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Gen Z might not use “bandwidth” and “don’t boil the ocean” in their everyday work slang, but they’re bringing their own Gen Z jargon to the office table. Here are some of the most popular sayings — and emojis — Gen Z is likely to use in the workplace.
>>MORE: Are you a Gen Z’er navigating new workplace phrases? Check out the corporate jargon you should know.
A
Aesthetic
While this term is still associated with beauty, Gen Z uses it to describe a pleasing style, mood, aura, fashion sense, or taste. Can be used as an adjective or noun.
I love that brand’s aesthetic; it’s so modern but old fashioned at the same time.
Altered my brain chemistry
Something that made you rethink your life outlook.
That Company Y commercial about the old man looking back on his life through the lens of his dresser might have been corny, but it altered my brain chemistry.
B
Bad take
Bad opinion.
You’d rather us get no Fridays off all summer and do winter Fridays instead? That’s a bad take.
Basic
Mainstream or unoriginal.
Did you see X Company’s Instagram reel? It got a ton of likes, but it seemed kind of basic to me.
Big Yikes
Embarrassing; “ouch.”
I accidentally sent an email meant for you to my boss. Big yikes.
Bop
A really good song.
Let’s use that new Doja Cat song for our next TikTok. It’s a bop.
C
Cancel/Canceled
To stop supporting someone because of their unethical behavior.
I saw that the company fired employees who told people to go out and vote on their social media — it’s canceled.
CEO
Not literally the chief executive officer, but the best at.
She’s the CEO of viral tweets. I wish we had her on the marketing team.
>>MORE: Level up your marketing skills with a Forage marketing virtual experience program.
D
Dead
Often used as “I’m dead” to mean you find something hilarious.
Did you see they tried to promote the company with a TikTok trend from two years ago? I’m dead.
E
Extra
Over the top; dramatic.
He wants us to present the slides and do a separate recording of them? That’s so extra.
>>MORE: How to Improve Your Presentation Skills
F
Fell off
When someone or something was once popular, and now isn’t.
Cold calling used to be our best sales tactic, but TBH, it kind of fell off.
Finesse
Tweak or do something tactfully, skillfully, or cleverly.
I’ll send my cover letter draft to you by EOD — I just need to finesse it a bit first.
Fire
Great, amazing, exciting.
That graphic you made for Instagram was fire. Nice work!
Fr
For real; true, valid.
If I don’t get that job after the hiring manager spent the entire Zoom interview complimenting me, I’m going to be upset fr.
Flex
Show off.
Can’t wait to flex my presentation skills at the all-hands meeting on Tuesday; they won’t know what hit them.
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G
G.O.A.T.
Greatest of all time.
Serena Williams is the G.O.A.T. of tennis, but she’s also killing it off the court — she was in multiple Super Bowl ads just this year. Queen of sports and sponsorships.
Green flag
A positive sign about someone or something. Opposite of “red flag.”
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to apply to Company Z, then I saw their list of benefits included free therapy sessions, gym membership, and office snacks. Green flags all around — I just sent in my application.
Goals
Desirable; what you want out of life.
You showed up to a team meeting late because your last meeting was an exclusive interview with Selena Gomez. I mean, goals.
Ghosting/Ghosted
When you suddenly don’t hear back from someone with no explanation.
I thought I was a shoe-in for that role, but after the second interview, the recruiter totally ghosted me.
Girlboss
A woman who acts as her own boss, though the term has evolved since its inception to take on both positive and negative connotations. For Gen Zers, typically used ironically as a hard-working person who puts work before anything else. Both a noun and verb.
I’ve been putting in 12-hour days this week. I’m in my girlboss era.
H
Hard launch
Revealing something new suddenly and without previous warning; typically refers to a new relationship. Opposite of “soft launch.”
Did you see Kelly’s hard launch in the #watercooler channel? Her wedding pictures are incredible, but I had no idea she was even engaged!
Highkey
Very, really, definitely. Opposite of lowkey.
I highkey want that promotion but I’ve already made it clear to my boss, like, five times.
Hits different
Experiencing something that feels different or new compared to before.
My afternoon iced latte hits different after that networking event this morning.
I
I’m weak
Finding something hilarious; see “sending me” and ☠️
Did you see that new meme Company Z put out after the Met Gala? I’m weak.
In my ____ era
Used to describe a specific period of your life around a central theme. For example, if you’re in a period where everything is going wrong, you might be in your “flop” era.
I used to wear pajamas all day to work on my couch, but now I’m commuting almost every day. I’m in my office era.
It’s the ____ for me
Referring to something that stands out about a person, thing or situation; can be used as either an insult or a compliment.
Not X Company running an ad about climate change when they’re literally ruining the environment. It’s the hypocrisy for me.
IYKYK
If you know you know; something that’s only understood by a few people with context.
Darn, I messed up the formatting in that promotional email. Marketing tragedy, IYKYK.
L
Lowkey
On the downlow; secretly, understatedly.
I lowkey want to volunteer for the social committee, but I haven’t spoken to anyone on it.
Lives rent-free in my head
Something you can’t stop thinking about.
That new jingle from Company Z’s ad lives rent-free in my head.
M
Main character
Someone who’s confident and in control of their life. The world revolves around them.
Jess got a promotion and engaged on the same day. She has such main character energy.
Mother
An iconic feminine figure. Typically used as “someone is mother.”
Kathy shut down that board member when he was being sexist. She’s mother.
R
Red flag
Warning sign; negative sign about something or someone.
There’s nothing about diversity, equity, or inclusion on the company’s site. Huge red flag. I’ll have to ask the recruiter about it in my interview.
S
Slaps
Good, amazing, excellent.
Wow, Betty, I love the look of the new website. The sign-up form flow slaps.
Slay
To do something well. Can be used as a verb (“you slayed”), noun (“that’s so slay”), or a singular compliment (“slay”).
Slay, Julian, you crushed that sales pitch.
Soft launch
Subtly revealing something new through a small hint; typically refers to a new relationship. Opposite of “hard launch.”
Did you see Company Z’s new Instagram post? I think they’re soft launching a new partnership with Diet Coke — you can see *just* part of a Diet Coke label in the corner of the picture.
Shoot your shot
Go for it; usually used when someone is going after someone or something they’re interested in.
I think you should ask him for the salary bump this week. Shoot your shot — the worst that can happen is he says no.
Stan
To be a fan of; liking something a lot.
Did you see Y Company’s new plus-size fashion campaign? We stan.
Sending me
Finding something hilarious; see “dead.”
The gif she sent in #watercooler-chats is sending me.
Sus
Suspicious
Company X announced an influencer campaign last month, but today the influencers they were supposed to work with took down their sponsored posts. I wonder why — isn’t that a little sus?
T
Tea
Gossip, news, or juicy information. Frequently used in “spilling the tea,” when sharing loaded information.
Did you attend the strategic planning meeting on Monday? Spill the tea.
Trash
Bad; low quality.
I’m going to have to restart the project. The draft I’ve been working on is trash.
TFW
That feeling when. Usually accompanied by an image or gif
TFW your boss finally tells you you’re doing a good job.
U
Understood the assignment
Used when someone’s done a great job or has gone above and beyond.
She didn’t just present this quarter’s sales numbers — she added great context, fun gifs, and even made the presentation interactive. Hannah absolutely understood the assignment.
V
Vibe
Feeling, atmosphere
If I want to do a vibe check on a company before applying, I’ll look at their ratings on Glassdoor.
W
W
A win.
I’m so glad sales got the W with that deal last week; things were looking bleak before then.
>>MORE: Experience a day in the life in sales with Forage’s sales virtual experience programs.
Woke
Politically aware.
After some controversy with its ad campaigns in the early 2000s, I’m glad Company Z is turning around and producing some more woke ones this year.
Emojis
😂
Gen Z’s enemy when it comes to emojis. Reserved for their millennial counterparts.
😭
Hilarious.
💀
Hilarious; see “dead.”
You may already be familiar with all the Gen Z jargon, but what about the workplace skills you need to land a job? Become career-ready with free Forage job simulations.
Image credit: RF._.studio / Pexels
Written by
Zoe Kaplan→
Senior Writer
Read more from Zoe Kaplan
Zoe Kaplan is a Senior Writer at Forage. Prior to joining Forage, she wrote and edited career and workplace content for Fairygodboss, the largest career community for women.
FAQs
What is Gen Z way of saying goodbye? ›
- Bless up.
- Mean regards.
- Another day another slay.
- Slay, serve, survive.
- Lukewarm regards.
- Over and out.
- Cold regards.
- Stay slaying.
In fact, 72% of Generation Z prefer in-person communication in the workplace. Surprised? These digital natives are so used to online communication, they tend to place a higher value on face-to-face interactions.
What is the most popular Gen Z term? ›Overall, Finna and simp are the most common Gen-Z slang word in six states.
What is one slang for goodbye? ›| English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Catch you later! | / ˈkætʃ ju ˈleɪtər / |
| Smell you later! | / ˈsmel ju ˈleɪtər / |
| Cheerio! | / ˈtʃɪrioʊ / |
| TTFN (Ta-ta for now) | /ta-ta fər ˈnaʊ / |
Fire. In Gen Z slang term, “fire” means something is really amazing or cool. They also use it to express excitement or point out a new trend within their culture.
What is low key Gen Z slang? ›6. Low key. Remember when we used to say something was “on the DL”? Gen Z uses “low key” to point out things people do that aren't blatantly obvious, but certainly worth saying (or tweeting about).
What is a mother in Gen Z slang? ›This one's pretty straightforward: someone is “mother” if they're an iconic feminine figure, and an act is “mother” if it contributes to that icon status.
What is the Gen Z word for awkward? ›Cringe. Meaning: A term used for when someone is extremely embarrassing or awkward.
What are Gen Z's favorite ways of communication? ›Gen Z communicates with images and they multitask across multiple screens as opposed to Millennials preferring to communicate on two screens and via text. Gen Z's attention spans are getting shorter as well, explaining their preference for video and images rather than text.
What is Gen Z preferred mode of communication? ›In fact, research shows while texting may be the preferred method of communication for Gen Z, one-on-one communication is the most effective way to reach them. As leaders, it is important we remember to provide a personal touch in our communication with students.
What is Gen Z popular culture? ›
Social media is a huge trend for this generation. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are, by far, the most frequently used platforms. One-quarter of Gen Zers spend five hours or more per day on TikTok. TikTok continues to soar in popularity among members of Generation Z (4,600% in 5 years).
What is an example of drip slang? ›Thanks to Cardi B, drip often appears in the phrase come through dripping, e.g., I came through drippin' tonight with my red bottoms. This phrase is a favorite of people posting outfit pics on Instagram and Twitter when they feel especially have the drip or are dripping in designer goods.
What do Millennials call Gen Z? ›Generation Z (or more commonly Gen Z for short), colloquially known as Zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years.
What can I say instead of goodbye? ›- Until next time. This option is mostly used in casual situations, but can also work in formal settings. ...
- Talk to you later. ...
- See you soon. ...
- Take care. ...
- Farewell. ...
- So long. ...
- Don't be a stranger. ...
- Take it easy.
- adieu.
- bye-bye.
- Godspeed.
- adios.
- cheerio.
- ciao.
- leave-taking.
- parting.
- farewell.
- Godspeed.
- ave.
- bon voyage.
- congee.
- adieu.
- congé
- send-off.
Zoomer is used to refer to members of Generation Z, or people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
What is a Boujee woman? ›Boujee is more widely used in black slang to describe someone who has made their own wealth out of a poorer upbringing, likes a lavish lifestyle, but is still connected to their roots “in the hood.”
What is the black term of endearment? ›Shawty, shorty, shauty or shortie is a slang term from African American Vernacular English used as a term of endearment but also frequently heard as a catcall.
What is Gucci in Gen Z slang? ›As Gen Z slang, it is a simple replacement for “cool” or “good.” When written, “gucci” can be capitalized or all lowercase. EXAMPLE: Person 1: “I got a new car.” Person 2: “Oh, that's gucci.”
What does Gen Z call money? ›
Bread is made of dough, which is another common slang term that means money. Bread is money. “I do it for the bread.” An adjective used to describe someone wearing expensive items, like diamond jewelry, or to describe a nice outfit, in general.
What does bruh mean in Gen Z? ›'Bruh' is a phonetically spelled version of the Millenial term 'bro' (short for 'brother').
What does sick mean in Gen Z? ›Sic/sick means cool or excellent. Sic/sick is an internet slang expresion that is used as an adjective to compliment someone or something. Home. Teen Slang Meanings.
What are 5 distinct characteristics of Gen Z? ›- They're money-driven and ambitious.
- They love to travel.
- They're prone to anxiety.
- They're known to set boundaries.
- They're avid gamers.
- They're nostalgic.
- They use social media in a unique way.
For Gen Z, "it's really important to respect people's boundaries," Kaneshina told Insider. For example, she said, managers should schedule meetings during the workday, not later, and they shouldn't email or Slack their team members outside of those hours. If they do, they shouldn't be "expecting an immediate response."
What are Gen Z learning styles? ›On the other hand, Gen Z students are digital natives who prefer an independent learning style with less passive but more visual and kinaesthetic learning.
What motivates Gen Z? ›Gen Z is often motivated by a sense of purpose and may be drawn to jobs and companies that align with their personal values and beliefs. As a manager, you can help motivate your Gen Z employees by ensuring that their work is meaningful and has a positive impact on others.
How does Generation Alpha communicate? ›If we look back, communication has moved from letters, to phone calls and emails, to text messages and now to social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram. Each progression has led to shorter, more frequent and more direct contact between people; 75% of Gen Z prefer texting rather than speaking over the phone.
What is most important to Gen Z in the workplace? ›Prioritize wellness and mental health to show you care.
Mental health struggles are a crucial factor impacting Gen Z employees. Many experience anxiety and depression, which affects their work performance. In fact, Gen Z's top wish for their leadership is that they care about well-being and mental health.
- Meaningful work.
- Inclusive company culture.
- Growth opportunities.
- Stability and balance.
- Collaboration and autonomy.
- Cutting-edge tech.
- Short application process.
What do Gen Z want from managers? ›
Unique workplace expectations
While workplace culture, connection and transparency are still important to Gen Zers, they often share a strong desire to have more freedom and schedule flexibility than their older colleagues.
You'll find that they are quite different from the previous generations. Gen Z prioritises positive relationships, work-life balance, schedule flexibility, and job stability. 90% of them want human interaction at work and direct communication from their co-workers.
Who is the most successful Gen Z? ›Pop artist Billie Eilish is arguably one of the most popular Gen Zers. By the age of 19, her album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? has been streamed billions of times and she has won multiple Grammys – five at the 2020 Grammy Awards alone.
Who are the icons of Gen Z? ›According to new research from NatWest*, Gen Z's entrepreneurial role models consist of new 'modern business icons' including music, sports and reality stars such as Rihanna, David Beckham and the Kardashians.
What is totes slang for? ›slang : totally, completely. We're in Peru, and Arie is totes amazed that he might be engaged by the end of this week.
What does cap mean in slang? ›CAP means lying. CAP is an internet slang expression that is used to describe lying or faking.
What does getting wet mean slang? ›When a woman gets sexually aroused, her Bartholin's and Skene's glands secrete a lubricating liquid around her vaginal opening. Since at least 1698 (yes, that long ago), this has been referred to as getting wet.
What is the personality of a Gen Z? ›In summary, a typical Gen Zer is a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about ...
What does Gen Z think is cheugy? ›Here's a list of some popular Gen Z terms, their definitions and some examples: Cheugy: Describes millennials who are trying too hard to be trendy or in style. Example: “Did you see that older girl trying to do that Tik Tok dance? She's so cheugy.”
What is slang for leaving without saying goodbye? ›Absquatulate. It's an American word from the 1830's, meaning to leave a party quietly and not say goodbye. It's often called Ghosting (to leave like a ghost). Or maybe you've heard it referred to as a French Exit.
What are some Gen Z quotes? ›
- “Whenever I'm bored, I can always find something to do on my phone.”— ...
- “I can't live without my laptop, because I'm enrolled in a virtual school and I have to use it.”— ...
- “My goals are to travel and become a founder of an organization to help people.” –
- "I'm going to miss seeing you around the office. ...
- "Good luck with your new job! ...
- "Thank you for being such an important part of our team these past few years. ...
- "Your new job is lucky to have such a hard worker like yourself.
- Use the Right Subject Line. Before hitting send, work on the subject line. ...
- Show Gratitude. Even when you didn't enjoy working with the manager, team, or at the company, you should still politely appreciate everyone and their efforts. ...
- Talk About The Next Chapter. ...
- Say Something for the Future.
'One of the main benefits of subtitles is getting a really clear understanding of the dialogue as you don't have to grapple with accents and missing key bits of dialogue,' Taylor says, explaining that this shift points to a preference for greater control in the way we watch visual content.
Why does Gen Z like captions? ›Preply, which provides online lessons with foreign language tutors, conducted the survey to figure out why captions are so popular, and the answer largely revolved around how content is being consumed: 89% of people said they opted for subtitles because streaming can muddy dialogue, making movies and TV shows harder to ...
How to impress Gen Z? ›Provide clear career paths, mentorship programs, and training to help attract Gen Z to your company. These programs can prove to Gen Z candidates that you value them for the long-term potential they bring to your company, not just for their ability to fill an entry-level role.
What is drip 50s slang? ›In the 1950's, "drip" was slang for someone who is very uncool. but over the years, using "drip" fell out of style. Then around 2018, the word "drip" had a renaissance thanks to hip-hop. It meant the complete opposite "uncool".
What is drippy drippy? ›If you describe someone as drippy, you mean that they are rather stupid and weak. If you describe something such as a book or a type of music as drippy, you mean that you think it is rather stupid, dull, and sentimental.
What does it mean when a girl is dripping? ›Urban dictionary's “dripping” definition: When something or someone is really cool, or has so much swag to it. “