Top 100 Vocabulary List for Gen Alpha and Why we should learn them

Here’s a numbered table of Top 100 current Gen Alpha slang terms, each with meaning and usage examples as of August 2025. These are mostly lightweight, playful, and emerging from digital and peer culture. While appropriate for informal use, parents and educators should ensure children also use standard English as appropriate.

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Top 100 Gen Alpha Slang Words (Numbered, Meaning, Example)

No.	Slang	Meaning / Definition	Example Sentence
1	rizz	Charisma; charm, especially in flirting	“He’s got serious rizz with his jokes.”
2	sus	Suspicious or untrustworthy	“Why did she cancel so suddenly? Kind of sus.”
3	iced out	Wearing lots of jewelry, especially diamonds	“He pulled up iced out for prom.”
4	yeet	To throw something forcefully or an exclamation	“He just yeeted the ball across the field!”
5	glow-up	Major personal transformation (looks or personality)	“Her glow-up is insane—so confident now.”
6	flex	To show off or boast	“Stop flexing your new shoes, please.”
7	cap	Lie, falsehood	“No cap, that was the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
8	ghosted	Suddenly stopped communication with someone	“I thought we were friends, but he ghosted me.”
9	low-key	Slightly, secretly	“I low-key want that toy but I’ll wait.”
10	high-key	Openness without hiding	“High-key, I want to go to the amusement park.”
11	slaps	Very good (often music)	“This new song slaps!”
12	snack	Someone attractive or well-put-together	“Did you see him? He’s such a snack.”
13	stan	To strongly support or be a fan of someone	“I stan that musician so hard!”
14	fit	Outfit	“Her fit today is fire.”
15	fire	Very good, excellent	“That movie was fire!”
16	tea	Gossip or news	“Spill the tea, what happened at the party?”
17	snatched	Looking good, perfect	“Your outfit is snatched.”
18	vibing	Feeling good, relaxed, good atmosphere	“We were just vibing at the beach.”
19	big yikes	Extremely cringeworthy	“He forgot his lines on stage—big yikes.”
20	pressed	Stressed or bothered	“Don’t get pressed about the score.”
21	bougie	Fancy in a pretentious way	“They had bougie cupcakes at the party.”
22	extra	Over-the-top behavior	“She’s so extra at Halloween.”
23	fam	Family or close friends	“You’re my bestie, fam.”
24	lit	Exciting or great	“That concert was lit!”
25	no cap	No lie, truly	“I no cap finished the assignment in 10 minutes.”
26	savage	Bold, fierce behavior	“That comeback was savage.”
27	shook	Shocked or surprised	“I was shook when I heard the news.”
28	drip	Style or fashion look (especially clothing)	“Check out that drip!”
29	bussin	Very good, especially describing food	“This pasta is bussin!”
30	cheugy	Out of date or trying too hard	“Cropped sweatpants? That’s cheugy.”
31	stan	Be a dedicated fan	“I stan Taylor Swift.”
32	wtfy	“What the flip?” (milder exclamation)	“WTFY, why’s my phone dead?”
33	bet	Affirmation—“okay” or “watch me”	“You think I can’t do it? Bet.”
34	dead	Laughing hard	“That joke had me dead.”
35	draco	Slang for a weapon (from rap culture)	“He pulled out a draco.”
36	finna	Going to (fixing to)	“I’m finna grab some snacks.”
37	flexing	Showing off	“Stop flexing that trophy.”
38	GOAT	Greatest Of All Time	“Messi is the GOAT of football.”
39	guesting	Unwanted guest appearance	“Why is he guesting the party?”
40	hella	Very, a lot	“She’s hella funny.”
41	jomo	Joy Of Missing Out	“I stayed home and watched cartoons—JOMO.”
42	k	Okay, fine	“K, I’ll do it.”
43	main character	Acting like you’re the focus, center of attention	“No one cares—stop the main character energy.”
44	moist	Disgusting or cringe (slang usage)	“Ugh, that sound is so moist.”
45	noob/n00b	Beginner, inexperienced	“I just started. I’m a total noob.”
46	pog	Play Of Game (excited exclamation)	“Pog! You got the highest score.”
47	polyglot	Someone who speaks multiple languages very well	“She’s a polyglot—English, Malay, and Tamil.”
48	preggers	Pregnant	“Did you hear? She’s preggers!”
49	queer	Umbrella term for LGBTQ+ people	“She identifies as queer.”
50	relationship goals	Aspirational couple or friendship	“They are total relationship goals.”
51	self-care	Activities that nurture personal well-being	“I spent today doing self-care with a spa bath.”
52	shady	Untrustworthy or suspicious	“That deal sounds shady.”
53	simp	Someone doing too much for someone they like	“Stop being a simp—she’s not that into you.”
54	stan culture	Fan culture that idolizes an artist	“Stan culture is wild on Twitter.”
55	sus	Suspicious	“He’s acting sus.”
56	tbh	To be honest	“TBH, I don’t like that flavor.”
57	triggered	Emotionally upset	“That comment triggered me.”
58	vibey	Stylish or creates a good vibe	“This café is so vibey.”
59	woke	Socially aware, especially of injustice	“He’s woke about climate issues.”
60	yeet	Exclamation of excitement or throw	“Yeet! I scored a goal!”
61	zoomer	Generation Z (occasionally used by Gen Alpha)	“Zoomers and their TikTok slang.”
62	boomer	Someone older or out of touch	“Ok boomer.”
63	cancel culture	Social media phenomenon of boycotting	“That influencer faces cancel culture.”
64	clout	Influence or fame, especially online	“He’s chasing clout with these posts.”
65	drip	Fashionable dressing	“Her drip is always on point.”
66	edge	Being provocative or extreme emotionally	“That joke was pretty edgy.”
67	glow-up	Physical or personality transformation	“When did she have that glow-up?”
68	gone viral	Spreading quickly online	“Her dance went viral on TikTok.”
69	gucci	Good, okay, cool	“Everything’s gucci.”
70	had to	Must do something	“I had to finish the assignment.”
71	i’m dead	Something is extremely funny	“That meme has me dead.”
72	infraction	Breaking rules (internet slang)	“He got an infraction on Roblox.”
73	lowkey	Quietly, secretly	“I lowkey love this game.”
74	mood	Race or relatable feeling	“That cat video is such a mood.”
75	muted	Ignored or silenced	“I got muted in the group chat.”
76	no cap	No lie	“I’m good at math, no cap.”
77	own	Defeat someone, do something successfully	“He own that level.”
78	pupper	Cute dog (puppy)	“Look at the pupper playing.”
79	quiche	Something fancy or fancy-pretending	“She wore a quiche dress today.”
80	ratchet	Unrefined or messy	“That room is so ratchet.”
81	savage	Bold and unforgiving	“That response was savage.”
82	seethe	Fluster or get angry	“Don’t seethe over typos.”
83	shade	Subtle insult or criticism	“They threw shade at her fashion.”
84	sheesh	Expression of surprise or disbelief	“Sheesh, that jump was high!”
85	sloppy	Careless or messy	“Don’t be sloppy with your homework.”
86	soggy	Weak or disappointing	“That plan is kinda soggy.”
87	space out	Daydream or lose focus	“I spaced out during class.”
88	spicy	Colorful or intense behavior	“That snap was spicy.”
89	splash	Make a big impression	“She splashed at the pool party.”
90	stan	Support enthusiastically	“I stan the Avengers.”
91	still cap	Still lying	“He says he’s sick—still cap.”
92	sus vibes	Suspicious feelings	“I get sus vibes from that.”
93	swell	Great or good	“That party was swell!”
94	tea	Gossip or truth	“Spill the tea.”
95	tight	Close friendship	“We’re tight buds.”
96	troll	Deliberately provoke or joke harshly	“He loves to troll on forums.”
97	twerk	Dance in a provocative manner	“They twerk at parties.”
98	trend	Popular topic or style	“That look is trending.”
99	vibing	Feeling good	“We’re vibing tonight.”
100	woke	Socially aware	“Be woke, not merely woke.”

🌟 Why Parents Should Keep Abreast of Their Children’s Slang

1. Understanding Their World
   • Slang reflects peer culture, online trends, and social identity.
   • By knowing the words, parents can better connect with their child’s experiences and social environment.
   • Example: If a child says “that’s sus,” parents can understand they mean something seems suspicious or off.
2. Monitoring Communication and Behavior
   • Slang often conveys attitudes, emotions, or social dynamics.
   • Awareness helps parents spot if language reflects peer pressure, bullying, or inappropriate content.
   • Example: Constant use of derogatory slang may indicate exposure to negative online communities.
3. Guiding Proper Contextual Use
   • Children need to know when slang is appropriate and when formal language is required (school, exams, interviews).
   • Parents can give guidance: “It’s okay to say ‘yeet’ with friends, but in class, say ‘throw’ instead.”
4. Supporting Vocabulary Growth
   • Awareness of slang lets parents compare informal and formal equivalents, helping children expand vocabulary and syntax.
   • Example: “You said ‘that’s lit!’ — in writing, you could say ‘That’s exciting.’”
5. Encouraging Safe Digital Literacy
   • Many slang terms emerge from social media, apps, and gaming platforms.
   • Parents who understand these words can discuss safe online behavior and critical thinking with their children.
6. Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships
   • When parents speak their child’s language, even partially, it fosters trust and open communication.
   • Children feel understood and are more likely to share their experiences honestly.
7. Preventing Long-Term Language Gaps
   • Early adolescence is when Gen Alpha slang dominates peer communication.
   • Without parental guidance, children may overuse slang, affecting their formal writing, reading comprehension, and professional communication later.

Generation Alpha Slang is actually Genius, so don’t fade them…

Why Gen Alpha’s Slang Is Actually Genius

The Emergence of Slang Words from Gen Alpha: A Digital-Native Linguistic Revolution

Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onwards and currently aged up to about 15, represents the first cohort fully immersed in digital culture from birth. As of August 2025, their slang is a vibrant, rapidly evolving lexicon shaped by online platforms, memes, and peer interactions. Unlike previous generations, Gen Alpha’s slang emerges at an accelerated pace, often going viral overnight and influencing broader language trends. This phenomenon reflects their tech-savvy upbringing, blending humor, absurdity, and social commentary. Understanding its origins provides insights into how young minds adapt language in a hyper-connected world.

Origins and Mechanisms of Emergence

Gen Alpha slang primarily arises from digital ecosystems, where short-form content on TikTok, YouTube, and Roblox dominates. Words often stem from viral videos, songs, or games, repurposed for irony or in-group signaling. Key drivers include:

• Viral Media and Memes: Many terms originate from absurd online content. For example, “skibidi” comes from the 2023 YouTube series “Skibidi Toilet,” featuring singing toilets in a dystopian world. It evolved into an adjective meaning “cool” or “bad,” spreading via TikTok dances and Roblox games. Similarly, “Ohio” stems from memes portraying the state as bizarre or chaotic, now slang for something weird or uncool.
• Borrowing from Gen Z and Cultural Roots: Gen Alpha adapts Gen Z terms like “rizz” (charisma, from “charisma”) or “gyatt” (exclamation for an attractive person, derived from “goddamn”). Many have roots in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), such as “ate” (did something exceptionally well) or “salty” (bitter/upset), amplified through social media. This cross-generational flow highlights how slang evolves via digital sharing.
• Peer and Social Media Influence: Platforms like TikTok foster rapid dissemination—kids create content using slang to fit in, leading to hybrids like “skibidi rizz” (cool charisma). A 2025 sociolinguistic study notes Gen Alpha’s slang varies by platform, with semantic shifts driven by humor and irony.
• Digital-Native Creativity: Terms like “brain rot” (mental decline from excessive screen time) or “delulu” (delusional) reflect self-aware commentary on their online lives, emerging from shared experiences in gaming or scrolling.

Why Does Slang Emerge in Gen Alpha?

Slang serves as a tool for identity formation, humor, and exclusion of outsiders (e.g., parents or older generations). For Gen Alpha, raised on algorithms and instant gratification, slang evolves faster due to:

• Hyper-Connectivity: Social media algorithms amplify trends, turning niche memes into global slang overnight.
• Cultural Fusion: Influences from diverse online communities, including AAVE and internet subcultures, create hybrid terms.
• Playful Rebellion: Absurd words like “fanum tax” (stealing food, from streamer Fanum) allow kids to bond over shared absurdity, mirroring their digital-native worldview.
• Psychological Factors: In a post-pandemic era, slang helps process experiences like screen overload (“brain rot”), providing a sense of control and community.

A 2025 teen-led study on AI and Gen Alpha slang notes that such terms can evade online moderators, highlighting their adaptive nature.

Examples of Gen Alpha Slang and Their Emergence

• Skibidi: From a viral YouTube animation; now means “cool” or “badass.” Spread via TikTok edits.
• Rizz: Borrowed from Gen Z (short for charisma); Gen Alpha uses “rizzler” for someone charming.
• Gyatt: Exclamation for attractiveness; originated from Twitch streams.
• Brain Rot: Coined for mental fog from too much online content; reflects self-awareness of digital habits.
• Delulu: Short for delusional; used for unrealistic hopes, emerging from fan culture.

These terms often combine (e.g., “skibidi Ohio rizz”) for layered meaning, showcasing creativity.

The Genius of Rapid Evolution: Outsmarting AI Through Linguistic Agility

Gen Alpha slang mutates at breakneck speed, often born from viral memes or niche online subcultures like “Skibidi Toilet” videos on YouTube. Terms evolve semantically—e.g., “skibidi” shifts from a song lyric to meaning “cool” or “bad”—faster than AI can update filters. Mehta’s study tested LLMs like those in social media moderation, finding they misclassify slang-laden harassment (e.g., “delulu gyatt” as playful rather than insulting) due to contextual gaps. This agility is genius because it mirrors natural selection: slang adapts to “survive” moderation, allowing kids to communicate freely in restricted spaces. Unlike static adult language, it’s a living code, demonstrating collective intelligence in navigating digital constraints.

Here’s a fun guide to the origins and interesting facts behind some of the common Gen Alpha slang words from the list, so parents (and even kids) can enjoy learning about language history and culture.

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Fun Origins and Facts About Gen Alpha Slang

Slang	Origin / Fun Fact	Example / Context
Yeet	First appeared around 2014 in viral videos on Vine. It became a meme for throwing something or expressing excitement.	“He just yeeted the ball across the field!”
Rizz	Short for “charisma,” popularized in 2021–2022 on TikTok.	“He’s got serious rizz with his jokes.”
Sus	Comes from “suspicious,” popularized by the game Among Us (2018) where players call out “sus” when someone is acting shady.	“Why did she cancel so suddenly? Kind of sus.”
Flex	Originally from hip-hop culture meaning to show off wealth or style; widely spread through social media.	“Stop flexing your new shoes.”
Cap / No cap	“Cap” = lie, “no cap” = truth. Comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and gained popularity on Twitter.	“I no cap finished the assignment in 10 minutes.”
Glow-up	A phrase used to describe a positive transformation in appearance or confidence. Became widely used in teen social media posts.	“Her glow-up is insane—so confident now.”
Stan	From Eminem’s 2000 song Stan, about an obsessive fan. Now means to strongly support someone.	“I stan that musician so hard!”
Tea	Refers to gossip or truth; comes from “T” for truth, popularized in drag culture and later by internet memes.	“Spill the tea, what happened at the party?”
Bussin	Used to describe something very good, especially food. Originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and spread via TikTok.	“This pasta is bussin!”
Cheugy	Coined around 2013 and resurfaced in 2021 to describe things out-of-date or trying too hard, usually fashion or trends.	“Cropped sweatpants? That’s cheugy.”
Big yikes	Exaggerated form of “yikes,” used online for something extremely embarrassing or cringeworthy.	“He forgot his lines on stage—big yikes.”
Vibe / Vibing	Came from music culture (1960s–70s) and hip-hop; means a mood or feeling. TikTok popularized it as “good vibes.”	“We were just vibing at the beach.”
Shook	Slang for shocked or surprised; became popular through memes and social media around 2016.	“I was shook when I heard the news.”
Drip	Refers to fashion/style, originating from hip-hop culture in the 2010s.	“Check out that drip!”
Noob / n00b	Early internet / gaming slang for beginner or inexperienced player; popular on forums and games like World of Warcraft or Roblox.	“I just started. I’m a total noob.”
Pog	Short for “Play of the Game,” originated in Twitch gaming culture around 2010–2015; expresses excitement or approval.	“Pog! You got the highest score.”
Boomer / OK boomer	“Boomer” refers to Baby Boomers; phrase became viral in 2019 as a humorous way to dismiss older generations’ outdated opinions.	“Ok boomer, whatever you say.”
Clout	Influence or fame, originally from hip-hop culture; social media popularized “clout-chasing.”	“He’s chasing clout with these posts.”
Main character	Derived from social media trends portraying oneself as the “main character” of a story; reflects self-expression culture.	“Stop the main character energy in class.”

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Fun Observations

• Many slang words originate from games, memes, music, or pop culture.
• Some, like stan or cap/no cap, come from specific songs or AAVE, showing how youth culture borrows and adapts older cultural forms.
• Social media platforms like TikTok, Discord, and YouTube accelerate the spread of slang faster than ever.
• Slang is context-dependent—words may be playful among peers but inappropriate in formal settings.

Broader Implications and Evolution

Gen Alpha’s slang is redefining language, with AI struggling to keep up, potentially affecting content moderation. While fun, it can confuse older generations or perpetuate cultural appropriation from AAVE. As this cohort matures, their slang may influence mainstream English, much like Gen Z’s “sus” or “bet.”

In essence, Gen Alpha slang emerges from a blend of digital immersion, peer creativity, and cultural borrowing, embodying their unique, screen-shaped worldview. For educators and parents, embracing it can bridge generational gaps while teaching ethical language use.

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✅ Conclusion:
Parents don’t need to use slang themselves, but being informed allows them to:

• Guide children in proper context
• Protect them from negative influences
• Strengthen vocabulary and communication skills
• Maintain a strong parent-child connection

Start Here: The eduKate Vocabulary Learning System™

If you want to understand how English ability actually grows from Primary school to O-Levels, and why many students plateau even after “studying hard”, start with our full system architecture here:

👉 The eduKate Vocabulary Learning System™ – How English Ability Actually Grows from PSLE to O-Levels
https://edukatesingapore.com/edukate-vocabulary-learning-system/

This page explains:

• what vocabulary really is (as a cognitive system),
• why rote memorisation fails,
• how the Fencing Method builds usable sentence control,
• how Metcalfe’s Law and S-curve learning grow vocabulary exponentially,
• and how parents can structure home training that actually works.

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Supporting System Pages

To deepen your child’s vocabulary foundation, you may also explore:

👉 First Principles of Vocabulary – What Vocabulary Really Is
https://edukatesingapore.com/first-principles-of-vocabulary/

👉 Vocabulary Learning with the Fencing Method
https://edukatesingapore.com/vocabulary-learning-the-fencing-method/

👉 How to Learn Complex Sentence Structure for PSLE English (Fencing Method)
https://edukatesingapore.com/how-to-learn-complex-sentence-structure-for-psle-english-fencing-method/

👉 Vocabulary Lists for Primary to Secondary Students
https://edukatesingapore.com/2023/03/12/vocabulary-lists/

👉 Comprehensive Guide to Secondary English Vocabulary
https://edukatesingapore.com/comprehensive-guide-to-secondary-english-vocabulary/

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eduKate Learning Umbrella (Our Full Education Architecture)

For parents who wish to understand eduKate’s full learning philosophy across English, Mathematics and exam mastery:

👉 Our Approach to Learning (eduKateSG)
https://edukatesg.com/our-approach-to-learning/

👉 The eduKate Learning System™ (All Subjects)
https://edukatesg.com/the-edukate-learning-system/

👉 The eduKate Mathematics Learning System™
https://edukatesg.com/the-edukate-mathematics-learning-system/

Vocabulary Lists