The Constant Quest That Is Millennial Slang

millennials-slang

Millennials.

You can’t hide from them, nor can you ignore them. They (/we) are everywhere, disliking the status quo, traveling the world at the drop of a hat, voting for that progressive candidate all while eating non-dairy yogurts and with a disturbing fear of gluten. All throughout our millennial rebellion, we support these causes, speaking an undiscernible language that uses abbreviations and jargon that express entire actions. Look how far we have come!

The flappers had their clothes, the beatniks their prose, and the 80’s their music and hair. So what do the millennials bring to the table? Some say not much, but you could argue the very “basic” way of saying a phrase and making it “cool” again or how the entire millennial squad is an anti-generation, makes the millennials an intriguing age group. Word choice is normally unique in each generation, but for millennials, there is an undeniable truth that through social media their words will live on forever. Below are a few examples of slang words used by those newfangled young people sure to stand the test of time, or at least a 160-character tweet:

1. Basic

Is meant to describe a person, place, or an action with very obvious behaviour and lacking originality.

Example:
She is so basic. Did you see what she was wearing? A jean skirt and a white t-shirt.

GIF via Giphy

2. On fleek

Is when something is characterized as being perfect or ideal.

Example:
That pie you made was on fleek.

3. Extra

The way a person behaves is overdramatic  or unnecessarily excessive.

Example:
Why are you being so extra? There are more cookies on the way!

4. V or “Very”

This is used to reiterate a positive characteristic.

Example:
Jane: I don’t want to go the party.
Melanie: Come on Jane, it will be very!

5. Struggle is real

When the difficulties that are faced in your day to day are to overwhelming to overcome, making your life intolerable.

Example:
Tim: I hate it when I have no cell service right when I need to make an urgent phone call!
Ryan: The struggle is real.

6. Phubbing

Is when you snub someone by paying more attention to your mobile phone. This normally happens when a conversation gets boring, and the urge to check out social media overtakes you.

Example:
Yeah, no, I couldn’t bear listening anymore so I just phubbed out.

GIF via Giphy

7. Lit

When something is great, usually with respect to a party. Similar words stem back to the origin, such as, “that party is on,” “dynamite”, “on fire”, etc.

Example:
Josh: How was the party last night?
Bianca: So lit tho.

8. Sorry Not sorry

As a millennial you are always more unique if your apologies are not real. You do feel some remorse about your actions, but the idea of feigning an apology looks better in writing then in reality.

Example:
Random Person: If you call me at 12 am on a Tuesday, I will end your call. Sorry not sorry.

7. JOMO or Joy of Missing Out

Joy of Missing Out means when you miss something that was not worth being in attendance for in the first place. Not to be confused with FOMO or fear of missing out.

Example:
Eric: How does it make you feel that you couldn’t make it to the concert?
Karina: Complete JOMO. I can’t stand school assemblies.

10. Dipset

When you are able to leave a situation because it lacks gravitas.

Example:
That conversation revolved around a Kardashian so I dipset, and headed to the bar.

There is the roundup of the millennial slang, if you have more to offer or any suggestions, leave them in the comments below, because what’s great about slang  is that it’s always changing.