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The twentieth century really was something else. In fact, it was a fire century for slang terms. And while cool slang words, like most trends, come and go, it may be that you are still using some 20th-century slang in your everyday vocab. Perhaps one is a Gen X trying to act cool with grandkids or a millennial who skipped the phase when 20th-century slang words ceased being popular.
Whatever the case, popular slang terms from the 20th century have been long replaced with new slang words. Hate or love it, blame zoomers for replacing your favorite slang words with gen Z slang words. Because apparently, "mood" is much better for expressing agreement than "word." Nevertheless, the generation gap will always remain that one thing that different generations will have to agree to disagree on.
Either way, no matter which generation you belong to, a quick throwback to popular slang words from the 20th century may take you back to, if not easier, then to cheaper times. Any popular slang words from the past century that you still use today? Let us know by giving them an upvote! Also, what do you think of today's slang? Is the list of slang words used by zoomers 'dope' or 'nope'? Let us know in the comments!
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#4
"Hang loose" Meaning: to relax or not to be too serious about something because it is not important.
#8
"Yada yada yada" Meaning: Seinfeld reference; when you want to skip a part in a story or something you are telling someone.
#9
"Wack" Meaning: annoyingly or disappointingly bad, in various senses; lousy, cringy, uncool, messed up.
#10
"Ankle-biter" Meaning: a small child, a small dog, especially a poorly-behaved one or a relatively minor, irritating problem or task.
#13
"Cool beans" Meaning: “wonderful,” expresses excitement or approval, often with a deliberately folksy tone.
#14
"Talk to the hand" Meaning: a saying used to ignore and disregard a comment or an insult when you can't think of a way to counter it.
#15
"Made in the shade" Meaning: in a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living or general well-being.
#17
"Can you dig it?" Meaning: if you say that you dig something, you mean that you like it and understand it.
#20
"Gnarly" Meaning: used to describe something extreme, especially something that is very dangerous and exciting.
#23
"Not!" Meaning: a word made popular in the early 90's by the movie Wayne's World. You add "not" to the end of a sentence to make blatant the sarcasm in the sentence itself.
#29
"Cruisin' for a bruisin'" Meaning: following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.
#30
"Burn rubber" Meaning: to accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
#33
"Lay it on me" Meaning: to present or reveal something to someone thoroughly or heavily; confront someone with something.
#37
"Space cadet" Meaning: one who forgets, daydreams, or otherwise is distracted from reality more often than most.
#45
"Germsville" Meaning: a 1950s term used to describe a doctor's office or general practitioners.
#47
"Hunk of junk" Meaning: a worthless or malfunctioning piece of mechanical or electrical equipment.
#51
"Five-finger discount" Meaning: theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.
#54
"10-4" Meaning: a way of saying “message received” in radio communications. It’s also used as a way to “you got it.”
#55
"Bounce" Meaning: to eject violently, as from a room; to discharge unceremoniously, as from employment.
#60
"Come on, snake, let's rattle" Meaning: prominent in the 1950s and had one of two meanings; you could use it to ask a girl to dance or to challenge someone to a fight.
#62
"Heavy" Meaning: used to describe something such as a situation that is dangerous or unpleasant.
#66
"Skinny" Meaning: the true information about someone or something that is not known by most people.
#67
"Get bent" Meaning: an angry or contemptuous way of dismissing someone's statement, suggestion, etc.
#69
"No duh" Meaning: an expression or exclamation that something is exceedingly obvious or apparent, or that one would have to be extremely foolish not to realize something immediately.
#71
"Tubular" Meaning: used mostly in the 80's, or by people mocking the 80's to describe something 'awesome' or 'excelent' ie, good.
#77
"Wet rag" Meaning: a very weak willed, helpless, or cowardly person; one who lacks any real resolve, inner-strength, or motivation.
#85
"Preppy" Meaning: characteristic of or denoting a fashion style of neat, understated, and often expensive clothes.
#89
"I heard that!" Meaning: Used to emphasise the fact that one has heard a piece of information, and whole-heartedly agrees with it.
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