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You ask how school was, and your child answers “six-seven” with a little hand wobble. Their sibling laughs. You smile and have no idea why. If that sounds familiar, you are in good company. Kids’ slang turns over fast, and most of it is harmless fun. This A–Z explains the words you are most likely to hear in 2026, and marks the few that deserve a closer look.
The newsThe word of the year is “maxxing”
In October, Dictionary.com named “maxxing” its 2026 Word of the Year. It means pushing something to the fullest or optimising it as much as possible, and it is usually glued onto another word: sleepmaxxing, proteinmaxxing, cozymaxxing. The BBC reports that digital media used the word nearly 19 times more in August 2026 than the 2025 monthly average. Last year’s pick was “67”, and in 2024 Oxford chose “brain rot”.
On 3 November, Collins followed with “mogging”, meaning outshining or outperforming someone, which it says is now mostly used playfully.
So the grown-up world is paying attention. A quick word of caution before the list: slang means different things in different places, schools and friend groups, and it changes in months. Treat these as the most common meanings, not the final word.
The tagsHow to read this dictionary
- Harmless: playful, silly or just new. Nothing to do except maybe laugh.
- Worth a chat: usually fine, but it can be used to tease or put someone down. Ask how it is used in their group.
- Talk about it: linked to body-image pressure, sexual content or put-downs of girls. Not a reason to panic, but a good reason for a calm conversation.
DictionaryThe A–Z
Ate / slay
Doing something brilliantly or looking great, teachers report. “Your science project? You ate.” Harmless.
Aura / aura farming
Aura is someone’s cool factor. Aura farming is doing things on purpose to look cool; it was on Dictionary.com’s 2025 shortlist. Embarrassing yourself means losing aura. “He tripped in the corridor: minus 500 aura.” Harmless.
Bop and bird
Online, both are used to shame girls and women: “bop” as a derogatory label, and “bird” for a woman seen as overly focused on men. (A “bop” can also simply be a catchy song.) Talk about it.
Brainrot / Italian brainrot
Brainrot is silly, low-effort online content, and the foggy feeling after too much of it. Oxford notes kids often use it with “cheeky self-awareness”. Italian brainrot is a family of absurd meme characters and sounds, such as Tung Tung Tung Sahur. “Stop, that video is pure brainrot.” Harmless.
Cap / no cap
“Cap” means a lie; “no cap” means “honestly”. “Best pizza ever, no cap.” Harmless.
Chopped
Ugly, according to teachers’ reports. “That haircut is chopped.” Usually banter, but it is a judgement on someone’s looks. Worth a chat.
Cooked
Being “cooked” means you are in trouble or have failed; “cooking” means doing great. “I forgot my homework. I’m cooked.” Harmless.
Crash out
Losing your temper or reacting in a big, reckless way. “He totally crashed out when he lost the game.” Fine as a joke; if your child says it about themselves a lot, ask how they are coping. Worth a chat.
Crine
A playful spelling of “crying” that means laughing very hard, per the NY Post. “I’m crine at this video.” No tissues needed. Harmless.
Delulu
Short for “delusional”, used humorously for wildly hopeful thinking. “I think I’ll pass without revising. I’m delulu.” Harmless.
Glazing
Over-the-top praise or flattery, teachers say. “Stop glazing the teacher.” Harmless.
Gooning
Football fans know it from Arsenal, but online it usually has an adult, sexual meaning tied to pornography. Many kids repeat it as a joke without knowing that. Ask calmly where they heard it and what they think it means. Talk about it.
Huzz
A crush or potential romantic partner, per Teacher Tapp. In our reading it is often used about girls as a group, which can tip into treating them as targets. Worth a chat.
It’s giving
Short for “it’s giving off a vibe”. “That outfit is giving superhero.” Harmless.
Larping
From live-action role-play, now used for someone faking a lifestyle or identity for attention. “He’s larping as a gym bro.” Fine as teasing between friends, less so as a pile-on. Worth a chat.
Lock in
To focus hard. “Exams next week, time to lock in.” A word worth encouraging. Harmless.
Looksmaxxing (and hardmaxxing, mewing, bonesmashing)
Trying to maximise your attractiveness. Some of it is ordinary grooming. But Johns Hopkins doctors warn about extreme diets, “hardmaxxing” (surgery, steroids), “bonesmashing” (hitting your own face) and AI apps that score a face. “Mewing” is a tongue posture meant to sharpen the jawline. NPR notes the idea started in incel forums. Talk about it.
If your child talks about hurting themselves, contact your GP or paediatrician, or call your local emergency number (112 in the EU).
Maxxing
On its own, just “doing the most” of something. “I’m sleepmaxxing this weekend.” Neutral uses are fine; the body-focused versions sit under looksmaxxing. Harmless.
Mogging
Outshining someone, often in looks or physique. “He mogged everyone in the team photo.” It comes from the same looks-ranking culture as looksmaxxing. Worth a chat.
Quiet on the creek
Popularised by rapper Saucy Santana. It means keeping something private, and Quartz notes it can cover secrets, awkward situations or intimate ones. Often it is just a funny way to say “shh”. Worth a chat.
Rizz
Charm, especially when flirting; it was Oxford’s 2023 Word of the Year. “He has zero rizz.” Harmless.
Scuba
A TikTok dance: pinch your nose and fan the air to say something stinks, or do the routine just to celebrate. No diving involved. Harmless.
Sigma
A “lone wolf” who is cool and independent, mostly used in memes. Its meaning varies by context; if it comes with rules about how “real men” treat girls, ask where they saw it. Harmless.
Six-seven (67)
Dictionary.com’s 2025 pick, from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla. It has no fixed meaning: sometimes “so-so”, often just an in-joke, with a palms-up hand wobble. Never say “sixty-seven”. Harmless.
Skibidi
From the viral Skibidi Toilet animated series; Oxford describes it as meaning something nonsensical. “That’s so skibidi.” Harmless.
Tuff
Cool or impressive. “Your new trainers are tuff.” Harmless.
Unc
Short for “uncle”; someone out of touch. Dictionary.com calls it the new “OK Boomer”. “You still use Facebook? Unc behaviour.” If you get called unc, congratulations: you are a parent. Harmless.
Zesty / “good boy”
“Zesty” labels a boy as flamboyant or effeminate; “good boy”, drawn out sarcastically, is used as an insult. Both can slide into homophobic or belittling teasing. Worth a chat.
What mattersWhen slang is a signal, not just a word
A single word rarely tells you much. Kids repeat things they have heard without knowing the full meaning. What matters more is the pattern around the word.
- Appearance pressure. NPR’s experts suggest watching whether your child complains they do not look good enough, compares themselves to others, or changes how they eat. Nationwide Children’s adds rigid routines and constant progress photos, and says it may be time to involve a paediatrician or therapist if distress grows.
- Put-downs of girls. In England, 95% of female secondary teachers said online content is driving more misogynistic language. If “bop” or “bird” becomes everyday vocabulary, talk about where it comes from.
- Secrecy. A phrase like “quiet on the creek” is usually a joke. It matters more alongside new secret accounts, a hidden screen or an older “friend” online. Our guide to Snapchat sexting covers what to do next.
TonightHow to talk about it without being “unc”
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Ask them to teach you
- Kids love being the expert. “What does ‘aura farming’ actually mean?” opens more doors than any lecture.
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Don’t use it to mock
- Using their slang to make fun of them shuts the conversation down. Using it badly, on purpose, for a laugh is fine.
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Ask about the edge words
- For a “talk about it” word, try: “I keep seeing this word online. What do people in your class mean by it?”
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Keep it calm
- If they know an adult meaning, thank them for being honest. Then talk about why the word can hurt or mislead people.
For a deeper look at one term, see our explainer on what FWB means.
For parentsWhere SafeLagoon can help
Most slang needs nothing more than a laugh and a question. On Android, SafeLagoon lets you see your child’s regular text messages (SMS), ideally alongside an age-appropriate, open conversation about it, so you can spot new slang early. It doesn’t cover chat apps, and it’s no substitute for talking with your kid. You can also set app time limits or block an app. Start your Premium trial to try it.
QuestionsFAQ
What does 6-7 mean?
Nothing fixed. It comes from a Skrilla song and viral videos, and kids use it as an in-joke, often with a palms-up hand gesture. Dictionary.com made it its 2025 Word of the Year.
What does brainrot mean?
Silly, low-effort online content, or the dazed feeling after too much of it. Kids often use it about themselves as a joke.
What does looksmaxxing mean?
Trying to maximise your looks. Grooming and fitness are fine; extreme diets, steroids, “bonesmashing” and face-rating apps are not. Talk about it if your child seems unhappy with how they look.
What does aura farming mean?
Doing things on purpose to look cool and gain “aura”, meaning status or charisma.
Should I worry if my child uses slang I don’t understand?
Usually not. Most slang is harmless. Ask them what it means, and look at the pattern around a word rather than the word alone.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Slang meanings vary by place and change quickly. Third-party names are trademarks of their owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
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