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Est. 1828
Slang & Words We're Watching

Slang (page 2)

CODA

Child of deaf adults

copium

An Internet taunt for a delusional loser

cottagecore

Quaint, cozy, and modest fashion and style drawn from bucolic inspirations

delulu

Delusional; audaciously self-confident

enby

A nonbinary person; relating to or being nonbinary

enshittification

When a digital platform is made worse for users, in order to increase profits

Fanum tax

Taking someone else’s food; an Internet gibberish term

femboy

A young man presenting himself in a feminine way

fugazi

Fake, a phony; BS; messed up

glow-up

A striking transformation in a person’s appearance; a makeover, a coming-of-age

grindset

Unrelenting self-dedication

gyatt

A slang exclamation for admiring an attractive posterior

high-key

Straight up, seriously, extremely

HMU

Hit me up

it’s gonna be May

An annual Internet joke about Justin Timberlake and the start of May

IYKYK

'If you know, you know'

jawn

Philadelphia slang for any unspecified thing or person

Karen

Insulting term for a privileged, indignant, or discriminatory woman

kiki

A gossipy get-together; (to have) a lively chat

looksmaxxing

Efforts, sometimes extreme, young men take to look more attractive

lore

The history or backstory of a person, character, or imagined world

main character energy

Dramatic self-confidence; obtrusive self-importance

manosphere

Misogynistic male Internet groups; online media seen as promoting toxic masculinity

mewing

A tongue technique purported to enhance one’s jaw and face

neckbeard

Unattractive facial hair around the neck; a slovenly computer nerd; a misogynistic Internet troll

Netflix and chill

To hook up romantically; to relax at home with a movie or TV

no cap

For real, seriously

OK boomer

A sarcastic comeback to fogyish condescension

passenger princess

A woman chivalrously chauffeured by her partner

pick-me

Someone disingenuously seeking attention or approval; relating to such a person or behavior

polycule

A group of people in a polyamorous relationship

preppy

A cheery, sporty style popular among girls involving lots of pink; a girl who follows this style

šŸ’œ Purple Heart

A digital purple-colored heart expressing types of affection

ratchet

Trashy and disorderly, sometimes in a good way

rawdog

To do something hard or boring without any aid, preparation, or diversions

ā¤ļø Red Heart

Various heart-shaped emoji expressing love, affection, and many other feelings

red-pilled

A leftist insult for delusional far-right beliefs; someone who has come to see the truth about the world

sanewashing

Making something considered ā€˜insane’ seem more ā€˜sane’

sigma

A coolly independent, successful man; excellent; an Internet nonsense word

situationship

When you’re more than friends but less than official

smol

Adorably small

stonks

Slang for ā€œstocksā€ (shares in a company); an ironic remark on an amusingly mishandled situation, financial and otherwise

thicc

Curvaceous; burly; lovably large

tradwife

A dutiful housewife active on social media

webtoon

A digital comic scrolled vertically

WYLL

What you look like

zoomies

A burst of frenetic running in dogs and cats; a bout of agitation or animation
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