2000s Slang: Welcome to the Noughties!
The 2000s, or the “Noughties,” was a decade where reality TV boomed, social media emerged, and technology brought everyone closer than ever before. It was also a time when language evolved with the explosion of texting, internet memes, and pop culture references.
So, how do you know your bling bling from your bromance? Let’s dive into 50 Slang Words for the 2000s and transport you back to the era of flip phones, Myspace, and TRL!
50 Slang Words for the 2000s:
-
Bling Bling – Flashy jewelry or accessories, often used to show off wealth.
“Check out all the bling bling he’s rocking!” -
Bromance – A close, non-romantic relationship between two men.
“Their bromance is so strong, they hang out all the time.” -
Chillax – A combination of “chill” and “relax.”
“Let’s just chillax and watch a movie tonight.” -
Cray – Short for crazy, used to describe something wild or unbelievable.
“That party was totally cray!” -
Fo’ Shizzle – A playful way of saying “for sure” (popularized by Snoop Dogg).
“You coming to the party? Fo’ shizzle!” -
Hater – Someone who dislikes or criticizes something out of envy or spite.
“Don’t listen to the haters, you’re awesome!” -
Baller – Someone who lives a luxurious lifestyle, often associated with athletes or wealthy individuals.
“That guy’s house is baller!” -
Bounce – To leave or exit.
“This place is dead, let’s bounce.” -
Boujee – Derived from bourgeois, meaning someone who is pretentious or fancy.
“She’s acting so boujee with her designer bag.” -
Epic Fail – A massive or embarrassing failure.
“That attempt at cooking dinner was an epic fail.” -
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out, used when someone feels anxious about not being included.
“I have major FOMO about missing that concert.” -
Gettin’ Jiggy – Dancing with energy or enthusiasm, popularized by Will Smith.
“Everyone was gettin’ jiggy on the dance floor last night!” -
Hot Mess – A person or situation that is chaotic or in disarray.
“She’s a hot mess after that breakup.” -
I Can’t Even – Used when something is so overwhelming you don’t know how to react.
“That movie was so funny, I can’t even.” -
Lame – Something boring or uncool.
“That joke was so lame.” -
Legit – Short for legitimate, meaning something is real or credible.
“That deal is legit!” -
LOL – Acronym for “laugh out loud,” used in texting and online conversations.
“That meme made me LOL.” -
Mad – Used to mean “a lot of” or “very.”
“That pizza was mad good.” -
Noob – A newbie or someone who is inexperienced.
“He’s still such a noob at video games.” -
OMG – Acronym for “Oh my God,” used to express surprise or excitement.
“OMG, did you hear about their engagement?” -
Pimp My Ride – A phrase meaning to customize something, made famous by the TV show.
“I’m gonna pimp my ride with some new rims.” -
Playa – A player, someone who dates many people at once.
“He’s such a playa, always with a new girl.” -
Props – Giving someone respect or credit for something.
“I gotta give you props for pulling that off.” -
Rando – Short for “random,” usually referring to a person who is out of place.
“Who’s that rando at the party?” -
Ride or Die – A person who is loyal and supportive no matter what.
“That’s my ride or die, she’s always got my back.” -
Sick – Something awesome or impressive.
“That trick you did on your skateboard was sick!” -
Smackdown – To harshly defeat or put someone in their place, made famous by WWE.
“He gave that guy a verbal smackdown during the debate.” -
Snatched – Looking stylish or well-put-together.
“You look totally snatched in that dress!” -
Talk to the Hand – A dismissive phrase telling someone you’re not listening.
“I don’t care what you say, talk to the hand!” -
Tight – Something that’s awesome or cool.
“That new album is tight!” -
Throwing Shade – Subtly insulting someone.
“She was totally throwing shade at him during the meeting.” -
Trill – A combination of “true” and “real,” meaning genuine or authentic.
“That guy is trill, you can trust him.” -
Turnt – Excited or hyped, especially at parties.
“This party is about to get turnt!” -
Twerk – A type of dance move involving shaking your hips.
“She was twerking on the dance floor all night!” -
Vibes – The mood or atmosphere of a place or situation.
“I’m loving the good vibes at this café.” -
Whassup – A casual greeting.
“Whassup, man? How’s it going?” -
YOLO – Acronym for “You Only Live Once,” used to justify spontaneous actions.
“Let’s book a trip to Europe—YOLO!” -
Yasss – A way to express excitement or approval, often stretched out for emphasis.
“Yasss, that outfit is amazing!” -
Zing – A quick, witty remark that’s often sarcastic or mocking.
“He got me with a good zing!” -
Boo – An affectionate way to describe your partner or romantic interest.
“I miss you, boo.” -
Bomb – Something excellent or really good.
“That pizza was the bomb!” -
Boss – Someone who is in charge or doing something.
“Yes boss, will see you there” -
Shook – Surprised or stunned.
“I was shook when I heard the news!” -
Boomer – A dismissive way to refer to someone from an older generation.
“Okay, boomer.” -
Crunk – Excited, hyped, or full of energy.
“This party’s about to get crunk!” -
Low-Key – Something done subtly or without drawing attention.
“I’m low-key obsessed with this TV show.” -
Basic – Someone who is unoriginal or follows mainstream trends.
“That outfit is so basic.” -
Flex – To show off or brag about something.
“He’s always flexing his new car.” -
Woke – Being socially and politically aware.
“He’s really woke about climate change issues.” -
Hundy P – Short for “100 percent,” meaning absolutely or definitely.
“I’m hundy P down for that.”
Slang Terms Still Relevant Today:
It’s hard to believe the naughties was actually over 20 years ago now! Perhaps that’s partly done to how much influence it still has on life in the 2020s. Here’s a few of our favourite terms that are still used today –
-
FOMO – Fear of missing out.
“I had major FOMO watching everyone’s vacation posts on Instagram.” -
Bromance – A strong, non-romantic friendship between men.
“Their bromance is still going strong after 20 years.” -
Low-Key – Used when trying to be subtle or understated.
“I low-key love that show.” -
Woke – Still used to refer to being aware of social and political issues.
“She’s really woke about human rights issues.” -
Flex – To show off.
“He’s always flexing his new sneakers.”
Get Over Noughties FOMO with These Shows and Films:
If you want to immerse yourself in the 2000s vibe and pick up on the slang of the era, here are some must-watch shows and
films that will get you in the mood:
-
The O.C. – California teens and their melodrama in a perfect 2000s setting. Key slang: “Bro,” “Baller,” “Epic Fail.”
-
Napoleon Dynamite – Quirky characters with memorable catchphrases and iconic 2000s vibes. Key slang: “Epic Fail,” “Tight,” “Sick.”
-
Mean Girls – A high school comedy filled with memorable 2000s slang and sarcasm. Key slang: “You go, Glen Coco!”, “Boo,” “Playa.”
-
Superbad – A hilarious coming-of-age story full of 2000s high school slang. Key slang: “Shook,” “Turnt,” “Crunk.”
-
Step Up – Dance battles and 2000s urban culture wrapped in a love story. Key slang: “Gettin’ jiggy,” “Bling Bling,” “Flex.”
-
Bring It On – A cheerleading comedy that captures early 2000s pop culture. Key slang: “Baller,” “Low-Key,” “Props.”
-
The Fast and the Furious – Action-packed and full of 2000s lingo and car culture. Key slang: “Pimp My Ride,” “Sick,” “Baller.”