Gen-Z slang words and phrases you should know to pass the vibe check

Ever felt confused by the words some of your Gen-Z co-workers or even your kids use? You’re not alone. If you want to keep up, stay woke with these trending Gen-Z slang words and phrases to pass the vibe check.

Language is constantly adapting and evolving. Our use of language reflects our ever-so-changing lives, culture, experiences, and the passing of time. Although there are numerous languages, one that evolves rapidly is slang. Despite each generation having its own unique slang, keeping up with new terms can be hard, especially when social media can make things go viral in seconds. So, if you’re lost, it’s time to take some Ws. Find our guide below.

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Most trending Gen-Z slang words and phrases if you want to keep up

W (n.)

The letter “W” refers to win or winning. A popular way to use this slang is to say, “common W,” which means that you agree with more than one thing someone has done. However, if you want to say the opposite, you can say, “That’s an L,” meaning loss, or “common L.”

It’s giving (n.)

The word “it” means someone or something, whereas “giving” suggests that someone or something embodies X vibes. If your friend asks what their outfit is giving and it’s not put together, you could say, “It’s giving clown.” So, whatever vibe the person or thing emits, you can say it’s giving ____.”

However, if you just use “it’s giving” alone, it can mean “I like it” or “You did well.” To use it negatively, respond, “It’s not giving” or “It’s not giving X.”

Purr (n.)

Coined by Rolling Ray, an LGBTQIA+ influencer, “purr” is one of social media’s hottest Gen-Z slang words. It started when Rolling Ray would purr when he felt good about himself or others. So, saying “purr” is a way to express approval or contentment of something.

You can use “purr” for most positive situations. For example, when your colleague closes a big deal, you can respond with “purr.”

Slay (v.)

We’re sure you’ve heard the term “slay” all over social and in real life. To “slay” is to do a spectacular job. It is simply to “kill it,” whether in fashion, confidence, or performance.

As an example, if your friend walked into dinner and his/her outfit was amazing, you can respond, “Slayyyyyy.” If your co-worker got a raise, you can also say “slay.”

Rizz (n.)

Want to know what the shorter version of charisma is? It’s “rizz.” To say someone has rizz means that they have got “game,” charming qualities, or is a smooth-talker, especially when flirting.

“Timmy tried to rizz up Amanda. It went bad,” or “Damn, that dude got this unspoken rizz. Something about him just exudes charm.”

On God (n.)

“On God” simply means telling the truth. Just like the phrase “I swear to God” or “I swear on my mum,” “On God” helps enforce that the person is telling the truth.

Josh: “Bro, that party was mad lit. Robin was running around chasing a chicken. Then the police came and raided the place.”
Kevin: “For real?”
Josh: “On God, bro.”

Bussin’ (adj.)

To say something is really good, use the Gen-Z slang word “bussin’.” This word can be used for hotels, or cars, but most use it for food.

If your friends ask, “Is it bussin’?” You can reply along the lines of “Yeah, the food be bussin’,” a.k.a. it’s delicious.

Situationship (n.)

One of the many popular dating trends in this day and age are situationships. A “situationship” is a romantic or sexual relationship that is unclear or undefined. Although there is no clarified commitment, there is emotional intimacy and lots of time spent together.

In layman terms, it is to chill yet be confused about what you guys are, even though there could be mutual emotions. Situationships are more than a “booty call,” but not quite a serious relationship.

“I didn’t date him. We just had a situationship.”

Adding “-ing” to words (v.)

Have you ever heard someone saying, “The math is mathing” and felt confused? Nowadays, the Gen-Z likes to add “ing” to words to say that something makes sense. This can be used with any noun to turn the word into a verb.

However, if something is not adding up or working, you can say, “The math is not mathing” or “the brain is not braining.”

Sending me (v.)

When someone or something makes you laugh so hard like you’re dying, try saying, “Sending me.” It could also be used for reactions like excitement, joy, or annoyance.

An example would be if your friend sends you a hilarious TikTok, and you can respond with, “This TikTok is sending me (skull emoji).”

Bot (n.)

Another shortened word is bot aka robot. If someone calls you a “bot,” it means you’re weird since you’re acting like an NPC (non-player character).

For the plot (n.)

In 2024, we do it “for the plot” because when it comes to encouraging others to do fun, maybe slightly insane things, that’s what it’s all about. This phrase basically means for you to put yourself as the main character of your own story. So do some stuff you normally wouldn’t do, just to keep your life exciting. Whether it’s a good decision or a terrible one, everything is for a larger narrative, but at least you’re in control.

“Why did I pretend to be a security guard at Rolling Loud? It was all for the plot.”

Plague (n.)

Although we know the plague as a contagious bacterial disease, the Gen-Zers are now using this term to describe something troubling, annoying, or pestering that may be a nuance to society.

For instance, if you went on a night out with your friends, and did some bat crazy activities that made you black out, you can say, “Last night was a plague.”

Tretch (adj.)

Now this one is super easy. Tretch is a shortened version of the word “treacherous,” meaning not trusted or dangerous, so you should avoid it. An example could be if your friend introduced her new guy and you sense a weird vibe, you can say, “He lowkey tretch.”

Merch (v.)

If you think merch means ‘merchandise’ to Gen-Zers, think again. Today, “merch” is now similar to the slang “on God.” It is basically to swear that something is true on something whether they’re dead or important to you, so the recipient knows you’re not lying.

For example, if someone says, “I went backstage to see Kid Laroi. I merch that on your homie right now,” it means it’s they’re telling the truth, promising they did that.