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Below is mobile messaging platform Blend's results from searching through nearly a half million chats for the most popular slang words/phrases recently. Some of these are obvious, but I'll readily admit that most I had absolutely NO CLUE! Happy learning!
***Caution-A few of these are explicit****
1. Fam - A person’s group of friends, but can also sometimes be used to reference just one member of that tight inner circle.
Example: “What’s up, fam?”
2. Lit - Used to describe something that is hot and happening. Similar to “cool,” but with an added emphasis on the fact that it’s fresh and current.
3. Turnt - Describes an excessive state of excitement, hype, or overall craziness. When used to describe a person, it might also mean they’re intoxicated, either via alcohol or something else.
4. Goals - This one is actually super easy. It literally means the same as “goals” normally would (something to strive for, or desire) but it’s used as an adjective rather than a noun.
5. AF - This is a bit of a weird one, since it’s never used on its own, but instead adds emphasis to something else. It’s short for “as f**k”, but it’s a cleaner way of saying it, and is a lot less likely to get a teen a scolding by their evil, evil parents!
Example: “Omg, I stayed up to watch "The Bachelor" last night and now I’m tired af.”
6. Clap back - A snappy comeback. It’s the kind of response where you know exactly what to say to make the other person steam, and it’s the perfect way to win an argument.
Example: “He kept teasing me, but he wasn’t expecting me to clap back!”
7. Thirsty - This means desperate, impatient, or overly eager. It’s the kind of feeling where you just can’t wait anymore, and a lot of times it’s used when someone greatly desires a relationship or affection from a specific person.
8. Shade - Shade is kind of like an insult or a diss. It’s usually used by saying that someone “threw shade” or “is throwing shade,” meaning that you’re putting down someone else, leaving them in the dark, or overshadowing them.
9. Savage - Someone who says something without a filter. It means you don’t care what other people think.
10. Squad - Your squad is your closest group of friends. It’s kind of like “fam” but more focused on just the very most trusted of your friend group. When you see “squad goals” it’s basically a shorter way of saying “I wish my friends and I were like this.”
Example: “Taylor Swift and her friends are totally squad goals.”
11. Fire - In terms of describing something that is new and awesome.
Example: “Beyoncé’s new song is straight fire.”
12. Salty - Used to describe someone who is angry or bitter, and usually at a specific person. If you drop your phone and crack the screen you get mad.
Example: “She totally ignored me at the party last night, I’m salty af.”
13. Woke - “Woke” means you’re knowledgeable, aware, and “with it.”
14. V - Easily the simplest term on this list to explain (and remember), “V” literally means “very,” providing emphasis to any statement.
Example: “I saw him playing basketball at the gym last weekend, he’s v good.”
15. High Key - Saying something “high key” is saying it in a way that makes it clear you don’t care that everyone knows it. It’s a bold declaration.
Example: “Yo, high key, it’s almost midnight and I need to get some sleep.”
16. Low Key - Something you need to say or express but would prefer if nobody else knew about it. Kind of like asking someone to keep something “on the down low,” in that you don’t want them to tell anyone about it. The opposite of high key.
17. Thot - Someone, usually a girl, who has lots of love interests. Kind of like a more socially acceptable way of saying “ho.”
Example: “I’ve seen her with a different guy every weekend, she’s a thot.”
18. Sus - Short for suspicious or suspect, it’s used to describe something that’s shady or scandalous.
19. LB/FB - Short for “like back” and “follow back.” On social media, getting other people to interact with you is the whole point, so putting LB or FB is a subtle way of saying that you want someone to check out your posts or page and return the favor.
Example: “I just started a new Instagram account so lb/fb.”
20. Hundo P - Literally short (but actually longer) for 100%. “Hundo P” and 100% are used to describe something that’s really awesome, or totally certain. It places emphasis, kind of like “totally.”