18 Slang Terms That Aged Horribly
Here's a cringeworthy walkthrough of 18 slang phrases that once ruled conversations but now sound outdated — or worse.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Language evolves, and what was once hip or edgy can quickly become embarrassing or offensive. This article dives into 18 slang terms — from “groovy” to “Karen” — revealing their origins, cultural context, and why they’ve fallen flat. Some are simply cheesy, while others perpetuate stereotypes or lose meaning in modern use.
1. Groovy
Polina on pexels
Popular in the 1960s counterculture, “groovy” was the go-to term for everything cool. Today, it sounds like a parody from a sitcom revival. Its groovy charm just didn’t age.
2. Far Out
Tara Winstead on pexels.
Meant to express amazement in the ’60s and ’70s, “far out” signaled open-minded awe. Now, it feels painfully dated and retro. It’s a relic of hippie language, not modern hype.
3. Rad
Polina on pexels.
Short for “radical,” this 1980s term screamed excitement around skate parks and neon jackets. Nowadays, it feels like it was lifted straight from an ‘80s sitcom. Today’s rad has gone flat.
4. Bogus
Anna Tarazevich on pexels.
Used to call something fake or uncool in the ’80s, “bogus” once sounded punchy. Today, it often provokes eye rolls. It has collapsed from “totally bogus” to “totally lame.”
5. Dweeb
RDNE Stock project on pexels
A mild insult for nerdy or awkward folks — less harsh than today’s slurs. However, “dweeb” now sounds overly schoolyard and childish. It’s shrunk in sting and relevance.
6. Catch You on the Flip Side
cottonbro studio on pexels.
This was a breezy way to say goodbye back in the day — familiar yet quirky. Now, it’s like time-traveling to vintage radio chatter. Goodbye? More like good riddance to that phrase.
7. Like (filler)
Chris F on pexels.
Using “like” as a filler became iconic of Valley Girl speech. Now, it’s mocked for weakening every sentence. It grew so overused that it lost all meaning.
8. Bogart
Leeloo The First on pexels.
Slang for hogging something, it was originally tied to actor Humphrey Bogart and joints. Today, its obscure origin and meaning make it a confusing term. It’s buried in linguistic history.
9. Bummer
Brad Turcotte aka Brad Sucks on Wikimedia Commons
This was a simple way to say “that sucks” in the ’70s. Overused in cheesy movies, it now feels dull. Bummer, indeed.
10. Burnout
Nataliya Vaitkevich on pexels
Once meant someone worn-out or drug-obsessed. Now, we pair it only with workplace stress. Its shift from subculture to serious mental health term shows how language morphs.
11. No Duh!
Cup of Couple on pexels.
It was a sarcastic reply for the obvious — fun in schools and sitcoms of the ’90s. Today, it comes off as lazy sarcasm. Its charm faded as snark took new forms.
12. All That and a Bag of Chips
Ron Lach on pexels.
This was a ’90s way to boast you were the whole package — and then some. Today, it feels over-the-top and obscure to Gen Z. It’s a showy wrapper around vanity.
13. Fresh
Julia Filirovska on pexels.
Tagged something as new and cool in ’90s slang, now it feels like a reference to expired produce. The freshness wore off hard.
14. Da Bomb
Alesia Kozik on pexels.
The ultimate ’90s praise until “bomb” took a different, serious meaning. Now, it’s a risky compliment. Its evolution reminds us that words are weapons, too.
15. Bling
Frank K on pexels.
This sparked a fashion statement in the early 2000s — think flashy jewelry. Now, it’s overexposed and cheesy in mainstream culture. It morphed from status to stereotype.
16. BFF
veeru edits on pexels.
Best Friends Forever” was adorable in texts and teen chatter. Today, it’s often seen as juvenile or forced in adult use. It was a friendship phrase that didn’t quite grow up.
17. Lit
cottonbro studio on pexels.
Once meant intoxicated, then “amazing” around the 2010s. Now, it’s ubiquitous and wearying. This lit term got burned out by overuse.
18. Karen
Tima Miroshnichenko on pexels.
This became a shorthand for an entitled, middle-aged woman in the 2020s. It’s now overused and seen as sexist or reductive. What started as social critique morphed into a blanket insult.