Gen Z’s use of slang and emojis often confuses older colleagues. As a result, Google searches for ‘Gen Z slang’ and ‘Gen Z words’ have increased, according to Gen Z contributor Emily Goldstein.
Emily Goldstein, PR manager at Movchan Agency, a communication and growth agency for tech startups, commented: “As a member of Gen Z, I’m fascinated by how we communicate. It’s truly amazing how our generation has developed its unique vernacular, incorporating phrases and emojis that have become widely recognized slang around the globe. While slang isn’t a new phenomenon within subcultures, Gen Z’s slang stands out for its versatility and widespread usage worldwide.
This slang is so authentic at its core that other non-Gen-Z people become more relaxed whenever I use it. Even in a professional setting, I find using this slang more convenient than resorting to the often insincere and overly formal corporate jargon, which tends to foster unnecessary subordination and passive aggression between co-workers.”
Here is Emily’s list of words and emojis she wanted to share.
- Delulu – delusional
Example: “You’re being delulu if you think the company will increase your salary after three months of working here.”
- Slay – to be remarkably impressive
Example: “You have slayed your presentation; good job!”
- Common W or L – common win/loss (a way to agree or disagree with someone’s point or action)
Example:
“My boss said she trusts me enough not to micromanage me! Well, that’s a common W for her.”
- No cap – being truthful and meaning that you say something genuinely
Example: “Let me know if I can help. I am here to support you because I care about your well-being as much as your performance, no cap.”
- Rizz – short for charisma (flirtatious context)
Example: “Did you see how Jim acts when Pam is near? With the way he leans to her desk and smiles, the guy has natural rizz.”
- To serve – to look good
Example: “Her new outfit looks stunning on her; she’s serving.”
- It’s sending me – it’s very funny
Example: “The meme you sent to our group chat has sent me.”
- Sus – suspicious
Example: “So John took a sick leave, but I keep seeing his Insta stories from a resort in Greece. This is so sus.”
- Slap (adj) – something is very cool
Example: “Your performance slaps this year, so I decided to give you a bigger bonus.”
- It’s giving – comparison to something
Example: “This idea is giving plagiarism, babe. Do you have anything else?”
- Dupe – duplicate
Example: “With this workload, there is no way I am going on vacation. I’ll just take a bath, drink a cocktail, and do some skincare – this is my vacation dupe”.
- Menty b – mental breakdown
Example: “If you don’t have a rest from work, it will lead to burnout. We don’t want any menty b’s, do we?”
- Side eye – a judgemental look that you verbalize by saying “side eye”
Example: “Gossipping about co-workers? Really side eye!”
- The brain isn’t braining – something logically doesn’t add up. I don’t understand it.
Example: “I don’t have the capacity to process what you’ve just said. My brain isn’t braining.”
Emoji Guide
💅 – slay
😭 – laughing through tears
💀 – laughing to death
🙂 – used to convey passive-aggressive sarcasm
👁️👄👁️ – shock
🙃 – an indication that you had a bad day
🤡 – an indication of someone’s foolishness
🤰🏽– someone is so attractive that it makes you pregnant
💋🤌 – Chef’s kiss
Thank you to Emily for sharing the above contribution.
If you need to incorporate emojis into your life or LinkedIn profile, here is an article with a great source!
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AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Groups, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
