Youth Slang: Slang and Social Media Dictionary

Teens often communicate on social media in ways that may feel completely different from how they typically express themselves in person. For parents, trying to decode the meaning behind all the internet slang can sometimes feel as challenging as learning an entirely new language. These shortcuts, abbreviations, and phrases might have started as convenient time-savers, but nowadays, they’re frequently used as a way to keep certain conversations private—especially from adults who might not understand the nuances or context.

By taking the time to learn what these terms and phrases mean, you can play an important role in helping protect your child from the negative aspects of social media before situations spiral out of control. A large number of teens use this kind of coded language to share personal struggles with their friends rather than reaching out to their parents or other trusted adults for help. Understanding their language can open the door for better communication and support.

Here are some examples of topics teens might be referencing through online slang:

Anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed
Body image struggles and self-perception issues
Depression and other mood-related challenges
Eating disorders and unhealthy coping mechanisms
Feelings of loneliness and isolation from others
Low self-esteem and struggles with self-worth
Suicidal thoughts and ideation
Social media addiction and its impact on mental health
Sexual abuse, including online grooming and exploitation

Cyberbullying, often referred to as online bullying, can also be concealed within this slang. Learning to recognize these terms can give you better insight into whether your teen is experiencing or being targeted by such harmful behavior. By staying informed, you can take proactive steps to address the issue.

Additionally, many teens use social media slang to discuss sexual topics, which are often subtle and can easily go unnoticed by parents who aren’t familiar with the latest jargon. Staying aware of these trends can help you better understand the conversations your child might be having online.

Social Media Slang Words

The following social media dictionary identifies the meanings of words teens may use with regard to topics teens typically try to conceal from parents.

Drugs

Drug-related text slang may be used to seek and purchase drugs. Snapchat and Instagram are two of the most popular platforms where drugs are sold to teens.

Mental Health

Slang terms and coded language related to mental health are often used by teens to discuss sensitive topics like anxiety, depression, or self-harm without adults understanding. Platforms such as TikTok and Twitter have become hubs for sharing these coded messages, which can sometimes be a cry for help or a way of seeking community. Parents and guardians should familiarize themselves with these terms to better support their teens and recognize when intervention may be necessary.

Addy/Study Buddy: Adderall
Blunt rotation: Invitation to smoke marijuana
Blunt: A marijuana joint
Break green: Share marijuana with each other
Faded: High
K2 or Spice: Synthetic marijuana, a product that is easy and legal to purchase but can be more dangerous than real marijuana
X or E: The drug ecstasy, also known as MDMA or Molly
Xan/Xans/Xannies: Xanax
Zooted or Zonked: Intoxicated (drunk or high)

Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, and Depression

Self-harm and suicidal ideation are dangerous themes to which teens are regularly exposed on social media.

The Role of Social Media Algorithms

Social media platforms use algorithms designed to maximize user engagement, which can inadvertently expose vulnerable teens to harmful content. These algorithms often prioritize posts or videos with high emotional impact, potentially promoting material related to self-harm or depression. This creates an echo chamber that reinforces negative thoughts and behaviors, making it crucial for parents and guardians to understand how these systems influence their teen’s mental health.

Deb: Depression
Finished my shampoo and conditioner at the same time: Usually an expression of suicidal thoughts, but also an expression of depression or anxiety
I had pasta tonight: Depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts
IHML: I hate my life
KMS: Kill myself
Secretsociety123: Self-harm
Sewerslide: Suicide
Sue: Suicide
SVV: Self-harm
TIFU: Today I f*** up
Unalive: A verb to depict committing or attempting suicide

Body Image and Eating Disorders

One of the detrimental effects of social media use by teens is body image and eating disorders. Of all the social media sites, Instagram seems to have the most detrimental effects on body image.

Mental Health and Anxiety

Excessive use of social media has also been linked to increasing levels of anxiety and other mental health issues among teens. Constant comparisons to curated lifestyles, cyberbullying, and the pressure to stay "connected" at all times can create significant emotional stress. Teens often feel overwhelmed trying to maintain a perfect online persona, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy, isolation, and even depression over time. Addressing these issues requires open conversations and promoting awareness around healthy online habits.

Ana or pro-ana: Anorexia or Promotion of anorexia
Baddie: An independent girl/woman who is strong and beautiful
Bonespo or bonespiration: Content designed to promote being extremely underweight to the point of having protruding bones
Fitspo or fitspiration: Content that promotes physical fitness and exercise
Meanspo: Cruel comments designed to inspire eating disorders
Mia or pro-mia: Bulimia
Ribspo or
Ribspiration: Another form of bonespiration
Thinsp, thinspo, or thinspiration: Content designed to inspire being thin

The Social Media Victims Law Center has filed three lawsuits against social media companies for contributing to eating disorders. These cases emphasize the serious mental health struggles teens face because of harmful content and algorithms on social media. The lawsuits also point out how these platforms make cyberbullying worse. Many social media companies don’t do enough to block harmful content or stop harassment, leaving young users to deal with emotional stress. This toxic online environment can lead to serious mental health problems, showing the urgent need for these platforms to be held accountable and make changes.

Sexual Slang

Sex trafficking of teens occurs throughout social media, but the vast majority of sex trafficking occurs on Facebook and Instagram. It may begin with grooming by an older adult posing as another teen and culminate in an in-person meeting where sexual abuse or trafficking can occur.

Teens who use Discord or Reddit are most likely to be exposed to explicit sexual content, including pornography.

In-Person Sexual Encounters

The following slang may indicate your teen is planning a sexual encounter with someone.

8: Oral Sex
CU46: See you for sex
IWSN: I want sex now
Netflix and Chill: Have sex
NSA: No strings attached
ONS: One-night stand
Smash: Casual sex
Sneaky Link: Meeting up with someone for sex but keeping it secret
Thirsty: Horny; when someone is looking for attention, particularly sex
WYA: Where you at?

Grooming and Human Trafficking

Some of the social media slang words below may be shared between teens who know each other, but these terms may also be used between an unsuspecting teen and a trafficker or other nefarious adult.

ASL: Age/Sex/Location
Catch a case: The expression of a willingness to be arrested for something, usually in relation to sexual acts with a minor
Daddy: An attractive man, usually an older man who conveys a sense of power
GNOC: Get naked on camera
LMIRL: Let’s meet in real life
MIRL: Meet in real life
RUMORF: Are you male or female?
Simp: A guy who other guys think is being too nice to or giving too much attention to a girl
Stan: An obsessed fan (combination of “stalker” and “fan”)
Sus: Suspicious
TDTM: Talk dirty to me
WTTP: Want to trade pictures?

Romantic Relationship

The online slang below may indicate your teen is in a romantic or sexual relationship.

142 OR 459: I love you
Booed up: Being in a relationship
Cuffing season: Usually a reference to dating for the winter holidays
Cuffing: Dating for a set amount of time
FWB: Friends with benefits (A friend you have casual sex with)
HAK: Hugs and kisses
Ship: Short for “relationship”
SWAK: Sealed with a kiss

Explicit Content

The following terms may indicate your teen is viewing or exchanging explicit content with another teen.

1174: Nude club
Corn: Porn
DNI: Do not interact; content is not meant for people under 18
DPW: D*** (penis) pictures welcome
GYPO: Get your pants off
NIFOC: Nude in front of computer/camera
NP4NP: Naked pic for naked pic, an invitation to exchange nude photographs
NSFW: Not safe for work, usually a reference to explicit content
PRON: Porn
Rule 34: Any topic can be made into pornographic content
Slapping cheeks: A reference to sexual intercourse
SMD: Suck my d*** (penis)

Sexual References to Physical Appearance

These references can impact body image and self-esteem. They may also be used for cyberbullying.

Cake: The rear end of a girl/woman
Curve: To reject someone sexually
Sheesh: An expression that someone looks good
Snacc or Snack: An attractive person
Snatched: An aspect of a person that looks good or a girl’s waist, especially a small waist

Cyberbullying Slang

According to Security.org, teens are most likely to experience cyberbullying on YouTube, followed by Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook. Cyberbullying is a leading cause of anxiety, depression, and suicide.

Most cyberbullying is subtle and may not be apparent by reading only one post. To identify cyberbullying, you must understand the slang and the types of cyberbullying teens use.

Cyberbullying Types

Canceled: Publicly shamed and ostracized online
Catfishing: Setting up a fictitious profile for the purpose of luring someone into a fake romantic relationship
Dissing: Publicly making humiliating or damaging comments about another user
Dox: Posting someone’s personally identifiable information (PII), such as an address, online and encouraging other users to go to that location
Fairy comments: Primarily used on TikTok; hurtful and sarcastic one-liners that seem nice at first but end with insults
Flaming: Intentionally sending inflammatory content to another user in hopes of starting a fight
Fraping: Posting inappropriate content from someone else’s social media without their consent
Ghost: Suddenly stop all contact with someone online and in person
Griefer: Someone who uses online games in unintended ways to harass other gamers
Happy slapping: Filming someone being physically assaulted and posting it on social media
Outing: Openly revealing personal information in a humiliating way
Receipts: Evidence, usually to prove someone is lying and in the form of screenshots, videos, or photos
Revenge porn: Posting explicit images or videos of someone on social media without their consent
SWAT or Swatting: A term in the gaming and live-streaming communities where one person will call the police/SWAT team on someone else, giving authorities the person’s real address and dangerous fake information meant to make the police raid their house
Trolling: Posting outrageous content for the purpose of inflaming or provoking others
Zerg: Someone who bullies people in real life the way they do online

Cyberbullying Slang

These terms may be used in jest or in other contexts, but they can also be red flags of cyberbullying.

182: I hate you
GTFO: Get the f*** out
KYS: Kill yourself
STFU: Shut the f*** up

Parent Evasion

The following text slang is specifically used to alert another user to the presence of a parent.

99: Parent gone
CD9 or Code 9: Parents are around
KPC: Keeping parents clueless
MOS: Mom over shoulder
P911: Parent alert
PAL: Parents are listening
PAW: Parents are watching
PIR: Parent in room
POS: Parent over shoulder

General Online Slang

Bands: Usually talking about the bands around stacks of cash; a reference to someone being wealthy
Bet: An expression of agreement
Cap: Lie
Dip: Leave or back out
DM: Direct message
Dry: Not texting back or boring
DW: Don’t worry
FOMO: Fear of missing out
FYEO: For your eyes only
GTS: Go to sleep
HMU: Hit me up, which means call or text me
HWU: Hey, what’s up?
I’m Dead: Something is really funny
IMO or IMHO: In my opinion or In my humble opinion
IRL: In real life
KFY: Kiss for you
Left on read: When someone reads but doesn’t respond to your text message
Lit: Cool or awesome; drunk
LMP: Like my pic (picture)
NGL: Not gonna lie
OMW: On my way
PM: Private message
POV: Point of view; a picture or video shot as if you’re seeing it through someone else’s eyes or a category of porn
SMH: Shaking my head
TBH: To be honest
TFW: That feeling when
TL;DR: Too long; didn’t read
TT2T: Too tired to talk
WYD: What are you doing?
Yeet: To throw something
YOLO: You only live once
Zaddy: A well-dressed man

Platform-Specific Social Media Jargon

While most social media slang is used across platforms, each platform also has its own unique terminology.

Instagram Slang

Below are common examples of Instagram slang.

Finsta: An additional Instagram account; generally a “fake” one meant to conceal what the user is really doing on Instagram
IGer: An Instagram user
Rinsta: The account parents are allowed to see
Wifey: Someone you consider wife material

Snapchat Slang

Popular Snapchat slang includes the terms listed below.

Best friend, besties, or BFFs: Snapchat’s terms for the friends a teen chats with most often on Snapchat, denoted by specific emojis
NR or NRS: No replies, used to indicate that a user will not be available to reply for a period of time
PMOYS: Put me on your Snapchat
PU: Pop up, a request for someone to send a message or snap
SB: Snap back (reply)
Snap: A message or video posted on Snapchat
SR: Slow replies, used to indicate that a user may be slow to respond
Streaks: Also known as Snapstreaks, a series of daily conversations that involve two people who respond to each other at least once daily, and for which Snapchat provides a score
SU: Swipe up, a directive by a user to swipe up on the story to access the option to send a direct message or access a link

TikTok Slang

Common TikTok slang is listed below.

Blackout challenge: A challenge that encourages users to choke themselves until they lose consciousness
Body count: The number of people someone has slept with
Caught in 4k: Caught red-handed
Challenges: Video messages that challenge users to perform a specific action
FYP: For You page, a user’s TikTok homepage
Oui’d: Marijuana (weed)
Situationship: Friends with benefits

Emoji Dictionary

Teens often use emojis to escape detection by social media filters that prohibit certain forms of content and to conceal content from parents. These emojis change all the time. The most effective way to keep up with the changes is to stay on social media often enough to be aware of emerging emojis.

💙💎 Blue heart or diamond: Meth (methamphetamines)
🥦🍀🌴🍃Broccoli, four-leaf clover, palm tree, or green leaves: Marijuana
🌶 Chili/hot pepper: Spiciness, such as inappropriate or risqué content
🌽 Corn: Porn (rhymes with corn)
😈👹 Devil: Feeling frisky or naughty, usually in a sexual way
🤤 Drooling face: Desiring someone sexually (often used in response to nudes)
🍆 Eggplant: Penis
🔌 Electrical plug: Drug hookup
👀 Eyes looking: Used when sending or receiving nudes
🐉🐲🤎 Green dragon or brown heart: Heroin
🔨 Hammer: Having sex
🔪 Knife: Someone is in a bad mood and wants to be destructive
🍁 Maple leaf: Universal symbol for drugs
🍜🍝 Noodles or “noods”: Nudes
🐙 Octopus: Cuddles
🍑 Peach: Rear end
💜🍇🍼 Purple heart, grapes, or baby bottle: Cough syrup
💊 Red and yellow pill: Any drug that comes in pill form
🚀💣 Rocket or bomb: High-potency drug
🚍🍫 School bus or chocolate bar: Xanax
❄️⛄️🎱 Snowflake, snowman, 8-ball, or key: Cocaine
❄️ Snowflake: Someone who is easily offended
💉 Syringe: Generally used when showing off a new tattoo
🍅 Tomato: An online depiction of throwing tomatoes at someone’s comment or post to show disapproval
💨🌬 Woosh of air/cloud of smoke: Vaping
🥴 Woozy face: Drunkenness, sexual arousal, or a grimace

These terms are Thanks to the Social Media Victims Organization who are doing great work in holding Social Media websites and companies accountable to provide safer spaces for our youth and their mental health needs. For more information visit their website!