The Ever-Changing World of Gen Alpha Slang: A Guide for Confused Parents
The world of Gen Alpha slang is a confounding landscape for many parents and adults, who are increasingly finding themselves lost in a sea of buzzing terms like “slay,” “sigma,” “rizz,” and “skibidi.” For older generations, the ever-evolving nature of youthful lingo has reached new heights, leaving many to wonder how to keep up with the rapid-fire pace of new phrases. The days when a few slang terms could easily be decoded are long gone. Instead, today’s youth have developed an extensive vocabulary that feels like a foreign language to many adults.
Jen Kim, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mom from Dallas, perfectly encapsulates this struggle. She shared her experience with The Wall Street Journal, recounting how her 10-year-old niece, Avery, used the term “slay” to describe a gift of colored pencils as “good.” While Kim managed to grasp the meaning of “slay,” she was less prepared for her husband’s claim of having “rizz,” a slang term for charisma. Avery’s response was quick and brutal, labeling him as “omega,” a term she used to describe the lowest possible rating, while reducing Kim to “beta,” a step down from the coveted “alpha.”
What’s striking about Gen Alpha slang is its diversity and complexity. Philip Lindsay, a middle school educator, notes that his classroom is flooded with more than two dozen slang terms every week. Terms like “sigma” (a cooler, more independent version of “alpha”), “gyat” (an expression of surprise at seeing someone attractive), and “skibidi” (a reference to a viral YouTube video that can mean either good or bad, depending on context) are just a few examples of the constantly shifting linguistic landscape. Other terms, such as “gigachad,” describe an idealized version of masculinity—think of a Greek god-like figure who is exceptionally handsome, confident, and muscular.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Gen Alpha slang is its origins. Many of these terms have deep roots in African-American and LGBTQ+ communities, showcasing the cultural richness and creativity behind this linguistic evolution. However, the rapid spread of these terms has also led to their adoption—and sometimes misuse—by younger generations. For some parents, this has made the task of understanding their children’s conversations feel like deciphering a secret code.
Parents are going to great lengths to keep up with their kids’ slang, often turning to the internet for help. Cecilia Hermawan, a 41-year-old mom from Boston, admitted to Googling the term “mewing” after her niece mentioned it. The term, she discovered, refers to an exercise meant to enhance one’s jawline. Meanwhile, Matt Murray, a 51-year-old father from San Francisco, relies on Reddit to master terms like “sus” (short for “suspicious”). Yet, even Murray admits that some terms, like “skibidi,” remain elusive, leaving him to throw in the towel and accept that slang has become a language he can “understand better than speak.”
The transient nature of slang has left many parents throwing up their hands in defeat.Startup founder Carleen Haylett, for instance, noted that terms like “bruh” were once popular but have quickly fallen out of favor. Her 13-year-old son, Fletcher, has already moved on to a new arsenal of slang, rendering “bruh” obsolete. For Haylett, the solution issimple: tuning out when her son’s gaming sessions get too intense. “I put my AirPods in with the noise-canceling so I don’t have to listen to it,” she confesses.
The generational gap created by slang is undeniable, and it often leaves parents feeling out of touch or, as 78-year-old Sharon Blanchet humorously put it, “old.” When Blanchet asked her granddaughter to explain the term “homie hopping,” she discovered it referred to an ex-boyfriend dating a friend after a breakup. The exchange left her shaking her head with a laugh: “Boy, do I feel old.” The struggle is real for many parents, but it also highlights the dynamic and ever-changing nature of language. As Gen Alpha continues to redefine how we communicate, one thing is certain: keeping up with slang is a full-time job—and one that many parents are willing to embrace with humor and patience.
