The Most Popular ’80s Slang Words & Their Meanings

Dudes and dudettes! Want to make your language totally tubular? The 1980s were all about vibrant colors, big hair, and bold fashion. And when they say everything was “bigger in the ’80s,” they also mean the lingo! These 1980s terms and phrases are rad and hella fresh, and they’re sure to impress your friends. Keep on scrolling to decode the slang of the ’80s.

Popular ’80s Slang Terms & Phrases

Bodacious: Remarkable, impressive, or attractive
Gnarly: Cool or impressive
Grody: Gross
Radical: Very impressive
Totally tubular: Fabulous, cool, or exciting

Section 1 of 9:

’80s Slang for “Cool”

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In the ’80s, people didn’t just say “cool.” The 1980s had a special lingo to describe something great, and in an ’80s fashion, the terms are beyond extra. These terms were used in the ’80s the same way we use “cool” today—you may even use most of them today:
- Bitchin’: Really cool or excellent
- Bodacious: Remarkable, impressive, or attractive
- Chill: Relaxed or calm
- Epic: Awesome or really cool
- Excellent: Extremely good
- Fantabulous: Exceptionally good
- Fresh: Somewhat cool
- Gnarly: Cool or sick^{[1]
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- Hang ten: Advice to relax or stay cool
- Most triumphant: Superior
- Psychedelic: Super cool
- Radical: Very impressive^{[2]
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- Righteous: Excellent or wonderful
- Schweet: Cool, sweet, pleasing
- Stellar: Extremely good
- Totally tubular: Fabulous, neat, or exciting
- Wicked: Excellent or fantastic
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How to Use Want to use these ’80s slang terms for “cool” today? Sprinkle them into your everyday conversations by replacing them with words like “cool,” “awesome,” or “sweet.” Here are some examples:
- “Fantabulous! Okay, so I’ll pick you up at 8!”
- “That ride is totally gnarly, dude.”
- “Uh, you look stellar!”
- “Dude, your shirt is bitchin’! Where’d you get it?”^{[3]
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Section 2 of 9:

’80s Slang for “Yeah”

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“Yeah” or “yes” wasn’t the go-to in the ’80s. There was a special flair to saying “yeah,” “sure,” or “yes” in the 1980s. Most people used these slang terms to express a positive thought:
- Big time: An expression indicating agreement
- Cheeuh: An expression indicating excitement or agreement
- Cowabunga: An expression of excitement or approval
- For sure: Synonym for “definitely” or “certainly”
- Most definitely: An emphatic “yes”
- No doy: A sarcastic “yes”
- Word: To affirm a statement
- Yes way: A playful “yes”
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How to Use Pepper these totally radical slang terms into your everyday conversations by using them instead of “yes,” “sure,” or “yeah.” Here are some examples:
- “No doy, I’ll be at the party. I wouldn’t miss it!”^{[4]
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- “For sure! I’ll see you then.”
- “Cowabunga! This is going to be the best party yet!”
- “Uh, yes way. She totally wiped out!”

Section 3 of 9:

’80s Positive Slang Descriptors

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The ’80s used some wild words to describe people and things. If you think how you describe things today is wacky, wait till you learn about these ’80s descriptors! These terms were used to positively describe people and things in the 1980s:
- Bad to the bone: Very cool or rebellious
- Betty: An attractive woman
- Brill: Short for “brilliant”
- Choice: Appealing
- Clutch: Successful
- Deadly: Stylish or cool
- Fave: Short for “favorite”
- Fine: Attractive
- Fly: Fashionable
- Fresh: Stylish, new, or exciting
- Funky fresh: Very stylish
- Glam: Short for “glamorous”
- Gnarly: Cool or impressive
- Homeboy: A good male friend
- Homegirl: A good female friend
- Legit: Genuine, real, or cool
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How to Use Make someone’s day by using one or more of these terms to complement them! These slang terms were all the rage in the ’80s, but they serve just as big of a punch today. Here are some examples of how to use these totally tubular terms:
- “That girl is fine.”
- “What do you think? Is this too glam for a trip to the mall?”
- “Homeboy, listen to me. If your feelings are legit, go for it! The worst she can say is no.”
- “Brittney is my main homegirl. I’ve known her since she was four.”^{[5]
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Section 4 of 9:

’80s Slang Negative Descriptors

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The 1980s came with some pretty cruel insults and names. While the ’80s may seem like a fun time, like every decade, it also came with some not-so-great name-calling. These descriptive words were often used in a negative way to insult or make fun of something or someone:
- Airhead: An insult to imply someone is silly or unintelligent
- Bag your face: An expression similar to “Shut up”
- Barf bag: An unattractive person
- Bimbette: A spoiled or unintelligent woman
- Blar: An expression of disgust or disapproval
- Bogus: Bad, unpleasant
- Chicken: Someone who is cowardly or afraid to do something
- Clydesdale: A derogatory term for someone large and/or unattractive
- Dip: A foolish or naive person
- Dipstick: A fool or idiot
- Ditz: Someone unintelligent or scatterbrained
- Grody: Gross
- Harsh: Unpleasant
- Heinous: Extremely disagreeable
- Lame: Uncool or boring
- Mall-maggot: A derogatory term for a young person who visits the mall frequently
- Mental: Irrational
- Mung: Something disgusting or vile
- Narbo: An insult similar to “idiot”
- Ooglay: Extremely ugly or unattractive
- Space cadet: Someone who’s clueless or absent-minded
- Spaz: Someone who is socially awkward
- Wannabe: Someone who fails to achieve a certain status or style
- Warped: Twisted or upsetting
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How to Use While these descriptive words may seem like fun, they can still be hurtful. So, be careful when using them. It’s always best to lift people up, not tear them down! Here are some examples of how these phrases can be used, but remember, never use them to hurt someone:
- “Ugh, you’re such a chicken. Just do the dare!
- “He’s totally mental! He acted like such a spaz last night.”
- “Those shoes are heinous. Throw them out immediately.”
- “Emma is such a wannabe. She dyed her hair to match Mandy’s. As if it’s not obvious.”^{[6]
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Section 5 of 9:

’80s Slang for Places

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You didn’t just come and go in the ’80s… No matter where you went in the 1980s, there was a cool way to describe your travels. This was the time of quick travel and movement—no one liked to stay in one place for long! Check out these terms used to describe getting to and from places:
- Blitz: To move quickly with intensity
- Book it: To move fast or leave quickly
- Bounce: To leave a place
- Cruising: Driving around with no destination in mind
- Dip: To leave abruptly
- Gotta motor: “I need to leave immediately”
- Hightail: To flee
- Jet: To leave quickly
- Mosey: To move or leave slowly or leisurely
- Peel out: To move quickly
- Split: To leave in a hurry
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How to Use Want to add these totally awesome words into your vocabulary? Check out how these slang terms were used back in the day:
- “Hey, so I gotta split. See you tomorrow?”
- “Wanna bounce over to Olivia’s?”
- “Gotta motor! But don’t be a stranger.”
- “Book it, Tyler! You’re going to be late for class.”

Section 6 of 9:

’80s Slang for Society

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The 1980s came with their own slang for specific types of people. While these terms aren’t necessarily insults or positive remarks, they’re a way to describe types of lifestyles and attitudes that were popular in the ’80s. From artistic individuals to computer nerds, there’s a slang term for just about every member of society!
- Big kahuna: An important person or leader; originates in Hawaiian surf culture
- Bogart: To keep something to yourself
- Boho: Short for “bohemian”
- Boy toy: A casual male boyfriend
- Chocoholic: Someone extremely fond of chocolate
- Cocooning: The practice of spending time indoors and away from the outside world
- Couch potato: A person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television
- DINK: Acronym for “double income, no kids,” refers to a couple with no children and two incomes
- Dudette: The female version of “dude”
- Hacker: A computer expert
- Hotdogger: A showoff
- Jock: An athteltic person
- Nerd: A studious and intelligent individual
- Trippin’: To tell someone they’re wrong or crazy
- Valley girl: A young woman with a frivolous lifestyle and high-pitched accent
- Veg: To relax; short of “vegetate”
- Wig out: To lose control or become overly excited or emotional
- Zeek: An attractive geek
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How to Use Want to sprinkle these words into your everyday conversations? Right on! Take a look at these examples of how to use these popular ’80s slang terms:
- “You’re probably the most psychedelic dudette I’ve ever met.”
- “See that zeek over there? He’s so fine.”
- “Are you trippin’? He’s Missy’s boy toy.”
- “I’m just going to veg out tonight. I don’t feel like doing anything.”

Section 7 of 9:

’80s Slang for Hip-Hop Culture

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The 1980s were a pivotal era for hip-hop. In the 1980s, hip-hop became mainstream, and much of the language used within hip-hop culture found its way into everyday conversation. Here are some of the most popular hip-hop terms that came from the ’80s:
- B-boy: A breakdancer
- Beatbox: A person who imitates sounds
- Bomb: Something good or impressive
- Bombdiggity: Something good or impressive
- Cold lampin’: Synonym for “just chilling”
- Def: Short for “definitely”
- Dope: Good or impressive
- Down: Aware of or willing to do something
- Drop science: To share knowledge or wisdom
- Herb: Someone with a lack of social skills
- Hood: Short for “neighborhood”
- Hype: Energy or excitement
- Ill: Very good or impressive
- Jams: Good music or catchy tunes
- Posse: A group of friends
- Scratch: To manipulate a record for musical effect
- Step off: “Get away from me,” “Get off my back”
- Sucka MC: Bad rapper or someone uncool
- Yo mamma: A mild insult; a stylized version of “your mother”
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How to Use These ’80s slang terms aren’t just for hip-hop—they can be used in everyday conversation! Check out these examples of how you can use these popular terms:
- “Def going to bring the posse.”
- “I’m down for a party. Are you?”
- “This beat is the bombdiggity, man!”
- “That’s dope! I’ve never heard someone beatbox before.”

Section 8 of 9:

Popular ’80s Quotes & Phrases

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The 1980s are full of iconic one-liners! Chances are, if you’ve seen a movie made or set in the ’80s, you’ve heard one or more of these phrases. But these phrases and quotes weren’t just for the movies; they were everyday thoughts back in the day.
- “As if!”: Yeah right!
- “Barf me out.”: I’m freaking out.
- “Big whoop.”: Big deal.^{[7]
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- “Bite me.”: Get lost.
- “Gag me with a spoon”: I’m so annoyed.
- “I kid you not!”: I’m dead serious.
- “No duh.”: Obviously.
- “Take a chill pill.”: You need to calm down.
- “Take a hike.”: Go away.
- “That’s so ‘87.”: That’s so not cool.
- “What’s your damage?”: What’s your problem?

Section 9 of 9:

Other Notable ’80s Trends

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Words were often emphasized with “major” or “mega.” In the 1980s, everything was amped up to the max—it was a big and bold decade! People often emphasized words or feelings with terms like “hella,” “mad,” “major,” and “mega” to describe big feelings, stories, or emotions. In other words, another way of saying “really.” Take a look at these examples:
- “That’s hella confusing, Micky.”
- “You’ve got mad skills, bro!”
- “If I don’t get an A on this test, I’m going to be mega grounded.”
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“Power dressing” was the new chic. The ’80s were a pivotal era for women, as more women entered the workforce to help support their families. The everyday woman’s style changed because of this. Most women forwent dresses and turned to power suits and shoulder pads. Vibrant colors, big hairdos, and bold accessories emphasized a woman’s new confidence and corporate status.^{[8]
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- Want a retro makeover? Check out our article on how to dress and do your makeup like it’s the ’80s!
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Boomboxes were all the rage. Hip-hop culture took the 1980s by storm, and as a result, every kid and teen wanted a boombox. These large music players featured enormous speakers and plenty of options for playing a cassette tape. But while they were hefty, boomboxes were portable, making them ideal for parties and break dancing competitions.^{[9]
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- Want more ’80s music fun facts? Check out our article on the most influential rock bands of the decade.
On August 1, 1981, MTV hit the television waves. The first broadcast of “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles rocked the cable world. MTV revolutionized the music industry, as the music videos and songs that were played were deemed the most popular.^{[10]
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High school drama and sci-fi “what-ifs” were the center of Hollywood. Movies of the 1980s featured lovable characters, high school drama, and extraterrestrials. Popular hits include The Breakfast Club, Back to the Future, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Dirty Dancing.^{[11]
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- We bet if you watch these movies, you’re bound to hear most of the slang terms we mentioned in this article!