefs, values, and norms to advocate for their own needs. While it might be an uncomfortable shift for many baby boomers who've spent their lives respecting traditional values, Gen Z doesn't believe that age alone is a reason to show respect.
Instead of simply “respecting their elders” on the basis of the number of years they've been alive, they choose where to invest their respect based on where they believe it's been earned. Gen Z refuses to put their own needs aside for the sake of respect, especially when they don't feel they are being treated with the same kind of respect to begin with.
3. ‘Get your ducks in a row’
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While this phrase has somewhat wholesome origins — ducklings following their mother in a straight line — it’s become an annoyance for younger generations, especially in a professional context.
While there’s nothing inherently dismissive or invalidating about it, Gen Zers tend to harshly criticize all boomer slang — labelling it outdated and out of touch as they craft their own unique phrases and language in everyday life.
Just as Gen Alpha will surely do in the future for Gen Z, it’s only normal for generational resentment to flood into seemingly meaningless aspects of life — like using slang — and give rise to feelings of frustration and annoyance in everyday intergenerational conversations.
4. ‘Just make some little sacrifices’
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While boomers' ideas of sacrifice, specifically in the context of financial comfort or saving money, tend to revolve around healthy budgeting techniques and cutting out unnecessary luxuries, Gen Z’s perspectives on money are harshly different. Not only do they steer away from financial techniques based on on “missing out” or deprivation — things that hardly ever make a true difference in financial stability in today’s world — they’re collectively not saving up to make the same kind of purchases baby boomers were at the same age.
From buying a new car to purchasing a home, Gen Z is at a disadvantage as they struggle with student loan debt and apply for jobs that will set them up for success. They’re already sacrificing just to get by, not only unable to afford small luxuries, but basic necessities and monthly bills, with some even putting off utility payments so they can buy groceries or sacrificing their student loan payments to pay rent.
5. ‘Tired as all get out’
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While many of the other outdated phrases boomers use that Gen Z would love to see banned feel invalidating or misguided in the current context of the world, this specific one is simply annoying — especially for Gen Zers battling for space and security in the workplace.
Not only are they already fighting the irritability and tension caused by generational resentment in professional and social environments with their boomer counterparts, they feel the need to set their own lingo and slang aside to seek comfort in these spaces. Gen Z workers feel burned out and exhausted pretty much all the time, so hearing the same complaint in old-fashioned words from boomers is just one more thing to make them cringe.
6. ‘Are we having fun yet?’
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Especially in the context of a workplace, it’s no surprise that Gen Zers would love to see phrased like this banned. Whether it’s a job they love or one they’re simply using to get by, most young workers aren’t looking to make deep connections with their colleagues — they want to do their work, close their laptop, and go home to their personal life.
Considering many workplaces already have a misguided view of Gen Z — from their clothing to their productivity — it’s not uncommon for them to grow irritable with their older counterparts at work, frustrated that their own individuality, slang, and language are being condemned while outdated phrases like this one continue to be used.
While there’s nothing inherently malicious or wrong with this phrase — in fact, it’s intended to be humorous — it’s the context in which it’s often used that makes it one of the outdated phrases boomers use that Gen Z would love to see banned.
7. ‘I paid my dues’
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Typically used by people in older generations who believe they’ve already gone through the same discomforts and challenges of youth that Gen Z is experiencing now, phrases like this one can come off as dismissive and annoying to currently struggling young people.
Whether it’s used at work or in a personal setting, the collaborative nature of any relationship is voided when a phrase like this is used to evade responsibility or expect others to pick up extra work or emotional burdens. While it’s also possible for this phrase to be used in a more innocent context, the lingering collective resentment between younger and older generations makes it a touchy one to throw around in conversations.
8. ‘My dogs are barking’
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First of all — ew. Second of all — gross. Even if there was a more appropriate and relevant way to say that your feet hurt, nobody wants to know, especially Gen Zers who make it a point to avoid awkward and unnecessarily uncomfortable social interactions at work and in other situations.
While Gen Zers might celebrate oversharing online, there’s no reason to do it in-person. If your dogs are barking, boomers, Gen Z definitely does not want to know about it.
9. ‘It is what it is’
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If there’s anything that holds true about Gen Z across the board, it’s that they’re constantly willing to push traditional boundaries, norms, and expectations in every aspect of their lives. So, no — it’s never just an “It is what it is” situation in their opinion. There’s always something you can do to pave a different, unique, and transformative path forward.
From larger issues at work to more subtle disagreements in a relationship, this phrase can feel dismissive when it’s intended to support older generations in avoiding responsibility or challenges. Especially in a family dynamic, parents who take on a passive attitude with a phrase like this can make their adult children feel isolated — unable to communicate effectively or resolve conflicts.
10. ‘Pull yourself up by your bootstraps’
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Considering that baby boomers grew up in a culture that supported the narratives of hard work paying off and living the American Dream, it’s not uncommon that they carry those cherished traditional ideals into every aspect of their lives today. However, while hard work and a “bootstrap mentality” might have proven successful for them, the truth is that times have changed.
Not only is hard work simply not enough to acheive financial security today, especially for people in marginalized demographics and communities, but phrases like this only work to belittle the efforts of people who are already struggling, suggesting they could be doing more.
Especially for Gen Z, often collectively labeled as “lazy” by their boomer counterparts, a phrase like this can be personally offensive as they struggle to find stability and comfort in a tumultuous world.
11. ‘Nobody wants to work anymore’
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This phrase hasn't only been used by Kim Kardashian to condemn people battling job insecurity and a tumultuous job market, it’s also a favorite of baby boomers who don't know what it's like trying to find a job in the current market — preferring to make fun of “lazy’ Gen Zers who are struggling to get by like everyone else in the current economy.
While Gen Zers struggle to find jobs, especially jobs that will provide stability and a livable wage, it’s inevitable that phrases like this will prove invalidating to their experience. They’re working hard, following the traditional paths that boomers found successful, and doing their best to get by, yet they’re still falling behind despite what they believe to be their best efforts.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.