New Slang of 2024
By Chip Downes-Le Guin ‘25
Photo by Chip Downes-Le Guin ‘25
It’s a story told many times before, every generation is different from the ones before, and speech is no different. Language has always shifted between generations as they grow up with their own cultural experiences and each tries to separate themselves more from their parents, and further towards their peers.
The advent of the internet and social media has only exacerbated this fact. Not only has texting and communicating online created new communication styles and acronyms like LOL or emojis, but so too has the speed at which new language is being spread and shared across platforms.
No longer is word-of-mouth or music the primary culprit of our cultural vernacular. Now, by just logging onto an app, millions of people are being exposed to these rapidly changing trends— the fact that social media companies are pushing people towards their own microniches only creates these new words and expressions even faster.
Social media is changing how we talk, but if you are outside this bubble and want to communicate with those in the know look no further. Here are the top new slang words of 2024.
Crash Out
Although older than a year, “crash out” is a perfect example of how a phrase can spread between communities. Originally tracing back to Louisiana and like much of the most popular slang, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as well, “crash out” took TikTok by storm in May.
Used as both a noun and a verb to similar effects, a “crash out”, would be someone who would engage in needlessly reckless behavior. TikTok user @bfdghost gave an example: “If somebody step on your shoe accidentally and say ‘excuse me’, you’ll just keep it pushing. A crash out will just turn around and start swinging for no reason at all.”
“Crashing out” as a verb has similar connotations, although generally less severe. Here, “crashing out” generally centers around getting upset or throwing a fit, often about an innocuous situation. Senior Henry Beckerman would describe “someone [crashing out] as going crazy or getting super angry.”
In general, the essence of “crashing out” boils down to rash actions without thought.
Demure
On the other hand, the use of the word “demure” in modern vocabulary evokes quite the opposite to that of “crash out”.
Outside the context of slang, Merriam-Webster defines “demure” as “affectedly modest, reserved or serious”, however for many this year, it has taken on a new meaning.
Often accompanied by “modest” and “mindful”, “demure” entered 2024’s cultural canon through the TikToker, Jools Lebron. In her first video debuting this word, now viral, she mockingly describes her makeup for work as “very demure, very mindful,” and it has since taken off.
The Austin American-Statesman states, “...in short being ‘demure’ means being cutesy, clean and mindful; not drawing attention to yourself; not being messy or loud; and getting things done and going about your day with quiet confidence and gentility.”
Working at your desk without talking; very demure. Side conversations while someone else is speaking; not demure.
The evolution of “demure” from being used in niche, high-society contexts to being rapidly forced into the mainstream shows just what the virality of one video can do for how language is used.
Let him cook
“Let him cook” has become the somewhat ironic manner in which one can tell another person to do their thing. Say a classmate starts to solve a math problem on the board, “let him cook”, echoes the class. You start a game of basketball by hitting a couple of 3s, “I’m cooking”, you say to your opponent.
Although the phrase has been in use for more than a decade, dating back to the rapper Lil B’s “OFFICIAL ‘COOKING DANCE’ HOW TO VIDEO!! LIL B” and has enjoyed multiple interpretations throughout its existence, it recently came back into the spotlight this year through the TikToks of @vexbolts.
Most viral would be a nine-second video of vexbolts screaming “Let him cook!” over the emote of a character from the video game Fortnite. In this case, the combination of an often overused phrase being ironically used seriously in the contexts of the often memed Fortnite gives a profound example of the lifespan of language.
In this cycle, “Let him cook” began with serious uses of Lil B but as the language existed for longer and the more mainstream it became, the more ironically it began to be used.
Low Taper Fade
Less jargon and more a call-and-response, Twitch streamer Ninja’s (real name Tyler Blevins) infamous haircut meme is still massive.
The newfound importance of the phrase “low taper fade” began on Jan. 5, 2024 when singer/songwriter ericdoa went live to freestyle on Twitch. Using messages from his chat and his own intuition he would spontaneously sing with all his heart, “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade”, and after the clip’s upload to TikTok, the meme took off.
Capturing lightning in a bottle, just two days later the aforementioned streamer would respond with his own TikTok, showcasing himself with the low taper fade haircut.
This funny exchange seemed like a flash in the pan, however, after a series of TikToks were created mocking Ninja for dragging the meme months past once it had been popular and Ninja responded by calling the meme “still massive”, the phrase took on a second life. If one were ever to say “massive” in the presence of Ninja, “You know what else is massive? The low taper fade…” would be the response.
Although not commonly used, the phrase still has a spot in the cultural conscience of many. “If someone said I’m gonna get a haircut I’d say ‘oh are you gonna get a low taper fade?’” said Senior Ben Halvorson, and laughs would be had all around.
“-uzz”
“Huzz”, and the ensuing “-uzz” pandemic, are some of the newest phrases on this ranking when it comes to slang brainrot and the story surrounding its inception is very similar to some of the previous most popular memes.
Similar to two words on the top slang of last year, “rizz” and “gyatt”, it seems Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is responsible for the popularization of the term “huzz”.
“Huzz” is essentially a new way of saying “hoes”— a term historically used to degrade women, which understandably rubs many the wrong way from this phrase— however its use in mainstream media has differed from this. As put by Dexerto, many people, especially from the younger Gen Z or Alpha generations have used it to mean “a sort of feminine version of ‘bros’”. It uses and slight twist to an existing word to give a familiar ring to the slang of years past like “dudette”.
Since its original use on Twitch, the term has gone viral on TikTok. Senior Kenny Ma described a caption “Bro will do anything to impress the huzz” as being commonly seen.
Following the rapid growth of “huzz”, Tiktokers have created incalculable words ending in “-uzz”. Simply put, anything can be an “-uzz”--- “bruzz” is a reference to bro/brother, “muzz” or “duzz” is a reference to moms or dads.
Aura
Like "demure", “aura” is another word whose original meaning has been transformed through the internet.
Unlike “demure” however, “aura” was first popularized in a very different community: sports. The term began to grow prevalent in soccer and basketball on X (formerly Twitter), first going viral after Rory Smith’s New York Times article “Solutions Are Expensive. An Aura Is Priceless”.
“Aura” began to be used to describe athletes who had an “it” factor, a certain swagger that when you watch them over the television, you feel their presence.
In 2024, the use of the term “aura” in posts unrelated to sports began to rise. An early example of the term came from TikToker @jonybrony titled “Guy obsessed with having aura”. Here he described his absence from a party: “If I don’t go it’s like, ‘yo where’s Riley? Yo has anyone seen Riley? Like’s he probably doing some dope ass splish.”
In essence, “aura” has become a measure of coolness. If someone has “aura” you can feel it when they enter a room— they are calm, cool, collected, and suave.
“It doesn’t have to be nonchalant but that has often become associated with it,” said senior Isaac Robinette. “You can have a loud or annoying aura but in general, it is used to describe someone who is nonchalant.”
However, this is not to say that your aura cannot be changed. After its introduction into the mainstream, “aura” was quickly afforded a points system.
Walking with your backpack open? Minus 1000 aura. Tim Bazemore says “Hi!” to you? Plus 924 aura.
The evolution of “aura” from a small recess of the internet to widespread fame is another example of how microniches can contribute to the creation of new words of expression.
Boom or Doom
“Boom or Doom”, also known as the “Boom meter” refers to a rating system coined by the TikTok duo of A.J. and Big Justice, more commonly known as the “Costco Guys”.
The first “Costco Guys” TikTok, to use the term was posted in Apr. 2023 where the duo is shown rating Chick-fil-A sauces with either a boom or a doom. A “boom”, a positive rating, involves either one or both of the duo flexing their biceps at the camera and yelling “boom”, accompanied by a comic-style boom explosion and its accompanying sound effect. On the other hand, a “doom”, a negative rating, involves a smaller explosion graphic accompanied by the skull emoji.
At the peak of the “Costco Guys” popularity, it would not be unseemly to see these phrases being pulled out in person. Senior Adam Li often uses the term when “rating food, my performance on tests, or how hard the homework was.”
However, as their popularity has faded, so has the prevalence of the “Boom meter”, thus showing the volatility that the vernacular of the internet has created.
Whether it comes from a years-old video coming back into the mainstream, or the internet’s reaction to a New York Times article, it is clear that in the age of social media, our cultural vernacular is changing faster than ever.