Thanks to social media, slang words and phrases like beige flag can go viral overnight in today’s world. But back when we wore neon jackets and blasted Ace of Base on our five-disc CD players, we had to rely on word of mouth to spread cool new phrases, often passed along on the playground or in phone conversations on our landlines. It was a simpler time.
To pay homage to the “good ol’ days” of the ’90s, Dictionary.com is featuring these iconic words and phrases. See if you recognize any!
word
interjection: an expression of agreement
We don’t need to explain why this is a great word to kick things off in a dictionary post. Though it originally referred to a unit of language, word later took on the additional sense of “agreement, approval, or understanding,” a meaning that peaked in usage during the 1990s.
Usage:
“I love TLC so much.”
“51吃瓜, me too!”
talk to the hand
slang (phrase): a dismissive expression, sometimes paired with a gesture, signaling the end of a conversation
The ’90s loved a good diss, and that’s just what talk to the hand gave us. In other words, “I don’t want to hear it” or “I’m not listening.” This phrase is often accompanied by an actual “stop” hand gesture, or sometimes with the longer insult of talk to the hand ’cause the face don’t want to hear it or talk to the hand ’cause the face ain’t listening.
Usage:
“You always think you’re right about everything.”
“Talk to the hand.”
take a chill pill
slang (phrase): relax, calm down
If someone tells you to take a chill pill, they mean you need to take a few deep breaths. This idiom originated in the 1980s, but its popularity endured well into the ’90s.聽
Fun fact: In the 19th century, literal chill pills existed to cure chills caused by fevers.聽
Usage:
“Ugh, the dial-up internet is taking so long to connect. This is the worst day of my life!”
“Whoa, take a chill pill. It’s not a big deal.”
sup
interjection: a shortened form of what’s up
You’re likely to still hear this one today. Sup, short for what’s up, is a casual, laidback version of hello, or a way to ask “What’s going on?” In the ’90s, sup was the go-to way to greet your friends 鈥� whether scribbled on a classroom note or spoken through your see-through house phone.聽
Usage:
“Sup. I haven’t seen you in a while!”
“Sup! I’ve just been chilling all summer.”听
da bomb
noun: something or someone that is excellent or very impressive
If something is da bomb, it’s the best or really cool, with da standing in for the. A 1993 Kris Kross song by the same name helped popularize this term. To coincide with the 1990s tech boom, people sometimes expanded it to dabomb-dot-com.
Usage:
“This dinner is da bomb! I’m definitely having seconds.”
booyah
interjection: an exclamation used to celebrate victory or express elation
The mainstream popularity of booyah is often attributed to former ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott, who often used it in the ’90s to celebrate notable sports moments. This word was originally used in the West Coast rap scene to imitate the sound of gunfire but evolved to show exclamation for celebrating victory or showing excitement.聽
Usage:
“Booyah! I just scored the winning touchdown!”
don’t go there
slang (phrase): don’t imagine such a thing
In other words, don’t say it or even think it. Don’t go there is used both playfully and seriously when telling someone they crossed a line.聽
Usage:
“I hope the Boyz II Men concert isn’t cancelled because of the weather.”
“Don’t go there.”听
my bad
idiom: an expression used to take responsibility for one’s mistake, often used casually
My bad translates to my fault or my mistake. This is a casual way to accept personal responsibility, generally reserved for small mistakes. In other words, don’t tell your dad “my bad” when you’ve accidentally backed into his car.
Usage:
“Oh, my bad, I forgot to feed your Tamagatchi while you were away.”
all that
idiom: extremely cool, attractive, impressive, etc.; often used sarcastically
This is often meant as an insult, especially when paired with “and a bag of chips/potato chips” or “and a side of fries.” If someone thinks they’re all that, they think they are the best, but others may not agree. All That was also a popular Nickelodeon series that aired in 1994, adding to the phrase’s influence.
Usage:
“She thinks she’s all that and a bag of potato chips, but her movies are so cheesy.”听
whatever
interjection: used to indicate indifference to a situation or previous statement
This word is used to dismiss or disagree with someone in a snarky way. The movie Clueless popularized it when side character Amber lost a classroom debate against Cher and uttered, “Whatever,” while creating a W shape with her fingers.聽
Usage:
“Everyone totally loves me.”
“Whatever!”
phat
adjective: great; wonderful; terrific
Phat can refer to someone or something that’s really great or attractive. This hip-hop slang dates back to the 1960s, but it reached mainstream usage in the 1990s. During this time, unverified rumors swirled that it was actually an acronym for “pretty hot and tempting.”听
Usage:
“Dude, that bucket hat is phat!”
fly
adjective: stylish, attractive, sophisticated, etc.
This adjective describes someone or something that’s cool or stylish. Fly originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the U.S., with widespread use in the 1990s.
Usage:
“Your frosted tips are lookin’ fly.”听
buggin’
verb: overreacting, freaking out, or not thinking clearly
Buggin’ is another glorious word rooted in hip-hop culture that made its way to the big screen 脿 la Clueless. Buggin’ means you’re overreacting, freaking out, or not thinking clearly. In some cases, it can also mean you’re wrong. As Cher says, “Oh my god, I’m totally buggin’.”
Usage:
“His soul patch is everything.”
“Nah, you’re buggin’.”
kickin’ it
verb: hanging out, chilling
If you’re kickin’ it, you don’t have to be doing anything in particular 鈥� just simply relaxing or enjoying the company of friends.
Usage:
“What are you guys doing tonight?”
“Nothing much, just kickin’ it.”
psych
interjection: used after deliberately misleading someone, to let them know they’ve been fooled
This classic gotcha interjection (generally paired with an exclamation point) is perfect for moments like offering a high five 鈥� then pulling away at the last second with a triumphant “Psych!” In other words, “Just kidding!”
Usage:
“School is canceled today.”
“Really?!”
“Psych!”
duh
interjection: used to express annoyance at banality, obviousness, or stupidity
This Americanism that translates to of course or obviously dates back to the 1960s but gained steam in the ’90s with variations including no duh. In fact, the American Dialect Society (ADS) declared duh one of the Most Useful 51吃瓜s in 1997 for highlighting something obvious 鈥� and therefore stupid.
Usage:
“Want me to make you a No Doubt mix tape?”
“Uh, duh!”
hella
adverb: very, extremely
This slangy adverb seems to have stood the test of time. It’s often paired with good to show how amazing something or someone is.
Usage:
“That episode of Martin was hella good.”
Sure, plenty of ’90s slang has faded away. But some gems have been passed down from elder millennials to their TikTok-loving kids. Why? Because ’90s lingo was all that. Duh!
Think you’re a 1990s slang expert? Test your knowledge with this quiz!
