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Tween Terminology: A-Z Glossary For Tween Parents in 2025

Tween boys and girls smiling

Trying to decipher what exactly you’re tweens are saying? Popular brands? YouTubers you’ve never heard of? TikTok trends or a bizarre new acronym?

Use our handy A to Z guide of Tween Terminology to get to grips with a whole new parenting lingo!

We’re adding to this list as we go, and for the latest trends that are emerging in the ’20s, so bear with us as we get to the bottom of the magical and often confusing world of tween talk!

AF – as f^ck – usually added to the end of a sentence

Aura – the vibe or energy someone gives off

Aura points – a measure of coolness, mythical points ‘earned’ for doing something cool or on point (or lost for doing something bad/stupid)

Bae – “before anyone else” babe, or baby – an endearing term for a romantic partner or close friend

Basic – boring or unoriginal, someone whose conformist or common

Brain Rot – consuming too much online content

Bruh – same as Bro

Bussin – very good (usually food)

Cap/Cappin – fake or lying; ‘no cap’ is being truthful

Clap Back – a comeback delivered with attitude

Crashy – describe someone considered crazy and trashy

Cray – crazy

Cringe – someone displaying embarrassing behavior (probably you!)

Delulu – delusional, having unrealistic expectations

Dope – cool or awesome (not the drug..)

Drip – someone with clothing or fashion sense

Emo – emotional person

Era – phase someone’s in

Extra – unnecessarily dramatic

Fam – group of close friends

Fire – hot, trendy, or amazing

Flex/Flexing – to show off/brag

FOMO – fear of missing out

FYP – For Your Page (TikTok)

Ghost – when someone suddenly cuts off all communication

GOAT – greatest of all time

GTG – got to go

Gucci – something good or cool

GYAT (pronounced ge-yaht) – refers to a voluptuous bottom

Hangry – a combination of hungry and angry

ICYMI – In case you missed it

IKR – I know, right?

I’m dead – laughing so hard you’re dying of laughter

iPad Kid – someone who overuses technology, hence has a short/distracted attention span

IRL – In real life

It’s Lit – cool/ awesome

IYKYK – If you know, you know

Jelly – Jealous

L – loss or lose (or a loser act – often directed at something you have done!)

Left on read – when you can tell a message has been seen but not responded to

Lit – something that’s amazing, cool, or exciting

LMAO – Laughing my arse off

Mewing – the act of making the jawline look good, usually boys

NGL – not gonna lie

No Cap – totally true, no lie, for real

Noob/Newb – Newbie, a person who is new at something or doesn’t know what they’re doing, often used in gaming

NP – No problem

Ok, Boomer – disparaging response; you are saying something outdated

On Fleek – someone who is fashionable, on point

OMG – oh my gosh/god

Periot/Periodt – ending a sentence with emphasis

Phubbing – ignoring someone by paying attention to your phone instead

Pick me girl – a girl who goes out of her way to impress boys by claiming/acting she’s not like other girls, seeks sympathy or attention

Preppy – usually an aesthetic that involves girly, bright colors and popular brands (think Pink Stanley Cup)

Ragequit – so angry at a game they immediately switch off

Rizz – an ability to charm effortlessly (having charisma)

Roasted – making fun of or insulting someone, usually in an insulting way

RN – Right now

Salty – being bitter, someone who is upset, mad or agitated

Savage – another way of saying cool, but clearly cooler

Sic – something that’s cool

Sigma – someone who’s independent, self-reliant, stands out from the crowd in their own way (as supposed to the Alpha male)

Shook – to be shaken up by something

Simp – a guy being too attentive or submissive to a girl

Skibidi – nonsense word, often paired with Skibidi Toilet, Skibidi Ohio (originated from a popular YouTube video, though the terminology has evolved; could mean anything from cool to bad to an acknowledgement, or just to annoy you on repeat)

Slay – when someone has done something particularly well

Smacks – something is good

Snatched – looking fabulous or fashionable (similar to on fleek)

Squad – close group of friends

Swole – someone who is physically fit, muscular or works out

Sup – short for What’s Up

Sus – someone who is shady or suspicious, not to be trusted

Talking smack – belittling someone

Tea – gossip or hot story, also sipping tea (to gossip)

TBF – to be fair

TBH – to be honest

Thirsty – someone who is eager or desperate for approval/attention (usually romantic)

Throw shade – give someone a dirty look or talk poorly about someone, also ‘shading’

Tight – when two people are in a close relationship

Tool – a person who is stupid, obnoxious or an ass

Touching Grass – usually an insult to someone who never goes outside

W – Win (when someone has done something good/achieved well)

Woke – someone who is up with the latest news and social issues

YAAS/Yaaasss/Yeet – an empathic Yes

Yeet – can also mean to throw something with excessive force

YOLO – you only live once

9 or CD9 – a parent is watching/listening

We hope you’ve found this guide to tween terminology helpful. Got any others you can think of? Drop them in the comments below, and we’ll get them added!

Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog

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