'Bet', this annual list of slang terms could have some parents saying 'Yeet'

IYKYK and if you don't, well there's always Urban Dictionary.

Online language learning platform Preply released their 2023 survey of the most commonly used slang terms that parents of teenagers are most familiar with. While words like "salty" and "extra" transferred over from last year's list, other slang terms have broken through this year.

The report surveyed 682 parents with children between the ages of 12 and 18 and found that only 2% knew every slang term on the list. About 3 in 5 parents in the study said they try to stay keep up with slang to communicate with their teenagers, usually by using Google.

"Using language to understand and connect with another person is a part of life that we continue to experience in different ways from one person to another," the report reads.

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Most common slang words in 2023

"Sus," short for suspicious, is the most used slang term by teenagers in 2023, according to parents in the survey. The term gained popularity thanks to the online murder mystery game Among Us. About 62% of teenagers use the word "sus" to call out questionable behavior or suggest one has a devious motive.

The second and third most common slang terms are "bet" and "yeet." The report said 59% of the parents have heard their teenagers say "bet" to express agreement or good news while 57% say "yeet" when aggressively throwing an object deemed worthless.

These are the most common slang terms, according to the parent survey, along with their Urban Dictionary defintion.

• Sus - "Giving the impression that something is questionable or dishonest; suspicious."
• Bet - "An expression that means 'I agree', 'good news'."
• Yeet - "To violently throw an object that you deem to be worthless, inferior or just plain garbage."
• Salty - ""When you are upset over something little."
• Cap - "Another word for lying. It can be used like no cap or you can say stop capping."
• Extra - "Being over the top, excessive, dramatic behavior."
• Bussin' - "What you would say if something was really good."
• Bougie - "Used to describe someone as high class, literally or figuratively."
• Sheesh - "An expression when you’re impressed or amazed by something."
• Drip - ""When something is very cool. Can be used to describe an outfit/accessory, person, song, etc."
• Oof - "Can be used to express discomfort, stress, or sadness."
• Finna - "Abbreviation of 'fixing to'. Normally means 'going to'."
• Shook - "Being shocked or surprised. When you can't believe what you're seeing."
• Simp - "When someone does way too much for a person they like."
• Mid - "Used to insult or degrade something or an opposing opinion, labeling it as average or poor quality."
• Hold This L/You Took An L - "What someone says to another person when they lose at something."
• IYKYK - "If You Know You Know."
• NPC - "Someone, regardless of their views, who doesn't think for themselves."

For the full list with over 35 terms see the full survey.

What slang do parents understand the most?

"Salty" is the slang term parents are most familiar with followed by "bougie" and "sus." These are the following words the parents surveyed were most familiar with:

• Salty (70%)
• Bougie (67%)
• Sus (65%)
• Bet (63%)
• Extra (62%)
• Cap (57%)
• Finna (56%)
• Shook (54%)
• Simp (53%)
• Yeet (52%)

Bussin, finna and cap are the most hated slang words

Some slang is more acceptable than others to parents. The survey found that there the five most despised terms they hate to hear their teenagers use (and what percentage of parents hate them).

• Bussin (21%)
• Finna (16%)
• Cap (14%)
• Yeet (14%)
• Simp (13%)

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Where does slang come from?

More than half of Americans use slang in most conversations according to Preply's 2022 report. Some use slang to efficiently get a point across or to express their feelings.

That survey found that friends are the leading source for learning new slang followed by entertainment media (TV, movies, music).