Slang from 2000 and later

About this list

Much of it began online and moved into speech, which is why so many entries date from a particular year. Some will sound stale already; that is useful to know too.

37 words, oldest first

bro-hug the 21st century

A hug shared between male colleagues or friends, especially a quick, physically reserved one.

shrub the 2000s

To mispronounce (a word or words) in another language in a manner that is influenced by one's mother tongue.

on fleek the early 21st century

Flawless; perfect; spot on.

bants the early 21st century

Banter, particularly among men.

broseph the 2000s

A comrade or friend.

Sherlock 2002

To obsolete a unique feature in third-party software by introducing a similar or identical feature to the OS or a first-party program/app.

Judi Dench 2003

The substitutes' bench.

burn book 2004

A book for writing unpleasant information about others.

om nom nom 2004

The sound made while relishing food.

crate-dig 2005

To shop for vintage, rare, or otherwise obscure recordings, especially by looking through crates containing secondhand merchandise.

expy 2006

A character in a work of fiction who is a stand-in for or knockoff of a character from an unrelated work or of a real person.

fridge logic 2007

An initially overlooked detail in a story, which, upon further contemplation, is more nonsensical or unrealistic than originally assumed, often to the point of creating a plot hole.

Captain Ersatz 2007

A fictional character created as a knock-off of another character whose copyright is owned by a separate entity.

headcanon around 2007

Elements and interpretations of a fictional universe accepted by an individual or small group of fans, but not necessarily found within or supported by the official canon.

bro code 2008

A supposed code or law stating that men ("bros") should always support each other, especially in situations involving women.

Hartman Hips 2008

Extremely wide hips, especially on a female cartoon character.

amazeballs 2008

Amazing.

Little Monster 2009

A fan of American singer Lady Gaga.

fridge horror 2009

A seemingly innocuous detail in a story, which, upon further contemplation, carries disturbing undertones.

goblin mode 2009

The state of being unapologetically lethargic, slovenly, and prone to odd and self-indulgent behaviour.

the turns have tabled 2009

Synonym of the tables have turned.

big-lipped alligator moment 2009

A notably unusual, tangential scene in a movie or similar work of fiction, which occurs without setup and does not affect the story afterward.

ten toes down 2010

Dedicated, loyal.

yaoi hand the 2010s

A large (typically disproportionate) hand of a man or boy, associated with early yaoi (Japanese homoerotic fiction) manga.

dench 2010

Excellent; impressive; awesome.

science oven 2013

Synonym of microwave oven.

gigafactory 2013

A very large manufacturing facility.

yeet 2014

Expressing excitement or approval.

one-throat 2016

To eat quickly and with minimal chewing, especially if to the point of swallowing food whole.

anti-shipper 2016

One who objects to ships or shipping deemed offensive, e.g. due to incest, age differences, abusive elements, or power gaps.

urban Naxal 2018

A person, especially an intellectual, academic, journalist, or other urban resident, who supports the ideology, objectives, or activities of the Naxalite (Maoist) movement, particularly without being an armed member of…

giving around 2019

Awesome, outstanding, radiating, stunning; exceeding expectations. (Probably derived from earlier transitive use of give (“give off [a certain vibe or appearance]”), as in this outfit gives ‘college girl’, that one is…

give 2019

To give off (a certain vibe or appearance). (Compare giving.)

vibe shift 2021

A major change in the current zeitgeist.

beige flag 2022

A clue or indication (especially on an online dating profile) that a person is boring or unoriginal.

what color is your Bugatti 2022

An expression intended to flaunt one’s own material possessions and simultaneously deride another person for not owning them.

that was not the wind 2026

A phrase used to call out one's ignorance or denial of a suspicious situation.