1960s Slang: Welcome to the Swinging Sixties!

The 1960s were a time of social change, counterculture, and, of course, some seriously groovy slang. Whether you were part of the hippie movement or just trying to fit in with the cool cats, slang in the 60s shaped the way people talked, and much of it has stuck around today.

But how do you know your groovy from your gas?

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and explore 60 slang words for the 60s—perfect for adding a retro twist to your vocab!

60 Slang Words for the 60s:

1. Ace – To do something really well.
   “I totally aced that test.”

2. All Show, No Go – Something that looks impressive but lacks substance.
   “That car’s all show and no go.”

3. Babe – A term for a beautiful girl.
   “That babe over there is stunning!”

4. Beat Feet – To leave quickly.
   “We better beat feet before the cops show up.”

5. Blitzed – Very drunk.
   “After a few drinks, he was totally blitzed.”

6. Book It – To leave quickly.
   “The teacher’s coming, book it!”

7. Boss – Really cool or impressive.
   “Those new boots are boss, man.”

8. Bread – Money.
   “I need to make some bread this weekend.”

9. Bummer – A disappointment.
   “It’s such a bummer that the concert got canceled.”

10. Bug Out – To freak out or leave in a hurry (often under the influence of recreational drugs)
    “When he saw the spider, he totally bugged out!”

11. Can You Dig It? – Do you understand or agree?
    “We’re gonna hit the beach tomorrow—can you dig it?”

12. Catch You on the Flip Side – See you later.
    “I gotta run, but I’ll catch you on the flip side.”

13. Cool Cat – A stylish, confident person.
    “You’re a cool cat in those shades.”

14. Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ – Looking for trouble.
    “You better stop mouthing off, you’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’.”

15. Decked Out – Dressed up in fancy clothes.
    “She was decked out for the big party.”

16. Dig – To understand or appreciate something.
    “I really dig that new band.”

17. Dreamboat – An attractive person, usually a guy.
    “That actor is such a dreamboat.”

18. Fab – Short for fabulous.
    “Her new dress is totally fab.”

19. Far Out – Something amazing or unbelievable.
    “Wow, that concert was far out!”

20. Fink – A snitch or someone who betrays trust.
    “Don’t be a fink and tell on me!”

21. Flip Your Wig – To go crazy or lose control.
    “He totally flipped his wig when he saw the bill.”

22. Flower Power – A slogan promoting peace and love, often associated with hippies.
    “It was all about flower power at the festival.”

23. Fox – Attractive, typically used for women.
    “She’s one foxy lady.”

24. Freak Out – To panic or become overly emotional.
    “I’m trying not to freak out about the exam.”

25. Gas – Something fun or a good time.
    “That party was a gas!”

26. Grody – Disgusting or gross.
    “That food looks grody.”

27. Groovy – Cool, stylish, or awesome.
    “That new record is so groovy, man.”

28. Grungy – Dirty or unkempt.
    “That basement is so grungy.”

29. Hang Loose – Stay relaxed or calm.
    “Don’t stress about the test, just hang loose.”

30. Heavy – Serious or intense.
    “That speech about war was really heavy.”

31. Hippie – A person from the counterculture, typically free-spirited and peace-loving.
    “My older brother’s a total hippie; he’s always talking about love and peace.”

32. Lay It on Me – Tell me the news.
    “Got a story? Lay it on me.”

33. Lame – Not cool or disappointing.
    “That excuse is so lame.”

34. Made in the Shade – To have it easy or be in a good position.
    “With that new job, you’ve got it made in the shade.”

35. Make the Scene – To show up at an event.
    “Are you gonna make the scene at the concert tonight?”

36. Neat-O – Something cool or interesting.
    “That new gadget is neat-o!”

37. Out to Lunch – Not aware or in touch with reality.
    “He’s so out to lunch when it comes to technology.”

38. Outta Sight – Incredibly impressive or cool.
    “That movie was outta sight!”

39. Pad – Your home or apartment.
    “Hey man, come over to my pad for a jam session.”

40. Peepers – Eyes.
    “I can’t find my glasses—my peepers need help.”

41. Righteous – Morally right or awesome.
    “His speech about equality was totally righteous.”

42. Scene – The place where something exciting happens.
    “That club is the new scene in town.”

43. Skirt – A woman.
    “Check out the skirt by the bar.”

44. Slug Bug – A car game where people hit each other when they see a VW Beetle.
    “Slug bug! No punch backs.”

45. Sock It to Me – Give me your best shot or impress me.
    “Come on, sock it to me with those dance moves!”

46. Sock Hop – A dance party, typically for teens.
    “Are you going to the sock hop this weekend?”

47. Solid – Reliable or cool.
    “You’re a solid friend, thanks for helping out.”

48. Spacey – Someone who’s absent-minded or in their own world.
    “He’s been acting spacey all day.”

49. Split – To leave or depart.
    “It’s getting late, I think I’m gonna split.”

50. Square – Someone who’s not hip or is out of touch.
    “Don’t be such a square, try something new!”

51. Stone Fox – An attractive woman.
    “That girl is a total stone fox.”

52. The Fuzz – The police.
    “Watch out, here comes the fuzz!”

53. The Man – Authority or the government.
    “You better watch out, the Man’s watching.”

54. Threads – Clothes.
    “I need to get some new threads for the party.”

55. Turned On – Excited or enthusiastic.
    “That new song really turned me on.”

56. Velvet Fog – A smooth voice, often referring to a singer.
    “His voice is pure velvet fog.”

57. Wig Out – To freak out or lose control.
    “When he saw the surprise, he totally wigged out.”

58. Wipeout – A big fall or failure, often associated with surfing.
    “I took a massive wipeout on the waves today.”

59. Zap – To destroy or kill something, often used in comics.
    “That villain just got zapped!”

60. Zonked – Extremely tired or out of it.
    “After that hike, I’m totally zonked.”

60s Slang that Lives On:

The 60s was iconic, lots of slang is still used today. Here’s our top picks – 

1. Cool – Still used today to describe something stylish or impressive.
   “That new jacket is so cool.”

2. Groovy – It’s making a comeback as a quirky way to say something is cool.
   “Those vintage records are groovy.”

3. Bummer – Used to express disappointment.
   “Missing the bus was such a bummer.”

4. Far Out – Now retro, but still used in a playful way.
   “That idea is far out, man.”

5. Dig – To understand or appreciate.
   “I totally dig your perspective.”

Now that you’re up to speed, are you ready to get your groove on with these far-out phrases?