For years, YPulse has tracked the slang, phrases, and cultural shifts Gen Z sparks across social media and everyday conversations. We’ve seen how their language evolves in real time: how older slang gets new meanings, inside jokes migrate from niche corners of the internet, and certain phrases suddenly break into the mainstream. So, it’s no surprise that many of this year’s “Word of the Year” picks all point back to the same source: Gen Z’s online culture and language (as they have for quite some time now). Oxford named “rage bait,” Cambridge went with “parasocial,” Collins crowned “vibe coding,” and Dictionary.com even selected the not-quite-word “6-7.” YPulse even released our own words of the year, too—terms we felt best captured youth culture and said the most about how young people showed up online this year. But it’s important to note that before your brand starts using this slang in your next campaign, getting the language right matters. Like we’ve said before, much of Gen Z slang is rooted in...
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