{"id":148605,"date":"2024-01-12T15:56:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T20:56:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/new-words-in-english\/"},"modified":"2025-02-24T01:33:31","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T06:33:31","slug":"new-words-in-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/new-words-in-english\/","title":{"rendered":"33 Trending Words in English [2024]"},"content":{"rendered":"

The English language is very much alive and growing, with more new words added to the dictionary every year. We’ve briefly discussed some new words on our YouTube channel<\/a>, but today, we’re going to learn 33 trending cool words in English that native speakers use all the time.<\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

In this post, you’ll find a list of English verbs, adverbs, nouns and adjectives along with their meanings and examples of how you can use them in real-life conversations.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Verbs<\/h2>\n

1. To Chillax<\/h3>\n

If you blend (mix) the words chill<\/strong><\/em> (relaxed) and relax<\/strong>,<\/em> you get the verb to chillax.<\/em><\/p>\n

This word has become more and more common on the internet over the past couple of years, and it simply means to relax, to become calm or to take it easy.<\/p>\n

Although people use it almost with the same meaning as to relax, I find chillax<\/em> has more of a sarcastic meaning, as in “wow, calm down, this isn’t so serious, you’re overreacting.”<\/p>\n

No matter the meaning it can have for different people, remember that this word is used in slang, so don’t go telling your boss or your teacher to chillax!<\/em><\/p>\n

Hey man, just chillax!<\/strong> It’s just a horror movie, not the end of the world!
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Cringe<\/h3>\n

Have you ever heard someone say something so embarrassing you even felt sorry for them?<\/p>\n

Have you been present in a situation where someone was acting so awkwardly (strangely, embarrassingly, gracelessly) that you wished you were not there?<\/p>\n

If so, then you were cringing<\/em> big time!<\/p>\n

To cringe<\/em> <\/strong>means to feel embarrassed and ashamed about what someone is doing or saying. You can even cringe at yourself, but let’s be honest here, we normally cringe at other people.<\/p>\n

His mum was dancing with his best friend and he couldn’t help but cringe.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I cringe<\/strong> every time I read her lovey-dovey comments.<\/em><\/p>\n

In more recent times, you can even use cringe<\/em> instead of the adjective cringy<\/em> to describe something that makes you cringe:<\/p>\n

That outfit is so cringe.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

3. Ghost<\/h3>\n

The meaning of the word ghost<\/em> (when used as a noun) that most of us are familiar with is the spirit of a dead person, like the kind we often see appearing and disappearing in movies. Now the word ghost<\/em> has a new, informal meaning that has to do with disappearing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Used as a verb, to ghost means to suddenly cut off contact completely with someone (usually a romantic partner) by not answering their phone calls and text messages.<\/p>\n

You’ll often hear it used in the past tense (ghosted)…<\/em> since you don’t know you’ve been ghosted<\/em> until it’s too late!<\/p>\n

I haven’t heard from her in more than a week. She totally ghosted<\/strong> me.<\/i><\/p>\n

4. Facepalm<\/h3>\n

Facepalm<\/em> (you’ll also see it spelled as two words: face<\/strong><\/em> an<\/strong>d<\/strong> palm)<\/strong><\/em> is a new word that describes the act of covering your face with your hand when you’re in difficult or uncomfortable situations. It’s a pretty natural thing to do when we’re feeling embarrassed, frustrated or very disappointed.<\/p>\n

He had to facepalm<\/strong> when his boss pointed out typos in his report after he’d checked it three times.<\/em><\/p>\n

5. Binge Watch<\/h3>\n

To binge watch<\/em> is to watch many episodes of a TV series one after another without stopping. The word binge<\/em> by itself means to overdo something.<\/p>\n

I spent the whole weekend binge watching<\/strong> the TV series “Billions”<\/a> with my roommate.<\/em><\/p>\n

6. Mansplain<\/h3>\n

Similar to manspreading<\/em>, the word mansplain<\/em> (man + explain) <\/strong>refers to how some men explain things to a woman in a condescending (superior-seeming) way<\/a> that sounds like he’s either better than her or he knows more than her.<\/p>\n

Whenever he starts mansplaining<\/strong>, all the women in the room roll their eyes and stop paying attention.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adverbs<\/h2>\n

7. Whatevs<\/h3>\n

Whatevs<\/em> is an informal word that means whatever<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I’ve normally seen it used in sentences in which the speaker wants to express irony and show they don’t care about what’s happening or being said.<\/p>\n

You’ll normally see whatevs<\/em> as a standalone interjection or at the end of sentences:<\/p>\n

“I don’t love you anymore.”
\n<\/em>“Whatevs…<\/strong> Bye!”<\/em><\/p>\n

She didn’t give me the lipstick back, but whatevs.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Nouns<\/h2>\n

8. Freegan<\/h3>\n

Freegans<\/em><\/strong> and freeganism<\/strong><\/em><\/a> have been popular for years, but it’s only recently that we’ve gotten a word to describe who and what they are.<\/p>\n

Simply put, a freegan<\/em> is a person who tries to buy a little as possible, uses discarded things and\/or (especially) food, and recycles everything they can. They’re environmentally conscious and friendly, and they do their best to reduce waste.<\/p>\n

Although this is a positive thing for the Earth, some people take it to the extreme. It’s because of this that the words freegan<\/em> and freeganism<\/em> are normally surrounded by negative connotations (associations, suggestions).<\/p>\n

He became a freegan<\/strong> five years ago and hasn’t bought food ever since.<\/em><\/p>\n

9. Weak sauce<\/h3>\n

You do not\u00a0want to hear people calling you this.<\/p>\n

It means something that is\u00a0not good quality, or something that does not perform well.<\/p>\n

The expression originates from the mild hot sauce at Taco Bell. It is a wanna-be sauce, since it is so weak that the spicy flavor is unnoticeable. It does not meet people\u2019s expectations for hot sauce.<\/p>\n

So, how was your date yesterday, man?<\/em>
\nWeak sauce<\/strong>, my man,\u00a0weak sauce<\/strong>\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

10. Stan \/ To Stan<\/h3>\n

Stan<\/em> can be used as a noun to describe a person and as a verb to describe an action.<\/p>\n

A stan<\/em><\/strong> is a person who idolizes, loves to the point of obsession or is an overzealous (very devoted and loyal) celebrity fan.<\/p>\n

To stan<\/em><\/strong> means to idolize, love obsessively or be an overzealous fan of a celebrity.<\/p>\n

The slang word comes from the 2000 Eminem song titled “Stan,”<\/a> which is about an obsessive fan whose love for a celebrity… well, let’s just say that it doesn’t end well.<\/p>\n

Recently, this word has become much more common, and it can now be used in any context or situation where you want to say you love someone or something.<\/p>\n

OMG (Oh My God)! I stan<\/strong> those clothes, Jenni!<\/em><\/p>\n

I stan<\/strong> Katy. She’s my role model.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sometimes, you might even see someone (usually online) say “we stan,”<\/em><\/strong> showing collective support (that is, support from everyone in the community).<\/p>\n

11. B-day<\/h3>\n

B-day<\/em> is just an informal shortened version of the word birthday. You can see it written on social media quite a lot, especially when wishing someone a happy birthday:<\/p>\n

Happy b-day,<\/strong> John! Hope you have an awesome one!<\/em><\/p>\n

The way to pronounce this word is BEE-dey<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

12. Beardo<\/h3>\n

A beardo<\/em> is a person with a beard. Simple.<\/p>\n

However, as often happens with other words like weirdo<\/em> (an odd or eccentric person) it can have a pejorative (negative and unkind) meaning, especially if you put those two words together: weirdo beardo<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

A weirdo beardo <\/em>is a person with a beard who doesn’t have the best hygiene habits and is socially odd and awkward:<\/p>\n

That weirdo beardo<\/strong> really needs a haircut!
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

13. Sriracha<\/h3>\n

If you love spicy food, you’ve probably heard of sriracha<\/em>. It’s a Thai-inspired sauce made from a blend of hot chili peppers, garlic and spices that’s commonly used in cooking or as a dipping sauce.<\/p>\n

Sriracha<\/strong> really adds a kick to your hamburger, but be sure you have a glass of water nearby!<\/em><\/p>\n

14. EVOO<\/h3>\n

Try saying “extra virgin olive oil”<\/strong> a few times. This is a type of high-quality oil that makes Italian food so very delicious, and it’s quite a mouthful to say, isn’t it?<\/p>\n

But no worries, now we can shorten it to EVOO<\/em> with the first letters of those words. Ah there, isn’t that easier to say?<\/p>\n

Remember to grab a bottle of EVOO<\/strong> on your way home. I’m making pasta tonight.<\/em><\/p>\n

15. Manspread<\/h3>\n

Ever notice how some men sit with their legs so wide apart in public places that they take up more than one seat?<\/p>\n

This behavior, commonly observed on public transportation such as trains and buses and in public waiting areas, is known as manspreading <\/em>(man + spreading).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wouldn’t it be nice if people would be more considerate about manspreading<\/strong> during busy times of the day?<\/em><\/p>\n

16. Froyo<\/h3>\n

Here’s another new word that has to do with food: froyo.<\/em> That’s right, it’s not hard to figure out that froyo<\/em> is short for frozen yogurt,<\/strong><\/em> a cold dessert that’s similar to ice cream and a bit healthier.<\/p>\n

On a hot day, you can call me up for a froyo<\/strong> any time.<\/em><\/p>\n

17. Fitspiration<\/h3>\n

Every end of the year, we take time out to plan our goals for the new year. What can we do? Eat healthier? Work out more? Get more fit? Yes, but we need inspiration!<\/p>\n

So we look around and, yes, we have a new word for that<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fitspiration<\/em> (fitness + inspiration)<\/strong> refers to the people, pictures and social media posts that inspire us to keep pushing ourselves and staying committed to our fitness goals.<\/p>\n

I was pretty impressed that my co-worker had stuck a picture of Chris Hemsworth on his office wall for fitspiration<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

18. Lookbook<\/h3>\n

Fashion\u00a0designers make\u00a0lookbooks<\/strong>\u2014sets of photographs that promote their collections. The negative meaning can also indicate the photographs of pretentious people who can think only about fashion.<\/p>\n

I saw your\u00a0lookbook<\/strong>\u00a0for this autumn. Everything looks beautiful!\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

19. Crema<\/h3>\n

You want to sound like you really know your\u00a0coffee? Use this word, which is originally from Italian. It refers to the brownish, milky foam formed on the top of your fresh, hot, heavenly espresso. Latte artists make pretty designs out of\u00a0crema<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One espresso with\u00a0crema<\/strong>\u00a0on top, please!<\/em><\/p>\n

20. Photobomb<\/h3>\n

Remember the time you posed for that perfect photo (or so you thought!) only to find that someone spoiled it by appearing in view when the photo was taken?<\/p>\n

That’s a photobomb<\/em>. The unintended person is a photobomber<\/em>. They could be either a random stranger just walking by, or a prankster deliberately photobombing<\/em> you.<\/p>\n

You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to avoid photobombs<\/strong> when we were taking pictures at the beach.<\/em><\/p>\n

21. Glamping<\/h3>\n

Those who don’t fancy camping in the outdoors with no proper facilities like toilets, etc. will be happy to know that there’s now a thing called glamping<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Glamping<\/em> (glamorous + camping)<\/strong> refers to camping that comes with all of the modern facilities that you can think of like nice bathrooms, etc.<\/p>\n

No, I won’t go camping with you. But if it’s glamping<\/strong>, I’m in.<\/em><\/p>\n

22. Side-eye<\/h3>\n

Have you ever given someone a disapproving look with sideways glances of your eyes? This is called giving someone the side-eye<\/em> to show you’re annoyed and don’t approve of them or their behavior.<\/p>\n

I had good reason to give him the side-eye<\/strong>. He just kept yawning in front of me with his mouth open.<\/em><\/p>\n

23. Staycation<\/h3>\n

Ever taken vacation days from work and have nowhere to go? Well, if you have no travel plans, then spend your vacation at home and have a staycation<\/em> (stay + vacation).<\/strong><\/p>\n

I go see the world every chance I get. So everyone was surprised that I’m having a staycation<\/strong> this holiday.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adjectives<\/h2>\n

24. Hellacious<\/h3>\n

This word is a mix of the word hell<\/em> <\/strong>and the suffix -cious,<\/strong><\/em> which is quite common in English (delicious, conscious, audacious, tenacious, etc.).<\/p>\n

Hellacious<\/em> can have different meanings, but it is normally used as an adjective meaning astonishing, remarkable or very difficult.<\/p>\n

This word is obviously slang, so use it only in the appropriate contexts!<\/p>\n

He got a hellacious<\/strong> amount of hate from his last post.<\/em><\/p>\n

They got a hellacious<\/strong> time trying to leave the country in one piece.<\/em><\/p>\n

25. Awesomesauce<\/h3>\n

Put together the words awesome<\/strong><\/em> and sauce<\/strong><\/em> and you will get awesomesauce,<\/em> which basically has the same meaning as awesome with a pinch of even more awesomeness.<\/p>\n

This slang word can be used in any informal situation, and it works like a normal adjective:<\/p>\n

I’m reading an awesomesauce<\/strong> book about the influence of slang words in the English language. How am I doing?<\/em><\/p>\n

26. Sober-curious<\/h3>\n

This word is wonderful in a terrible sort of way. You could even say it makes you cringe.<\/p>\n

Sober-curious <\/em>can be used to describe a person who questions their drinking habits or wants to try to change them because of health or mental reasons.<\/p>\n

I’ve only seen it used in very specific contexts and always related to drinking habits and alcoholism, so hopefully, you won’t have to use it very often.<\/p>\n

He’s sober-curious<\/strong> and wants to try to not drink for one week.<\/em><\/p>\n

27. Hangry<\/h3>\n

Have you ever been hangry?<\/em> I know I have. Hangry<\/em> (hungry + angry)<\/strong> is when you’re in a bad mood and feeling frustrated because you need to eat right now.<\/p>\n

I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. I’m hangry<\/strong> and you’re not going to like me very much.<\/em><\/p>\n

28. Agender<\/h3>\n

People identify themselves as\u00a0agender\u00a0<\/strong>when they do not identify as male or female. They may identify with some male and female characteristics, or they may not identify with any gender characteristics at all.<\/p>\n

I identify\u00a0as\u00a0agender<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The list of the new cool words in English doesn’t stop here, let’s look at the stylish English words known as collocations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Collocations<\/h2>\n

29. SJW (Social justice warrior)<\/h3>\n

This is a noble term, but it is mostly used as a rude or sarcastic way to label activists, bloggers and social media commenters who get into hot debates with the aim to awaken other people.<\/p>\n

These people usually promote\u00a0socially progressive<\/strong>\u00a0views. Socially progressive people usually want people to have more freedom, more justice and more equality. They believe that government and society exists to provide support and opportunities to people who need help.<\/p>\n

However, social justice\u00a0warriors\u00a0<\/strong>are often said to take their opinions to extremes, argue aggressively and be offensive to people who do not agree with them. Of course, this is not always true.<\/p>\n

Do you know that by refusing to neuter street cats in your area, you are responsible for the deaths of the kittens they will have? These little creatures will die of hunger and get killed by cars in traffic. You are a killer!<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, come on, don\u2019t be such a\u00a0SJW<\/strong>! What have you done to help?<\/em><\/p>\n

30. Mic drop<\/h3>\n

The term describes an act of intentionally dropping the microphone\u00a0(also called a\u00a0mic<\/strong>\u00a0for short) after an impressive performance. In its metaphorical meaning, it means leaving a discussion after you achieve an absolute victory.<\/p>\n

Just do not forget that \u201cmic\u201d is pronounced like the English first name \u201cMike.\u201d<\/p>\n

My presentation was so successful. It was the ultimate\u00a0mic drop<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

31. Beer o\u2019clock<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s the right time of day to start drinking beer. It usually indicates the end of working hours, but for some people it may be at any time of the day.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s almost\u00a0beer o\u2019clock<\/strong>, let\u2019s finish all our work so we can leave, people!<\/em><\/p>\n

32. Dark web<\/h3>\n

This is the dark, scary part of the\u00a0Internet\u00a0we would all sometimes love to see. However, it is intentionally hidden from search engines with masked IP addresses. It is only accessible from a special web browser. This network exists between Tor servers and their clients.<\/p>\n

If you do not understand those specific terms related to the Internet, that is okay. You will find many illegal and sketchy (weird, scary) things there, so you probably do not want to go anyway.<\/p>\n

You are so mysterious. You look like someone who has access to the\u00a0dark web<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

33. Fast Fashion<\/h3>\n

In the ever-changing world of fashion, the term fast fashion<\/em> refers to the concept of big-name designers and manufacturers such as H&M, Esprit and Levi’s introducing the latest fashion trends to stores at affordable prices.<\/p>\n

It seems she’s on a tight budget and can’t afford anything but fast fashion<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So there you go, a list of exciting new cool words in English for you to start using today. Challenge yourself to master these stylish English words as quickly as possible. Remember, practice makes perfect. Happy practicing!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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