American slang words are a kind of trippy (strange) embroidery for formal American English. They’re inventive, vulgar, absurd – the kind of words that, were they human, would wear leather and paisley.

Slang is its own industry, constantly minting and recycling new expressions. Last year’s hot words are this year’s heirlooms. Most phrases first appear online or on TV. Some – usually the more obscene – hatch on playgrounds, around kegs, on street corners. Slang is alive in a way other parts of our language rarely are.

That said, any list of American slang words is simultaneously an obituary. As soon as a word infiltrates the mainstream, it’s old news. A futile conquest, this list, but great fun nonetheless.

Here’s our crop of the sweetest American slang words:

Jump the shark: something, especially a sitcom, that is past its prime; no longer relevant

Munchies: hunger, especially a craving for junk food

Mumbo jumbo: gibberish

DL: acronym for “down low,” said of something you wish to keep secret

Sketchy: someone or something that is suspicious

Boonies: a rural area

Crash: to fall asleep

Nine-to-five: a day job; so called because most corporate schedules begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

Vibe: the impression imparted by a person or place, e.g.: “That diner by the airport has a sketchy vibe.”

Vent: to complain about something in order to relieve stress

If you live in America, here’s some practical slang you should keep in your repertoire:

24/7: something that is open or available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, i.e. never closes

Hang out: to relax with friends

Flick: a movie, e.g.: “Do you want to catch a flick at nine?”

Digits: usually refers to a phone number, as in, “What’s your digits?”

AWOL: military acronym for “absent without leave,” leaving without permission

MIA: another military acronym, this means “missing in action;” often used in trivial contexts, e.g. “my phone is MIA in the boonies.”

Dough/Bucks: money

Why American Slang Words Are “Wicked”

Some American slang words mean the opposite of their ordinary definitions.

Something that’s “sick,” for instance, is actually awesome, cool or hip; the same applies to “wicked.” And if you have “mad” skills, you have a lot of them, not just a talent for breaking furniture.

Slang words are the carnival beads of American English: glittering, irreverent and quickly lost. Along with American social idioms, they brighten our language and render smalltalk a bit more incandescent.

Simply put: speech without slang is a downer (a disappointment).

And if you were wondering: “Mad,” “sick” and “horrorshow” are terms applied to anything that you find particularly amazing.

Related Posts

1. American Regional English Words & Phrases
2. American English: A 2-Minute Introduction
3. English Idioms & American Socializing
4. Words to Know on Your College Campus
5. American English Idioms: College Edition

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