Teen Slang & Texting Acronyms Parents Should Know About

Michelle Wilson - September 24, 2023

If you ever decide to go through your teenager’s phone as a background check, there’s a high likelihood that your subsequent stop will be Google. This is due to the fact that the texting language employed by today’s youth has every other age group completely bewildered.

Although you may never be fully in tune with a teenager’s linguistic realm, you can add a few terms to your vocabulary. Some slang texting terms you might want to know about are cap, awks, baddie bet, lit and mutuals, and acronyms like W and V.

Common Teen Slang Heard In The Last Year

Remember that slang is not consistent across the board. It varies from one city to another and from one culture to another. The definitions and interpretations of terms can differ significantly in a period as short as a year. Online data from a linguistic study highlights that approximately 40% of slang terms have emerged or changed significantly in the last year.

While some words are lighthearted and innocuous, teenagers will use others to deliberately conceal potentially risky activities. So, as you embark on a check of your teenager’s finds, this list will be a good one to consult.

AF

AF is an abbreviation for “as f**k.”

A Real One

“A real one” typically refers to someone authentic, genuine, or truly committed. An example of when you might use this phrase might be if your car broke down on the side of the road and your friend Sally came to help you. You might say, “Sally is a real one.”

And I Oop

An expression used following a humorous mistake or accident.

Awks

An abbreviation for the word “awkward.”

Baddie

A term used to describe an independent, strong, and attractive woman.

Bands

Refers to large sums of money or a wealthy person.

Beige Flag

A “beige flag” refers to a trait or feature of a significant other that may seem odd or off-putting but is not substantial enough to justify rejecting them.

Bet

An expression indicating agreement, willingness, or confirmation akin to saying “yes” or “okay.”

Big Yikes

Teenagers use this exclamation when they witness something incredibly embarrassing or cringe-worthy.

Booed Up

Being in a romantic relationship.

Bop

A bop is a highly enjoyable song. Instead of a teenager saying, “I like that song, it’s so catchy!” One might say, “This song is a bop!”

Bread or Cheddar

Expressions referring to money. One example you might hear is a youth saying, “Let’s get this bread!”

Breadcrumbing

Sending flirtatious text messages to get someone’s attention without committing to anything.

Bussin

Describing something as excellent or impressive. Her new hair color is bussin!

Cake

When someone’s physique is particularly attractive.

Cancel

To refuse or withdraw support for a group or idea.

Cap

A term indicating a falsehood or lie. He claimed we were a couple, but that’s not true! In contrast, you might hear the reverse, “no cap.” You might hear this in a phrase emphasizing the truth, indicating something is genuine. “I just saw him have five beers, no cap!”

CEO

A term used to humorously describe being exceptionally skilled or proficient in something. I’m the CEO of being late to class.

Cheug

Describing something or someone as outdated or lacking authenticity.

Clout

Referring to a person’s follower count, fame, or influencer status, sometimes associated with a lavish lifestyle.

Chasing Clout

Describing a person who does things solely to gain popularity or attention.

Curve

Rejecting someone romantically or turning down their romantic advances.

Cuffing

The desire to temporarily date or attach oneself to someone, often until summer break or a specific period.

Do It For The Gram

A phrase describing someone doing something solely to post it online, especially on Instagram. For example, if you wanted to get a photo of yourself at the top of a hike but don’t actually like hiking, peers might say, “Do it for the gram.”

Drip

A term used to compliment someone’s stylish or sexy attire. As an example, “Zayne has some serious drip.”

Facts

Teenagers use this affirmation to agree with someone’s statement. “Facts, I agree.”

Finsta

A secondary Instagram account used to share posts with a smaller group of friends and/or followers, often for more personal content.

Fish

Seeking compliments or attention, often by acting in a way that invites praise.

Fit

An abbreviation for “outfit.”

Flex

To proudly display or boast about something, often to show off one’s achievements or possessions.

FOMO

The long version of FOMO is “Fear of Missing Out,” a common one among today’s youth. One example of when you might see FOMO used is if a group of friends was planning to attend a party on the weekend, and one wants to go but has chores to do. They might tell their friends, “I don’t know if I should come, but I have strong FOMO.”

Fire

An adjective used to describe something as exceptional or outstanding. For example, if an artist your teenager liked put out a new album and the album is really good, you might hear them say, “that album is fire!”

Get After It

To start a task or activity with great enthusiasm and determination.

Ghost

To suddenly and completely cease all contact with someone, both online and in person. An example of when a teen might use this term is if your teen and a friend got into a fight, and your teenager didn’t want to reply to any messages, they might “ghost them.”

Hundo P

Being 100% certain or sure about something.

Hypebeast

Hypebeast describes someone who excessively prioritizes popular trends and objects over authenticity and self-awareness.

I’m Dead

An expression teens use to convey extreme amusement, especially in response to something hilarious.

I’m Weak

Similar to “I’m dead,” used to express how funny something is.

I Can’t Even

An exclamation used when someone has reached the limit of their patience or tolerance for a situation or person.

Keep it 100

Encouraging someone to stay true to themselves and their values, not pretending to be someone they’re not.

Lewk

A playful variation of “look.”

Left On Read

If a teen were to receive a text message but chooses not to respond to it, they would leave it as “read” or seen.

Lit

Lit in a text is often a descriptive word for something that is cool, exciting, or awesome. If your teenager was at a fun party, they might say, “the party is lit!”

Mood

When teens use mood, it is an expression of a relatable feeling or experience, often in response to something seen or heard.

Mutuals

People who follow and support each other on social media platforms.

Oof

An exclamation used to express sympathy or discomfort when something unfortunate happens.

V

An abbreviation for “very.”

W

An abbreviation for “win.” Their loss is our victory.

WYA

An acronym for “Where are you at?”

WYD

An acronym for “What are you doing?”

Texting Doesn’t Come Without Emojis

Now that you have your text acronyms down. The next area to look at will be emojis. Nowadays, texts are more than words, often including an emoji or collection of emojis in place of words. Therefore, if you truly want to understand your teenagers, the non-exhaustive list above is only the first place to start.