Experts Help Millennials Decode Gen Z and Alpha Slang: ‘It’s Exhausting’

Gone are the days of “YOLO,” as Gen Alpha is full of new “frfrfr” phrases that leave many millennials scratching their heads.

As the pace of new slang from younger generations speeds up, keeping up feels like a never-ending task for those over 28.

Redditor (u/Next_Airport_7230) took to the popular r/Millennials thread to express their frustration. “It’s just so exhausting. What are some words you’ve heard recently but don’t understand? They keep changing the meanings too,” they posted, quickly amassing 11,000 upvotes.

Using a Simpsons meme to underscore the struggle, the post featured a tired Ned Flanders being chased by bullies Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph on motorbikes, with the text overlay: “People over 28 trying to keep up” for Flanders, and “New Gen Z/Gen Alpha words popping up every week” for the bullies.

What is the New Slang?

Millennials flocked to the thread to share the latest terms they’d heard, hoping to decode them.

To help, Martina Cola, linguist researcher at Think Languages, and Vanessa Croft, a content creator and English teacher, offered explanations and insights into these evolving phrases.

Yeet: Initially meant “to throw,” but it’s now losing popularity among Gen Alpha.

Frfrfr: A repeated shorthand for “for real,” used to emphasize the truth or seriousness of a statement.

Rizz: Derived from “charisma,” this noun refers to charm or appeal. A “Rizzler” is someone with high charisma.

Aura: Refers to attraction or charm. “Auramaxx” means enhancing your attractiveness, either physically or through personality. The term has roots in gamer culture, where an avatar’s aura relates to stamina.

All Fax/No Printer: “All fax” means “the truth,” and “no printer” suggests that the statement is genuine, not just a reproduction of someone else’s idea.

Mewing: Originally a facial exercise to improve jawline structure, it now also means refusing to answer a question, as one can’t talk while mewing.

Looksmaxxing: Refers to maximizing one’s physical appearance, akin to leveling up in a game. It includes skincare routines and personal aesthetics.

Skibidi: Originated from a TikTok dance associated with the homonymous song by Little Big. It doesn’t have a fixed meaning but is tied to the dance trend.

Gyatt: A slang derived from “Godd*mn,” used to express strong admiration.

Level: Often linked with “aura,” referring to someone’s status or skill level.

9001: From the Dragon Ball Z meme “It’s over 9000,” this refers to something surpassing limits or expectations.

No Cap: Meaning “no lie” or “I’m serious,” this term originates from AAVE (African American Vernacular English), where “capping” means lying.

Bussin: Used to describe really good food, also originating from AAVE.

Sigma/Alpha: “Sigma” refers to a successful lone wolf who avoids social dominance hierarchies, while “Alpha” refers to the dominant person in a group.

Ohio: A meme used to describe something odd or surreal, often referencing strange events associated with the state.

How Has It Come About?

Cola notes that social media platforms like TikTok have significantly accelerated the creation and spread of new slang.

A large portion of this slang comes from AAVE, a longstanding source of American slang. However, its appropriation by non-Black communities raises important ethical concerns.

“Linguistically speaking, I enjoyed noticing that the evolution of digital slang often involves word shortening and abbreviation, given the fact that brevity is key in digital environments,” Cola observed.

“Also, the creation of nonsense words tied to viral trends shows how digital culture creates and popularizes slang independent of traditional language rules. Most of these terms exemplify how internet culture and memes can rapidly transform the meaning of a word or phrase.”

Croft highlighted that terms like “gyaat,” “bussin’,” and “no cap” could be seen as appropriating AAVE.

“Gyaat,” derived from “gyat damn” (an adaptation of “god damn”), is often used on TikTok to describe a woman with a curvy body shape, a term deeply rooted in Hip Hop culture. “Bussin’,” an AAVE adjective meaning “amazing” or “excellent,” is frequently used to describe food and is linked to the idea of something “bursting with flavor.”

“No cap,” which originated in rap music, means that a statement is true and is often represented online with the blue baseball hat emoji (a cap).

“It’s important to be aware that every generation is guilty of developing niche slang that may have appeared silly to those in older generations,” Croft explained.

“However, the prevalence of social media usage for Gen Z and Gen Alpha means that their slang words are able to spread farther and faster than those of previous generations.

“This allows the vocabulary to solidify not only its use but also its definitions in widespread cultures. Whereas in the past, someone would need to get on a plane and visit another country in order to infiltrate it with their slang, now TikTok is the airway.”

Reddit Reacts

Millennials on Reddit were quick to commiserate with the original poster about the overwhelming pace of new slang.

“When you’re 28 you’re trying to keep up. When you’re past 35, the shackles come off and you find yourself instead trying to see how long you can go without needing to learn the meaning of that new word you heard—if you ever even need to learn it at all. It’s liberating,” said one user, freelight0.

Another user, giraffemoo, commented: “I’m 40 and I use Gen Alpha slang wrong on purpose to embarrass my kids. This is my right, as a parent.”

Another parent chimed in: “I said YOLO once and it physically hurt a teenager. The memory continues to bring me joy years later.”

Finally, one user shared: “I’m 30 and I’m not bothering to keep up. Although, I hear about some of the new slang at work from my older millennial co-workers with teenagers.”