50 Commonly Used Slang Words in US English

With examples of how they can be used in conversation.

Wed Aug 7, 2024

Slangs: A completely different world

Discover the top 50 slang words in US English with our comprehensive guide

50 Commonly Used Slang Words in US English

  1. Bae - A term of endearment for one's significant other.
    • Example: "I'm going out with my bae tonight."
  2. Lit - Exciting or excellent.
    • Example: "The party last night was lit!"
  3. Salty - Being upset or bitter about something.
    • Example: "She's still salty about losing the game."
  4. Ghost - To suddenly cut off all communication with someone.
    • Example: "He ghosted me after our third date."
  5. Fam - A term for close friends or family.
    • Example: "I'm hanging out with my fam this weekend."
  6. Slay - To do something exceptionally well.
    • Example: "She slayed her performance at the concert."
  7. GOAT - Greatest Of All Time.
    • Example: "Michael Jordan is the GOAT of basketball."
  8. Squad - A group of friends.
    • Example: "I'm meeting up with my squad for dinner."
  9. Tea - Gossip or news.
    • Example: "Spill the tea, what happened at the party?"
  10. Woke - Being socially and politically aware.
    • Example: "She's very woke about social issues."
  11. Flex - To show off.
    • Example: "He's always flexing his new car."
  12. Savage - Acting in a bold and unapologetic manner.
    • Example: "Her comeback was totally savage."
  13. Clout - Influence or power, especially in social media.
    • Example: "He's just doing it for clout."
  14. Low-key - Slightly or secretly.
    • Example: "I'm low-key excited about the trip."
  15. High-key - Very or openly.
    • Example: "I'm high-key loving this new show."
  16. Thirsty - Desperate for attention.
    • Example: "He's so thirsty for likes on Instagram."
  17. Vibe - The atmosphere or feeling of a place or situation.
    • Example: "The cafe has such a chill vibe."
  18. Extra - Over the top or excessive.
    • Example: "She's so extra with her outfits."
  19. Shade - Subtle disrespect or criticism.
    • Example: "Did you hear the shade she threw at him?"
  20. Boujee - Luxurious or fancy.
    • Example: "We went to a boujee restaurant last night."
  21. Gucci - Good or cool.
    • Example: "Everything's Gucci with me."
  22. Dope - Cool or awesome.
    • Example: "That's a dope jacket you're wearing."
  23. Sus - Suspicious or questionable.
    • Example: "His story sounds a bit sus to me."
  24. Cringe - Something embarrassing or awkward.
    • Example: "That joke was so cringe."
  25. Stan - An overly enthusiastic fan.
    • Example: "I stan Beyoncé so hard."
  26. Throw shade - To subtly insult someone.
    • Example: "She was totally throwing shade at her ex."
  27. Hype - Excitement or enthusiasm.
    • Example: "There's a lot of hype around the new movie."
  28. FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out.
    • Example: "I have FOMO when I see my friends' posts."
  29. Salty - Bitter or upset.
    • Example: "He's salty about not getting invited."
  30. JOMO - Joy Of Missing Out.
    • Example: "I feel JOMO staying home and relaxing."
  31. Turnt - Extremely excited or energetic.
    • Example: "The crowd was turnt at the concert."
  32. Yas - An enthusiastic yes.
    • Example: "Yas, I love this song!"
  33. Fam - Close friends or family.
    • Example: "Can't wait to see my fam this weekend."
  34. Lit - Exciting or excellent.
    • Example: "The concert was lit!"
  35. Shade - Subtle disrespect or criticism.
    • Example: "That was a lot of shade she threw."
  36. Bae - A term of endearment.
    • Example: "Spending time with my bae tonight."
  37. Snatched - Looking great or fashionable.
    • Example: "Her outfit is snatched."
  38. On fleek - Perfect or on point.
    • Example: "Her makeup is on fleek."
  39. Slay - To do something exceptionally well.
    • Example: "She slayed her performance."
  40. Receipts - Evidence or proof.
    • Example: "Show me the receipts for your claims."
  41. Epic fail - A significant or embarrassing mistake.
    • Example: "That stunt was an epic fail."
  42. Troll - To provoke or annoy someone online.
    • Example: "He's just trolling to get a reaction."
  43. Epic - Great or impressive.
    • Example: "The view from the mountain was epic."
  44. Throwback - A nostalgic reference to the past.
    • Example: "Posting a throwback photo from our vacation."
  45. Thirst trap - A provocative photo posted for attention.
    • Example: "She posted a thirst trap on Instagram."
  46. Woke - Socially and politically aware.
    • Example: "He's very woke about environmental issues."
  47. Stan - An enthusiastic fan.
    • Example: "I'm a total stan of this band."
  48. Goals - Something to aspire to.
    • Example: "Their relationship is goals."
  49. Adulting - Performing tasks associated with being an adult.
    • Example: "Paying bills and grocery shopping is adulting."
  50. Basic - Mainstream or unoriginal.
    • Example: "Pumpkin spice lattes are so basic."

Why These Words Are Used This Way: Slang evolves to reflect cultural trends, social contexts, and the need for creative expression. These words often originate from youth culture, subcultures, or specific regions and gain popularity through social media, music, and entertainment. Slang allows people to create a sense of identity and belonging, and it often involves playfulness with language.

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