345 American Slang Words And Phrases You Should Know

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Knowing slang is as important as formal language to really get American English. Our guide covers 345 key American slang words and phrases. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get better at everyday conversations in the US. Whether you’re learning English as a second language or just love the local ways of speaking, this list will help you understand what people really mean.

345 American Slang Words and Phrases

American Slang Words and Phrases (1)

No. Slang Meaning
1 Ace Excellent or very good
2 Ain’t Am not, are not, is not
3 All set Ready, prepared
4 Amped Excited, enthusiastic
5 Antivaxxer Someone opposed to vaccinations
6 Awesome Excellent, impressive
7 Bae Before anyone else; term of endearment
8 Bail To leave abruptly
9 Baller Successful person, especially in sports or finance
10 Bank Financial institution; to rely on something
11 Beat Tired, exhausted
12 Beef Conflict, disagreement
13 Bet Okay, sure (affirmative response)
14 Bling Flashy, expensive jewelry
15 Bounce To leave
16 Bro Brother; close male friend
17 Buggin’ Acting crazy or irrational
18 Burn Insult
19 Bussin’ Really good, especially food
20 Cap Lie or exaggeration
21 Cheugy Outdated or trying too hard to be trendy
22 Chill Relax; easy-going
23 Clap back To respond to criticism with a counter-attack
24 Clutch Successful in a critical situation
25 Cool Good, okay, or fashionable
26 Cop To buy or acquire
27 Crash To go to sleep; to intrude on an event
28 Creeper Someone who makes others uncomfortable
29 Cribs Homes
30 Dank High quality
31 Diss To disrespect or criticize
32 Dope Excellent, very good
33 Down Willing or ready to do something
34 Drip Fashionable outfit or style
35 Drop To release or publish
36 Dunno Don’t know
37 Fam Family; close friends
38 Fire Excellent, very impressive
39 Flex To show off
40 FOMO Fear of missing out
41 Frenemy Someone who is both a friend and an enemy
42 Ghost To abruptly cut off communication
43 Gig A job, especially a temporary one
44 Glow up A dramatic improvement in appearance
45 Goat Greatest of all time
46 Gonna Going to
47 Gotcha I understand; I’ve got you
48 Grind To work hard
49 Guts Courage
50 Hang To spend time with someone
51 Hella Very, extremely
52 High-key Obviously, openly
53 Hype Excitement; to promote enthusiastically
54 IDK I don’t know
55 Ill Excellent (in a positive sense)
56 IMHO In my honest opinion
57 It slaps It’s really good (often referring to music)
58 Jam A favorite song; to dance or celebrate
59 Janky Of poor quality, unreliable
60 Jelly Jealous
61 JOMO Joy of missing out
62 Jones A strong desire or addiction
63 Kick it To relax or hang out
64 Kiki A social gathering, usually for gossip
65 Knock To criticize
66 Legit Legitimate, authentic
67 Lit Exciting, excellent
68 LOL Laugh out loud
69 Low-key Subtle, restrained, secret
70 Meh Mediocre, unimpressive
71 Mood Relatable feeling or situation
72 Nada Nothing
73 Narc Informant; someone who tells on others
74 Ngl Not gonna lie
75 No cap No lie, for real
76 OOTD Outfit of the day
77 Op Original poster (in online forums)
78 Papi chulo An attractive man
79 Peeps People, friends
80 Phat Excellent, cool (dated)
81 Plug A source for illicit goods or connections
82 Pop off To suddenly start doing something
83 Preach Expressing strong agreement
84 Rad Excellent, cool
85 Ratchet Unpleasant, awful
86 Ride or die Loyal friend or partner
87 Salty Upset, angry
88 Same Expressing agreement or relation
89 Savage Fierce, impressive
90 Shook Shocked, surprised
91 Sic Awesome (dated)
92 Simp Someone who is overly submissive to another
93 Sis Sister; term for a female friend
94 Skrrt Sound of tires screeching; leaving quickly
95 Slay To do something exceptionally well
96 Slick Smooth, clever
97 Smash To have casual sex
98 Snack An attractive person
99 Snatched Looking good, perfect
100 Spill the tea Share gossip
101 Spit To rap or recite lyrics
102 Squad Close group of friends
103 Stan An overzealous or obsessive fan
104 Straight up Honestly, truly
105 Suh What’s up? (greeting)
106 Sus Suspicious
107 SWAG Style, confidence
108 Swerve To avoid or dismiss someone
109 TBH To be honest
110 Tea Gossip, drama
111 Thirsty Desperate for attention
112 Throw shade To insult subtly
113 Tight Close friends; angry
114 TL;DR Too long; didn’t read
115 Toxic Harmful or unpleasant
116 Trap A place where drugs are sold; a music genre
117 Troll To antagonize others online
118 Turnt Excited, wild
119 Vibe Atmosphere; to relax
120 Wack Bad, lame
121 Woke Aware of social issues
122 Yada yada Et cetera, and so on
123 YOLO You only live once
124 Zaddy An attractive older man
125 Zoned Ignored romantically
126 Zonked Exhausted, under the influence
127 Boujee Short for bourgeois; fancy
128 Bro code Unwritten rules between male friends
129 Buzzed Slightly drunk
130 Clapback A quick, sharp response
131 Curve To reject someone
132 Dead Extremely funny
133 Emo Emotional, a style of rock music
134 Extra Over the top, excessive
135 Finna Going to, about to
136 Finsta Fake Instagram account
137 Flake To cancel plans
138 Gassed Excited, confident
139 Gucci Good, fine
140 Hangry Angry due to hunger
141 Hits different Has a unique, special quality
142 Ick A sudden feeling of disgust towards someone
143 Iffy Uncertain, doubtful
144 Karen A demanding or entitled woman
145 Keep it 100 To be honest and true
146 Kick rocks Go away
147 Lowkey Subtle, restrained
148 Noob Newbie, inexperienced person
149 On fleek Perfect, flawless
150 Petty Trivial, spiteful
151 Phubbing Snubbing someone in favor of your phone
152 Receipts Proof, evidence
153 Roast To criticize or mock
154 Shady Suspicious or disrespectful
155 Ship To support a relationship
156 Sick Awesome, cool
157 Sleeping on Underappreciating
158 Snitch To inform on someone
159 Soft Overly sensitive
160 Sksksk Expression of amusement or excitement
161 Sip tea To mind one’s own business
162 Straight fire Extremely good
163 Take the L Accept the loss
164 Thicc Curvaceous, voluptuous
165 Throw hands To fight
166 Til the wheels fall off Until the very end
167 Trippin’ Overreacting, being irrational
168 Vibe check Assessing someone’s mood or attitude
169 Wig Mind-blowing, impressive
170 Yeet To throw something with force; expression of excitement
171 Yikes Expression of shock or embarrassment
172 Yo Hey (greeting)
173 Adulting Behaving like a responsible adult
174 Banger An excellent song
175 Basic Mainstream, unoriginal
176 Bod Body
177 Bruh Brother; expression of surprise or disappointment
178 Cancelled Boycotted or ostracized
179 Catfish To deceive someone online about one’s identity
180 Clout Influence or fame
181 Crossfaded Intoxicated from alcohol and marijuana
182 Dab A dance move; to smoke marijuana concentrates
183 Deadass Seriously, for real
184 Dig To understand or appreciate
185 Doggo Dog (affectionate term)
186 Down bad In a tough situation, desperate
187 Finesse To trick or swindle
188 Fit Outfit
189 Fleek Perfect, flawless
190 Floss A dance move
191 Goated Greatest of all time
192 Grift To swindle or con
193 Guap Money
194 Himbo An attractive but unintelligent man
195 Hundo P One hundred percent
196 Hustle Side job; to work hard
197 Issa It’s a
198 Jawn A multipurpose noun (Philadelphia slang)
199 Juice Influence, power
200 Naruto run Running with arms extended behind
201 Nunya None of your (business)
202 On God I swear, honestly
203 Oof Expression of discomfort or sympathy
204 Periodt Period (for emphasis)
205 Phony Fake, insincere
206 Pog Play of the game; excellent
207 Poggers Excellent, awesome
208 Pupper Puppy (affectionate term)
209 Sheesh Expression of disbelief or exasperation
210 Slept on Underappreciated
211 Snapped Did exceptionally well
212 Swole Muscular, buff
213 Thotiana A promiscuous woman
214 Til the wheels fall off Until the very end
215 Whack To hit; crazy or strange
216 Wig Mind-blowing, impressive
217 Yikes Expression of shock or embarrassment
218 Zooted High, intoxicated
219 Bop A catchy song
220 Ight Alright
221 Moot Irrelevant, debatable
222 Okurr Okay (with attitude)
223 Smol Cute and small
224 Zoned Ignored romantically
225 Zonked Exhausted, under the influence
226 Clout chasing Seeking attention by associating with famous people
227 Stan An overly enthusiastic fan
228 Big mood A strong, relatable feeling
229 Cancel culture The practice of withdrawing support for public figures
230 Gaslighting Manipulating someone into questioning their own reality
231 Receipts Proof, usually screenshots or evidence
232 Savage Fierce, harsh
233 Shade Disrespectful or critical remark
234 Thicc Curvaceous and thick
235 Vaxxed Vaccinated
236 Big yikes Extreme embarrassment or shock
237 Canceled Rejected, boycotted
238 Drip High fashion, stylish appearance
239 Extra Over the top, excessive
240 Fam Close friends, family
241 Finna Fixing to, going to
242 Glow-up Transformation, improvement
243 Gucci Good, great
244 Hundo P 100%, fully
245 JOMO Joy of missing out
246 No cap No lie, for real
247 Receipts Proof, evidence
248 Salty Bitter, upset
249 Savage Fierce, harsh
250 Slaps Really good, especially referring to music
251 Smol Small and cute
252 Snack Attractive person
253 Tea Gossip, drama
254 Throw shade Insult or disapprove
255 Vibe The mood or atmosphere
256 Woke Socially aware
257 Yeet To throw or to express excitement
258 Shook Shocked, surprised
259 No cap No lie, for real
260 Periodt For emphasis
261 Stan Overzealous fan
262 Sus Suspicious
263 Tea Gossip
264 Vibe Atmosphere
265 Wig Impressive
266 Woke Socially aware
267 Yeet Throw forcefully, excitement
268 Basic Mainstream, unoriginal
269 Bod Body
270 Bruh Brother; expression of surprise
271 Canceled Rejected, boycotted
272 Catfish Fake online identity
273 Clout Influence, fame
274 Crossfaded Intoxicated from multiple substances
275 Dab Dance move
276 Deadass Seriously
277 Doggo Dog
278 Down bad In a tough spot
279 Finesse Trick, swindle
280 Fit Outfit
281 Fleek Perfect, on point
282 Floss Show off
283 Goated Greatest of all time
284 Grift Swindle
285 Guap Money
286 Himbo Attractive, unintelligent man
287 Issa It’s a
288 Jawn Thing, person
289 Juice Influence
290 Naruto run Running with arms back
291 Nunya None of your business
292 On God I swear, honestly
293 Oof Expression of discomfort
294 Periodt Emphasis
295 Phony Fake, insincere
296 Pog Excellent
297 Poggers Awesome
298 Pupper Puppy
299 Sheesh Expression of disbelief
300 Slept on Underappreciated
301 Snapped Did well
302 Swole Muscular
303 Thotiana Promiscuous woman
304 Whack Crazy, strange
305 Big mood Strong relatable feeling
306 Cancel culture Withdrawing support
307 Gaslighting Manipulating reality
308 Receipts Proof
309 Tea Gossip
310 Big yikes Extreme shock
311 Canceled Rejected, boycotted
312 Clout chasing Seeking fame
313 Vaxxed Vaccinated
314 Glow-up Transformation
315 Okurr Okay
316 Ight Alright
317 Gucci Good
318 Vibe check Mood assessment
319 Shade Disrespect
320 Hundo P 100%
321 Phubbing Phone snubbing
322 Trolling Provoking online
323 Simp Overly submissive
324 Big brain Intelligent
325 Bop Good song
326 Noob Newbie
327 Sksksk Excitement
328 Ship Support relationship
329 Thicc Curvy
330 Spilling tea Sharing gossip
331 Yeet Throw forcefully
332 Snatched Perfect
333 Bet Sure
334 Hype Excitement
335 Goat Greatest of all time
336 Lit Exciting
337 Tea Gossip
338 Yeet Excitement
339 Shook Shocked
340 Big mood Relatable feeling
341 Periodt Emphasis
342 Extra Over the top
343 Savage Fierce
344 Ick Disgust
345 Flex Show off

Conclusion

In short, knowing 345 American slang words and phrases is really useful for anyone wanting to get a deeper understanding of American culture. It helps you speak better and connect more easily with different people. American slang keeps changing, so keeping up with it helps you appreciate and navigate the unique culture and social scenes in the US.

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