SALT LAKE CITY — School teachers in Utah and across the country are formally trained educators in history, math, biology, chemistry and a host of other academic subjects.
They’re also America’s frontline squad of amateur linguistic anthropologists.
So if you’re a bit confused hearing the kids at the family holiday party saying “skibidi” or “delulu,” and feel you need a translator — just find a school teacher.
They are likely fluent in Slang2024.
But slang fluency doesn’t mean teachers are always fans of whatever words or phrases are trending.
Yes, Henry David Thoreau may be attributed with saying, “It is too late to be studying Hebrew; it is more important to understand even the slang of today.”
But did Thoreau’s readers ever call him “bruh?”
Education Week recently asked educators across the country to share slang terms they wished their students would trash. They gleaned hundreds of teacher responses and compiled a “Slang that Teachers are Sick of Hearing” Top 10 list.
A caveat before sharing the list: Not all teachers are slang-averse. School psychologist Jill Davidson noted in a LinkedIn comment that slang can “enrich our language, (and) encourage creativity. It’s important to know what they mean and how they’re used.”
Now, on to Education Week’s Top 10 list — “Slang that Teachers are Sick of Hearing.”
Sigma
The slang term for “the best” can be used to describe, somewhat curiously, someone who is an “alpha.”
That’s a slang word to describe a slang word.
Rizz
A contracted form of the word “charisma.” Can be used as a noun or verb — and it’s high praise for someone’s charm, style and vibe.
Rizz is what kids in 2020 would have called “game.”
Drip
Refers to a “really cool outfit” or clothing items or accessories with statement-making style and, well, maximum rizz.
Ate
Looks and sounds just like the verb you have used forever after finishing a meal — but now with no food context.
Instead, “ate” is used to “praise someone for doing something well” or having good style.
Example: “Wow, that’s amazing! You really ate that performance.”
Bruh
The evolved version of “bro.” Used mostly as a friendly greeting or when referring, typically, to a male friend.
A flexible slang, “bruh” can also be used to express surprise (Bruh!!!) or disagreement (Bruh …).
Skibidi
A nonsense word defined by context. It can mean “cool” or “dumb” or “bad” — or just about anything else. It’s filler fodder. And it’s little surprise “skibidi” would make the teacher’s Top 10 slang trash list.
Delulu
It sounds like “delusional” for a reason. It’s a shortened version of the word, by four letters. Delulu is also a humorous way to describe someone rejecting reality in favor of a more appealing interpretation.
Example: “Mike’s delulu about the Packers’ chances of winning the Super Bowl.”
Low-key
A familiar but stylized version of “low key” that describes someone’s actions or emotions that don’t draw too much attention.
“Low-key,” according to USA Today, can be used, ironically, as high praise. Saying someone is “low-key” means “they are calm, don’t cause drama and usually keep to themselves.”
Bet
You probably still say, “You bet.” Your parents or grandparents surely said, “You bet.” Your kids: just “bet.”
Like its earlier iteration, “bet” is typically used as a substitute for “OK.”
Me: “Want to grab some lunch?”
You: “Bet.”
Crash out
A fairly recent slang that gained traction following people’s social media reactions to the 2024 presidential election results.
Loosely, “crash out” means to “become hysterical or do something reckless, or to pass out from exhaustion.”
Looking ahead: Classroom slang in 2025
Of course, once a slang term is widely adopted, it’s already being replaced by fresh slang. That’s the rule.
So what slang can teachers expect to hear — and probably hate — in 2025? Education First has already identified the slang “you need to know in 2025”:
- Yap: Gossiping excessively.
- Chat: A group of people.
- Brain rot: Feeling mentally drained from social media overload.
- Yassified: Glamorized and overdone.
- Lore: Something’s backstory or context.
And, finally, “That’s tea” = That’s the truth.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
