2010s

/on fleek/

Perfectly done

Origin: Vine video by Peaches Monroee, 2014

"Brows on fleek today."

/bay/

Significant other ('before anyone else')

Origin: Backronym, popular mid-2010s

"Going to dinner with bae."

/lit/

Exciting; excellent

Origin: African American slang, mainstream mid-2010s

"The concert was lit."

/SAWL-tee/

Bitter; upset

Origin: Gaming/online, mainstream 2010s

"He's still salty about losing."

/on poynt/

Excellent; just right

Origin: Ballet, mainstream 2010s

"Your outfit is on point."

/skwod/

Group of friends

Origin: Mainstream 2014 (Taylor Swift)

"Rolling with the squad tonight."

/FOH-moh/

Fear of missing out

Origin: Coined by Patrick McGinnis 2004, mainstream 2010s

"Major FOMO seeing their stories."

/throh shayd/

Subtle insult

Origin: Drag/ballroom culture, mainstream 2010s

"Why you gotta throw shade?"

/BAY-sik/

Mainstream and unoriginal

Origin: African American slang, mainstream 2014

"Pumpkin spice everything is so basic."

/THUR-stee/

Desperate for attention, approval, or romantic interest.

Origin: African American Vernacular English (AAVE), popularized on Twitter and Instagram.

"I was so thirsty I liked all 50 of his vacation photos from 2014."

/GOHLZ/

Something that serves as an ultimate aspiration or an ideal version of a situation.

Origin: Tumblr and Instagram lifestyle blogging culture.

"The way she handled that breakup was goals."

/SHAYD/

To publicly or subtly insult or disrespect someone.

Origin: Ballroom culture and AAVE, mainstreamed via 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.

"I didn't mean to shade her, I was just stating the facts!"

/eye KANT EE-vun/

An expression of being so overwhelmed by emotion or shock that one cannot complete a sentence.

Origin: Tumblr 'fandom' culture.

"I can't even right now, that cliffhanger was too much!"

/GIV-ing LYFE/

To be incredibly inspiring, exciting, or aesthetically pleasing.

Origin: Ballroom culture and LGBTQ+ communities.

"Look at him in that suit; he's giving us life!"

/TEE/

Gossip, personal information, or the internal scoop.

Origin: Black drag culture; 'T' originally stood for 'Truth'.

"He thinks he's getting the promotion, but the tea is that they're hiring from outside."

/BAY-sik/

Predictable, unoriginal, and following mainstream trends without individual thought.

Origin: AAVE, later popularized as a pejorative for 'airheaded' consumerism.

"Stop being so basic and try a different coffee shop for once."

/WEEK/

To find something so hilarious that you have lost your physical strength from laughing.

Origin: Black Twitter.

"I'm weak! Did you see his face when she walked in?"

/on FLEEK/

Perfectly executed, flawlessly styled, or looking 'on point'.

Origin: Coined by Peaches Monroee in a 2014 Vine video regarding her eyebrows.

"She walked into the room and everyone knew her outfit was on fleek."

/THURST-trap/

A social media post (usually a photo) intended to entice viewers sexually or seek validation.

Origin: Instagram and Twitter dating culture.

"You left your umbrella at my house? Oh, that was a thirst trap for sure."

/FY-er/

Excellent, high quality, or visually impressive.

Origin: AAVE, gaining massive popularity via Vine and SoundCloud rap.

"That performance was fire, I need to see them live."

/FUK-boy/

A man who is womanizing, unreliable, or manipulative in romantic pursuits.

Origin: Black Twitter and hip-hop lyrics.

"I thought he was cool, but he's actually kind of a fuckboy."

/SHUUK/

To be shocked, surprised, or deeply affected by something.

Origin: AAVE and popularized by comedian Quenlin Blackwell on Vine.

"Our favorite couple broke up and I'm shook."

/EKS-truh/

Over-the-top, excessive, or dramatic behavior.

Origin: African American Vernacular English.

"She's so extra, she wore a ballgown to a casual brunch."

/TURN UP/

To get excited, wild, or begin partying.

Origin: Southern hip-hop culture (notably Atlanta).

"Turn up! It's finally Friday night!"

/ruh-SEETS/

Evidence of a claim, often in the form of screenshots or chat logs.

Origin: Whitney Houston's 2002 interview; popularized by Black Twitter in the 2010s.

"Listen to her receipts before you try to defend him."

/SAWL-tee/

Being annoyed, bitter, or upset, usually over something minor.

Origin: US Navy slang from the 1930s, revived by gaming and internet culture in the 2010s.

"I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when she started acting salty."

/MOOD/

A relatable feeling or situation; something one identifies with personally.

Origin: Social media shorthand for 'this represents my current state'.

"The villain in that movie was a mood."

/WOHK/

To be alert to racial and social injustices.

Origin: AAVE, specifically popularized following the Ferguson protests in 2014.

"Those shoes are a total fleek; stay woke about that brand."

/SHIP/

To support or desire a romantic relationship between two people (real or fictional).

Origin: Fandom culture (abbreviation of 'relationship').

"They've been dating for months, I ship them so hard."

/YEET/

To throw something with great force, or an exclamation of excitement/victory.

Origin: A 2014 dance craze on Vine.

"The beat dropped and the whole club started to yeet."

/SKWOD/

A close-knit group of friends.

Origin: Hip-hop culture, specifically 'Squad Up' by Waka Flocka Flame.

"Squad goals! Our group photo came out perfect."

/SAV-ij/

Cruel, brutal, or unapologetically bold behavior.

Origin: Internet gaming and rap culture.

"The way she ignored his text was savage."

/GOHST/

To suddenly cut off all communication with someone without explanation.

Origin: Online dating culture.

"I'm done with the drama, it's time to ghost him."

/SNAK/

Someone who looks physically attractive or 'tasty'.

Origin: Black Twitter and Instagram.

"She's a snack in that outfit, wow."

/HOT TEE/

Relevant, fresh, and often scandalous gossip.

Origin: Drag culture, referencing the act of sitting and drinking tea while gossiping.

"The tea is piping hot today, did you hear about the office drama?"

/SWAG/

Style, confidence, or a cool demeanor.

Origin: Derived from 'swagger'; popularized by Justin Bieber and mid-2010s hip-hop.

"She has so much swag, she can pull off any look."

/LOH-kee/

Quietly, subtly, or to a small extent; often used to express a secret desire.

Origin: General American slang, spiked in usage on Twitter and Vine.

"I just want to be lowkey this weekend and stay at home."

/EF-EM-EL/

An expression of frustration regarding a personal misfortune.

Origin: Initialism for 'Fuck My Life'; popularized by early internet blogs and Twitter.

"FML, I just locked my keys in the car."

/HAY-terz/

People who express jealousy or negativity toward someone else's success.

Origin: Hip-hop culture; mainstreamed by 3OH!3 and Taylor Swift.

"Haters gonna hate, I'm just living my best life."

/ruh-SEETS/

Visual or written evidence used to expose a lie.

Origin: Celebrity feuds on Twitter (famously Taylor Swift vs. Kim Kardashian).

"You tried to lie about it, but I have the receipts!"

/STAN/

An overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.

Origin: Eminem's 2000 song 'Stan'; became a verb/noun on Twitter in the 2010s.

"He's such a stan of that band, he has all their vinyls and posters."

/NOH-KAP/

To tell the truth or emphasize that one is not lying.

Origin: Atlanta hip-hop (Young Thug, Future); 'Cap' means to lie.

"No cap, that was the best burger I've ever had."

/SUSS/

Suspicious, questionable, or shady.

Origin: Shortening of 'suspect'; popularized in gaming (Among Us toward the end of the decade) and AAVE.

"Sus... I don't really trust what he's saying."

/HUM-bul-brag/

Making a seemingly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something one is proud of.

Origin: Coined by comedian Harris Wittels on Twitter.

"Humblebrag much? We get it, you're rich."

/SAWL-tee HAY-ter/

Someone who is resentful of another's success.

Origin: Combination of 'salty' and 'hater'.

"Don't be a salty hater just because she won."

/in-duh-PEN-dent/

A phrase used to express self-sufficiency, often used ironically or in memes.

Origin: Initially from Destiny's Child 'Independent Women'; became a mid-2010s meme.

"I don't need a man, I'm a strong independent woman."

/SNATCHT/

Fashionable, well-proportioned, or physically fit (usually referring to a person's waist or outfit).

Origin: Drag and LGBTQ+ culture.

"She looked so snatched at the gala."

/TURNT/

Under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or simply very excited.

Origin: Hip-hop culture, specifically the song 'Tuesday' by ILoveMakonnen.

"Turnt up on a Tuesday!"

/SYD-eye/

A facial expression showing suspicion, scorn, or annoyance.

Origin: General usage, but became a massive meme via photos of Prince and Sophia Grace.

"The side-eye she gave him was legendary."