English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Slang Dictionary — Modern Slang, Decoded

What does that word actually mean? Our slang dictionary explains modern slang clearly — Gen Z, internet, British and street slang — with real definitions, examples and where each term came from.

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Gen Z Slangrizz, delulu, slay Internet Slangbrainrot, based, mid British Slangpeng, bare, peak AAVEbussin, finna, cap

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Latest slang terms

Being reliably available whenever needed.

A conversation an employer holds with a current employee to understand what keeps them engaged and address concerns before they consider leaving, the proactive counterpart to an exit interview.

stay in your lane

A warning to not involve yourself in other inmates' affairs, crucial to staying safe inside.

A community reminder to remain modest and disciplined despite gains, frequently paired with "stack sats."

To intimidate or steal from someone through menace, in eshay slang.

status dramaticus

Mock diagnosis for a patient performing illness loudly out of proportion to anything actually wrong. The wailer in bay 6 you can hear from triage, vitals stone normal, pain reported as 'eleven out of ten'. Used between staff as shorthand for 'don't escalate, just reassure'.

statue of liberty

A trick play in which the quarterback raises the ball as if to pass, then a back takes it from his cocked hand, mimicking the statue's raised-arm pose.

The state police, especially the Massachusetts State Police. Heard constantly on Boston-area roads and in true-crime chatter; singular 'statie' = one trooper. Carries a slightly wary, working-class tone — you don't say 'staties' if you're happy to see them.

A state police officer — the trooper in the Smokey hat patrolling the interstates, not your local PD.

Made tense, hostile, or unsettled — 'catching static' is getting attitude or trouble from someone.

Clothing and items issued by the state, as opposed to personal or commissary-bought property.

A player who accumulates strong personal numbers that don't translate to winning or making teammates better.

Instruction that a medication, test, or procedure must be done right away, taking priority over all other orders. In practice a stat medication is usually given within 15-30 minutes.

Describes the hidden partner's experience of feeling like a secret.

One's private reserve of marijuana, often kept hidden or stored in a stash box.

In Yorkshire, 'starving' (or 'starved') often means freezing cold, not just hungry.

Applied to people and things alike, often with the gang's contempt for the old order.

When a juvenile offender is transferred to an adult prison before reaching the usual age, due to their behaviour or maturity.

A friendly address for a friend or acquaintance conveying camaraderie, like 'mate' or 'pal'.

A street drain or its grating; a gutter.

A communal outdoor water faucet; 'standpipe high' jokingly means someone had no real schooling.

standing on business

Taking care of your responsibilities and following through with conviction — whether that's a confrontation, a commitment or just grinding out work. Rooted in AAVE and hip-hop, it spread on TikTok in 2023 via creators (notably DDG) using it to describe being serious about your obligations and word. To 'stand on business' is to refuse to back down or flake.

A radio term telling the other station to wait momentarily for a response or for action to be taken.

A skater's natural riding position, defined by which foot leads: regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward).