2023 Teen Slang Meanings Every Parent Should Know

**This blog post was updated on Feb. 1, 2023.**

We’ve combed through our data at Bark to find the most common instances of teen slang that kids are using these days. Some of this slang you’ll be familiar with, but much of it may surprise you! (P.S. If you want to receive alerts if your child uses a potentially worrisome word or phrase, we can help!)

Popular slang terms often are attributed to Gen Z, TikTok, or other parts of popular culture, but it’s important to remember that many of these words and phrases stem from the roots of African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Text Slang Decoded

• AF — As f**k
• A mood — A relatable feeling or situation (often shortened to the single word, “mood”)
• And I oop — Used when something is really surprising or provocative
• And that’s on [something] — Used to indicate that you’ve just shared a truth that needs no further discussion
• ASL — Age/sex/location
• Bae — Significant other or crush
• Basic — Someone who is viewed as boring or a conforming person
• Bet — A response indicating agreement. Example: “Wanna go to the store?” “Bet.”
• Bih — Short form of b*tch
• Body count — The number of people someone has slept with
• Bruh — “Bro”; can be used to address anybody
• BTS — A Korean boy band popular with tweens and teens
• Bussin’ — Awesome. Example: These tacos are bussin’.
• Cake — Used to describe a large bottom
• Cappin’ — Lying
• CEO of [something] — To be a representative of some activity or thing. Example: “Taylor is the CEO of sleeping in late.”
• Cheugy — Used to describe someone or something that is basic, out of date, or trying too hard
• Cursed — Used to describe something (usually an online image) that is unsettling or creepy
• Cringe — Causing feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness
• Daddy — An attractive man, usually older, who conveys a sense of power and dominance
• Ded — Used when something is really funny or embarrassing. Example: OMG that meme has me ded!
• Dope — A way to describe something as cool or awesome
• Drip — Style, great fashion sense, flashy accessories
• DTF — Down to f*ck
• Egirl / Eboy — A young person with emo-inspired, punk-rock style
• Facts — An emphatic way to acknowledge the truth of someone’s statement
• Fam — Friends
• FBOI — F**k boy; a guy just looking for sex
• FINSTA — Fake Instagram account
• FOMO — Fear of missing out
• Fire — Amazing
• FWB — Friends with benefits
• Gas — Can refer to marijuana, be used to describe something that’s cool, or be used as a verb to mean “hype someone up”
• Ghosted — Ending a relationship by completely disappearing with no further communication
• Goals — Something you want or aspire to
• GOAT — Greatest of all time
• GTG — Got to go
• Gucci — Something good or cool
• Hentai — Graphic anime pornography
• High key — 1. Very interested in 2. Actively spreading information
• Hits different — When something is better than it normally is because of different circumstances. Example: “A cold soda just hits different when it’s super hot outside.”
• Ick or Ick Factor — The feeling you get when your attraction to someone is suddenly flipped to a feeling of disgust.
• ISO — In search of
• IYKYK — “If you know you know”; meant to imply that there’s an inside joke
• Juul — Type of e-cigarette that is small and discreet; ‘pods’ are used for smoking
• Karen  — Used to refer to an entitled mom
• KMS — Kill myself
• KYS — Kill yourself
• Lit/Turnt/Turnt Up — Something that’s active or popular, can also refer to being stoned or drunk
• LMAO — Laughing my ass off
• LMP — 1. A term that means “like my pic” or 2. Sometimes stands for “lick my p***y”
• LOL — Laugh out loud
• Low key — 1. Somewhat interested in 2. Keeping information secret
• Meal — Someone who looks good enough to eat. See also: “Snack” or “snacc”
• Mid — Insult meaning "low quality" or "average." Derives from "mid-tier"— not awful, but not great. Example: "The new Jurassic Park was mid."
• Netflix and chill — Getting together and hooking up
• No cap — Used to indicate that someone is not lying
• NP — No problem
• OFC — Short for “of course”
• OK, Boomer — Calling out an idea that is outdated or resistant to change
• OMFG — Oh my f**king god
• Plug — Term used to refer to someone who can “connect” you with drugs; a drug dealer.
• PMOYS — Acronym that stands for “put me on your Snapchat”
• Rizz — Derived from “charisma." Someone who has “game” when it comes to romantic pursuits. Example: "Taylor has that rizz, they're so charming."
• ROTFLMAO — Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off
• Salty — To be bitter or cranky about something
• Same  — “I can relate”
• Shading — Where teens gossip about another party without naming them; also “throw shade” means to talk about someone
• Ship — Short for “relationship”; also used as a verb to indicate a desire to see two people together. Ex.: I ship Taylor and Jamie.
• Simp —Somebody who tries very hard and does a lot for their crush. Ex.: "You got Sarah 3 dozen roses? Stop being such a simp."
• Sis — Short for “sister” but can be used to address anybody; usually used to express that drama has occurred
• Skeet — To ejaculate
• Slaps— Used to express that something is awesome. Ex.: "This burrito slaps."
• Smash — Means to have casual sex
• SMDH — Shaking my damn head
• SMH — “Shaking my head,” meaning “I don’t believe it” or “that’s so dumb”
• Snack — Describes an attractive person
• Snapstreak — Created when friends send snaps every day, creating a streak
• Snatched — On point, very good, or well styled
• Spam — A fake social media account
• Squad — Close friend group
• Stan — A teen slang term meaning an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity
• STFU — Short for “shut the f**k up,” can be used as an expression of disbelief or to cyberbully
• Sus — Short for "suspicious." Popularized by the Among Us game.
• Swoop — To be picked up in an automobile
• TBH — To be honest
• Tea — Gossip or interesting news shared between friends
• Thicc — Having an attractive, curvy body
• TF — The f**k, as in “who TF you think are?”
• Thirsty — Desperate for attention, usually sexual attention
• Thot — Stands for “that ho over there” and is often used instead of “slut”
• Trash — “Terrible,” “unacceptable
• Turnt — Excited and having a good time, often with the help of drugs or alcohol
• V — “Very”
• Vibing — Chilling out, having a good time, or identifying with a certain kind of energy
• VSCO girl — A style characterized by Hydro Flasks, Crocs, and scrunchies
• WAP — Wet ass p*ssy
• Woke — Socially or politically conscious
• WTF — What the f**k?
• WYA — Where you at?
• WYD — What you doing?
• YAAS — A very emphatic yes
• YEET — 1. A very strong word for yes. 2. To throw something.
• Zaddy — A well-dressed, attractive man of any age

Less Frequently Used Teen Slang Terms

• 420 — Marijuana reference
• 11:11 — Popular time to make a wish
• ASB — As balls. Example: I’m high asb.
• Chad — A hyper-sexual young man
• Chill — Relaxed or laid back
• Coney — Slang for “penis”
• CYA — “Cover your ass” or “see ya”
• Dabbing — Refers to concentrated doses of cannabis; also a dance craze
• Dongle — Slang for “penis”
• HEAF — An acronym for “High Expectations Asian Father”
• Hulk — A 2mg generic benzodiazepine bar, which is green
• ILY — I love you
• IRL — In real life
• JK — Just kidding
• OKURRR — Variation of “OKAY” made popular by rapper Cardi B who defines it as something that is said to affirm when someone is being put in their place
• School Bus — A 2mg Xanax bar, which is yellow
• SH — Sh** happens
• SUFF — An acronym meaning “Shut up, f**k face”
• Spam — A fake social media account
• TDTM — Talk dirty to me
• WUF — Where you from?

Teen Slang Emoji Icons

Pretty frequently, kids opt for emojis instead of typing out full words. Here’s a helpful list of some of the most popular teen slang emojis decoded.