Whether you’re a Boomer who rarely uses text or a chronically online Gen Zer, the chances that you’ve used a slang term are probably pretty high. And if you’ve ever used a term and received an eye roll in return, chances are you reached for lingo that aged you rather than engaged you.
Just like the latest clothing fashion, slang trends come and go. But some slang gets so popular it actually lands in the dictionary. Unfortunately, not every word sticks around. Plenty fade out after a few years and quietly disappear from the official lists. And if you’re not up to date with your slang, you risk using dated language that builds walls rather than bridges for your communication.
If you’re a language learner you’ll want to read to see what words have been collectively shunned by American English speakers so that you stay ahead of the slang trends.
Slang 101: Quick, Quirky, and Evolving
Slang doesn’t just represent trends in language. It also has a lot of practical and fun uses. People lean on slang to keep conversations short and snappy—LOL and BRB are classics. And some slang is just fun to say, like stalkerazzo or crybully, while other terms, like sponcon, mash up words to efficiently describe something new (sponsored content).
Other slang words just, well, happen. Take cap, for instance, which has its roots in Atlanta and Memphis. Because cap refers to the upper limit of authenticity, saying no cap is basically the slang way of doubling down on honesty. Mid is slang for “mediocre,” and that’s exactly how people use it: to knock something that’s just plain average.
Regardless of how they originated, some slang words are just plain odd to use, especially if you’re not a native English speaker. But these words often create shorthand ways of getting your thoughts across, which make them incredibly useful. And because their origin is connected to current events and trends, slang reflects the evolution of speech and the English language.
Worn-Out Welcome: Slang Words That Didn’t Stay Cool
Over the years, dictionaries have added slang terms to their list of definitions. A study by Preply measured how relevant those words remain to English speakers today, and we’ll go through the top 15 that didn’t stay cool for English slang-users.
First place goes to stalkerazzo—a mashup of stalker and paparazzi. It once described celebrity-obsessed photographers, but most people just stuck with the originals and the word faded fast.
Declinist, crybully, and McJob take the second, third, and fourth spots, respectively. Declinist was for folks convinced their nation was headed downhill. These days, nobody says it outside of maybe a poli-sci lecture. The word’s relevancy score? Barely a blip at 17.98.
Crybully mixed the idea of crying victim with being a bully. It popped up online for people who weaponized victimhood, but it never really caught on outside of internet debates. McJob became shorthand for low-paying, dead-end work, an obvious jab at fast-food gigs. The term stuck around for a while but feels dated in today’s job market talk.
Words like cyberspeak, cybercitizen, and cybersurfer (in spots 5, 6, and 7) probably sound like a Geocities home page, and for good reason. In the ’90s, everything online needed a cyber in front of it. But that fad crashed along with dial-up. Cybernaut—another cyber-merge—landed in 11th place, once meant to describe anyone cruising the web. These days it sounds more like a forgotten sci-fi character than an actual internet user.
Number eight: defriend. Facebook made unfriend the standard, so this wannabe synonym never stood a chance. At nine we get verklempt, a Yiddish word for being choked up,which is lovely in theory, but its spelling and pronunciation scared people off. And rounding out the trio is Frankenfood. It was meant as a slam on genetically engineered meals, but the Frankenstein joke got old fast.
The next three places are words that refer to online content. The relevance scores of the following words range from 34 to 36, indicating that slang terms referring to social media outlets are changing as the technology itself advances:
- Slacktivism grabbed 12th place and is aimed at people who share posts about causes but don’t lift a finger beyond that. The insult stuck for a bit but feels tired now.
- Next is tweetstorm, once used for long rants broken into dozens of tweets. Since Twitter rebranded to X and threads became the norm, the word fizzled out.
- Number 14 is sponcon, short for sponsored content. Influencer culture gave it a brief run, but newer platforms and shifting lingo have pushed it aside.
Last up: fatberg. It describes those nasty sewer clogs made of grease and junk. Great word if you’re a plumber, not so handy in casual conversation.
When to Use or Not Use Slang
You probably use slang often when texting or having informal conversations with your friends, especially since slang terms can refer back to funny jokes or current trends. Other slang terms make your life easier by abbreviating long words or blending words together to create a new word for something. However, you definitely need to know when to use or not use slang.
Dropping slang at work or in a serious setting usually doesn’t land well. Calling your manager’s great new idea, “mid,” in a meeting, for example, probably won’t score you points, and there’s always a chance people won’t know what you mean.
In more informal conversation, slang use can be appropriate. Some of your friends may not understand every slang term you use, but the more that you practice using slang, the better you’ll become at figuring out when to reference it. To keep it safe, keep your slang usage light in important conversation, even if the term you use has landed itself a spot in the dictionary.
Conclusion
English slang is a moving target. Yesterday’s hot term is today’s cringe. For learners, it’s a reminder that dictionaries can only tell you so much. Real practice, with real people, is where you figure out what still lands and what sounds awkward.
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