New search data reveals the Gen Z slang phrases we do not understand 

Language is forever evolving, and the popularity of TikTok, Instagram and other social media trends means that new phrases are constantly being added to our vocabulary, especially when it comes to Gen Z. 

With that being said, language experts at writing app ProWritingAid have revealed some of the most popular Gen Z slang phrases that you need to know if you want to keep up with the latest vocabulary. 

The team used data from Google to reveal which slang terms were being searched for the most in the UK.  

With 21,000 search results in the UK, “cheugy” takes the top spot as the most unfamiliar Gen Z phrase, followed by “snatched” with over 5,000 searches. “No cap” has over 4,000 monthly searches in the UK, whilst “vibing” has over 3,000. 

Let’s take a look and see how many of these phrases you know.  

Phrase	Meaning	Total UK searches per month
Cheugy	Unsuccessfully trying to be trendy	21,000
Snatched	Excellent, especially when it comes to appearance	5,200
No cap	To be serious about something	4,100
Vibing	To be enjoying the atmosphere	3,800
Salty	Bitter about something	3,000
OK boomer	To dismiss the opinion of the older generation	2,600
Main character	Being the centre of attention	2,000
Low key	Being quietly excited about something	1,800
Slaps	For something to be excellent	400
High key	Being openly excited about something	700
Skrrt	An expression of excitement	300
Hits different	Something that impacts or inspires on another level	100

Cheugy 

Cheugy is a term first coined back in 2013, used to describe someone who is unsuccessfully trying to be trendy, or even trying too hard. Whilst search results for the term remain high, the #cheugy can be viewed millions of times on TikTok. 

Snatched  

RuPaul’s Drag Race can be credited for bringing this term into mainstream media. Snatched is defined as something being perfect or excellent, specifically when it comes to appearance. 

No Cap 

Whilst “cap” as a term first used as early as the 1900s to meaning to exaggerate or lie about something, “no cap” means to be serious, mostly influenced by hip-hop culture.  

Vibing  

To be vibing with something means to be enjoying something. This term can also be used to describe a person; to be “vibing” with someone means you enjoy their presence. 

Salty 

To be salty about something means to be upset, angry or irritated about something, usually of small significance. 

OK Boomer 

The phrase first came into mainstream popularity in 2019. It is used within Gen Z and millennials when dismissing the opinion of the baby boomer generation. 

Main Character 

Again, this one is growing in popularity. The definition for “main character” is also quite simple, it means to be the centre of something. 

Low Key 

To be low key about something means to be looking forward to something but in a restrained or discreet way, or to a limited extent, without trying to attract attention 

Slaps 

This phrase can be used to show that something is excellent. This term is often used when discussing music, with a song that “slaps” being regarded as great. 

High Key 

While low key is used to be quietly excited about something, high key is used to be openly excited about it. 

Skkrt 

Skkrt is a term that mimics that of a car accelerating and is used in conversation to show approval or excitement about something. Celebrity figures such as American rapper Cardi B can often be seen using the expression in interviews.  

Hits Different 

If you are big on social media trends, you might have heard of this one. For something to “hit different” simply means for it to impact or inspire on another level. 

Further information can be found at https://prowritingaid.com/grammar-checker