Teacher Diane Crnkovich attended high school from 1976 to 1980.

“Much of the slang from high school was new at the time, and some is still in use today,” Crnkovich said. “Like hot for an attractive person.”

Crnkovich used the following slang in the 70s and provided definitions and sample sentences:

Welch: to fail to repay a debt.

“I loaned him money for a snack, and now he’s being a welcher and won’t pay me back.”

Ripoff: to steal or not give fair value.

“Don’t buy your jeans there. Their prices are a ripoff. I left my sneakers by my locker, and someone ripped them off.”

Nerd: a strong insult; someone who is book smart and socially clueless.

Geek: to be unintelligent, unskilled and a social outcast.

Both nerd and geek are used much more mildly today.

Crnkovich still uses bananas and nuts in today’s slang from time to time.

Teacher Jackie Hawkins-Keck attended high school from 1984 to 1988.

“It’s different from my teenage vernacular, but that is to be expected.  Teenagers having their own language is a rite of passage to keep the adults guessing what teens are actually saying,” Hawkins-Keck said. “I think today’s slang changes so fast that it’s hard to keep up with what the slang means or if it’s even being used anymore!”

Hawkins-Keck used the following slang in the 80s and provided definitions:

Gag me with a spoon: that’s disgusting in a “Valley Girl” tone of voice.

Take a chill pill: to make a person calm down and relax.

Gnarly: extremely cool.

Totally Rad: something is awesome or impressive.

Grody to the max: totally gross beyond belief.

Hawkin-Keck still uses “No, duh” or just “Duh” today. She uses “Totally” at times.

Teacher Becky Bardgett went to high school from 1993 to 1997.

“It’s generally what we use today. I still say ‘dude’ and ‘that’s psycho.’  I can’t stand ‘take a chill pill’ because it makes me feel like people are dismissing my work ethic when they say it.”

Bardgett used the following slang in the 90s and provided definitions:

That’s psycho: if you thought something seemed crazy. 

Talk to the hand: If we didn’t want to hear what someone had to say, we would hold up our hand and say, “Talk to the hand.”

Rock on: an expression of encouragement, approval, or enthusiasm.

Cowabunga: a popular slang interjection used to express intense excitement, joy, or enthusiasm.

Rad: to be cool, excellent, awesome, or impressive.

Teacher Matt Seabold went to high school from 2009 to 2013.

“I think that some of today’s slang does not have meaning, like 67.”

Seabold used the following slang in the 2000s and provided definitions:

Dope, Legit, or Money: used as a way to say cool.

Bling or Ice:  a name for jewelry.

Sup: to say hello.

Swag, swagged out, or swagger: popular for good style.

Say less: to agree or to be like I got you.

Teacher Gabriel Schmidt went to high school from 2016 to 2020

“Certainly much of this slang is still ingrained in me and used in my daily conversations. I still tend to say ‘that’s fire’ when I encounter a song, food, or movie I enjoy. Also, I tend to still say ‘facts’ when I agree with someone.”

Schmidt used the following slang in the 2010s and provided definitions:

Lit: to be really fun or exciting.

Fire: to be very good (song, outfit, etc.).

That’s tough: to have sympathy, often slightly sarcastic.

Say less: to say you got it or no need to explain more.

Bet: means okay, agreed, or sounds good.

Facts: true or I agree.

No cap: I’m not lying or being serious.

Cap: lie or exaggeration.

Senior Rachel Anderson graduates this year, 2026, and started high school in 2022.

“Most of these new slang words come from TikTok and other social media.”

Anderson used the following slang in the 2020s and provided definitions:

Chopped: means unappealing.

Chungus: almost a synonym for chopped, just a little worse.

Sus: means suspicious.

VM: means vending machine.