TikTok and Instagram Slang: What’s Trending in 2025

In 2025, TikTok and Instagram continue to shape the way we speak. Social media slang is no longer just a fun trend — it has become an essential part of modern English. In this article, you’ll discover the freshest English phrases used by influencers, content creators, and young people in videos, comments, and memes.

If you want to speak English like a native — start by learning how people talk on TikTok and Instagram!

By the way, don’t miss our other slang collections:

– Top 15 Slang and Informal English Phrases
– 100 British Slang Words and Expressions
– 20 Popular Internet Slang Terms in English

📲 The Evolution of Social Media Language

The world of Instagram and TikTok in 2025 looks nothing like it did five years ago. With every update, these platforms not only change how we interact — they also reshape the language we use. They’ve become fast-paced, ever-evolving language ecosystems. For English learners, understanding this digital slang is now a must-have skill.

🔍 Social Media as a Language Trendsetter

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become the main breeding grounds for new words and expressions. In the past, it took years for new phrases to enter everyday speech — now, one viral video can turn a fresh expression into global slang overnight.

Modern social media slang is known for:

• lightning-fast spread;

• breaking language and cultural barriers;

• blending with emojis, memes, and GIFs;

• having flexible and often layered meanings depending on context.

💬 Slang by Platform

TikTok creates short, catchy phrases with a unique rhythm and vibe.

Instagram favors visually-driven trends, where expressions are often paired with emojis and story-style narratives.

Twitter (X) is home to sharp, witty, and often sarcastic expressions that catch on quickly.

Understanding the slang style of each platform is the key to effective communication in the digital world of 2025 — and a powerful way to boost your real-life conversational English.

TikTok Slang 2025: What’s Trending Now

At the beginning of 2025, TikTok remains the primary “language innovator” among social networks. Dozens of new slang expressions are born here every month, but only some stand the test of time and become part of the broader digital culture. Let’s examine the most current TikTok expressions that are essential for understanding modern content:

1. POV (Point of View)

Meaning: Perspective, used to set up a hypothetical scenario.
Example: “POV: You’re the only one who did the homework”
How to remember: Think of a camera showing a scene from a first-person perspective.

2. CEO of [something]

Meaning: An expert or someone who constantly does something or is associated with it.
Example: “She’s the CEO of being late”
How to remember: A CEO is the head of a company—the person in charge of a particular thing.

3. Living rent-free

Meaning: Something or someone constantly present in your thoughts, without effort on their part.
Example: “That song is living rent-free in my head”
How to remember: Like a tenant living somewhere without paying rent—they’re taking up space effortlessly.

4. Understood the assignment

Meaning: To perfectly grasp the task or situation and excel at it.
Example: “Her outfit for the party? She definitely understood the assignment”
How to remember: Think of a top student who perfectly understood what the teacher wanted.

5. Ratio

Meaning: When a reply to a comment gets more likes than the original comment.
Example: “I think pineapple on pizza is amazing” — “Ratio”
How to remember: Ratio refers to the proportion—here, it’s about one response outperforming the original in terms of engagement.

6. Caught in 4K

Meaning: Being caught doing something embarrassing with undeniable evidence.
Example: “You said you were sick, but I saw you at the party. Caught in 4K!”
How to remember: 4K is high-definition video resolution where everything is clearly visible—no hiding the truth.

7. Vibe check

Meaning: An assessment of the mood or atmosphere of a situation.
Example: “Just doing a vibe check. How’s everyone feeling today?”
How to remember: Vibe is the atmosphere or feeling, and you’re checking to see if it’s good.

8. No cap

Meaning: No lie, honestly, for real.
Example: “This is the best pizza I’ve ever had, no cap”
How to remember: “Cap” is slang for lie; “no cap” means no covering up the truth.

9. Sheesh

Meaning: An expression of amazement or surprise, often elongated when spoken.
Example: “Did you see his new car? Sheesh!”
How to remember: It’s pronounced with a specific intonation, similar to “wow!” but with its own flavor.

10. Main character energy

Meaning: Behaving as if you’re the protagonist in a movie or story.
Example: “Walking through the city with your headphones on? That’s main character energy”
How to remember: In films, the main character is always special and central to the plot.

11. Rent-free

Meaning: Being constantly in someone’s thoughts without special effort.
Example: “I’m living rent-free in their heads”
How to remember: Similar to “living rent-free,” but often used independently.

12. Simp

Meaning: Someone who excessively admires someone else and tries to please them.
Example: “He bought her flowers every day. Total simp behavior”
How to remember: Derives from “simpleton” or “overly subservient.”

13. Sus

Meaning: Suspicious, raising doubts (shortened from suspicious).
Example: “The way he’s acting is kind of sus”
How to remember: Abbreviation of “suspicious,” popularized by the game Among Us.

14. It’s giving…

Meaning: Something resembles or emanates a certain aura or vibe.
Example: “It’s giving summer vacation vibes”
How to remember: Imagine the object actively “giving off” energy of a certain type.

15. Passing the vibe check

Meaning: Approving someone’s behavior or an atmosphere.
Example: “This party is definitely passing the vibe check”
How to remember: Combination of “passing a test” and “vibe check” (assessment of atmosphere).

Instagram Slang: The Latest Expressions

In 2025, Instagram continues to form its own linguistic space where visual content generates unique language constructs. Unlike TikTok, Instagram slang is often related to aesthetics, lifestyle, and personal branding:

16. Slide into DMs

Meaning: To send a private message, often with romantic intent.
Example: “I saw her profile and decided to slide into her DMs”
How to remember: Slide—to move smoothly, DMs—Direct Messages; smoothly entering someone’s private messages.

17. Finsta

Meaning: A fake Instagram account for close friends (shortened from Fake Instagram).
Example: “Only my close friends follow my finsta”
How to remember: Combination of “fake” + “insta” (shortened from Instagram).

18. Stan

Meaning: To be a devoted fan, strongly support someone.
Example: “I stan Taylor Swift so much”
How to remember: Originated from Eminem’s song “Stan” about an obsessive fan.

19. Hitting different

Meaning: Something that has a special impact, different from usual.
Example: “This song is hitting different tonight”
How to remember: Literally “hitting in a different way”—affecting you differently than usual.

20. TBH (To Be Honest)

Meaning: Being honest, forthright. Often used before expressing an opinion.
Example: “TBH, I didn’t like the movie”
How to remember: Acronym for “To Be Honest.”

21. Soft launch

Meaning: Hinting at a relationship without fully showing your partner.
Example: “She posted a photo holding hands. Classic soft launch of her new relationship”
How to remember: Soft—gentle, launch—start; in marketing, it’s the gradual introduction of a product.

22. Main feed

Meaning: The main timeline in Instagram.
Example: “This photo is good enough for the main feed”
How to remember: Main—primary, feed—news stream.

23. Throwing shade

Meaning: To subtly criticize or express disapproval, often in a veiled manner.
Example: “Did you see how she was throwing shade at her ex in that post?”
How to remember: Throwing—casting, shade—shadow; literally “casting a shadow” on someone.

24. Ghosting

Meaning: Suddenly stopping all communication without explanation.
Example: “We were talking for weeks, then he started ghosting me”
How to remember: Ghost—disappearing like a ghost, without explanation.

25. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)

Meaning: Anxiety about missing something important or interesting.
Example: “I have serious FOMO seeing all these concert photos”
How to remember: Acronym for “Fear Of Missing Out.”

Cross-Platform Slang: When All Social Networks Speak the Same Language

Some slang expressions successfully cross platform boundaries, becoming the universal language of internet communication in 2025. This “cross-platform dictionary” is the most stable and has a better chance of becoming established in everyday language:

26. IYKYK (If You Know, You Know)

Meaning: A hint at a joke or situation that only insiders will understand.
Example: “That moment when the teacher leaves the room… IYKYK”
How to remember: Acronym for the phrase “If You Know, You Know”—a nod to shared, exclusive knowledge.

27. Rizz

Meaning: Charisma, the ability to flirt and charm.
Example: “His rizz is unmatched”
How to remember: Derived from the word “charisma” but has become popular as a separate word.

28. Slay

Meaning: To do something extremely well, impress everyone.
Example: “You really slayed that presentation”
How to remember: Literally “to kill it”; in slang—to be stunningly successful.

29. Unhinged

Meaning: Crazy, unpredictable, without limits.
Example: “Her 3 AM tweets are completely unhinged”
How to remember: “Unhinged” literally means “removed from hinges” (like a door), meaning breaking from normal boundaries.

30. Cheugy

Meaning: Unfashionable, outdated trend, something irrelevant.
Example: “Skinny jeans are so cheugy now”
How to remember: A completely made-up word that became popular to describe outdated trends.

31. Gatekeeping

Meaning: Restricting access to something, usually a subculture or community.
Example: “Stop gatekeeping the band just because you knew them before they were famous”
How to remember: Gate—barrier, keeping—guarding; literally “guarding the gate,” not letting others in.

32. Main

Meaning: Favorite character, person, or thing.
Example: “She’s my main, I love her content”
How to remember: Main—primary; originates from gamer jargon where “main” is a player’s primary character.

33. Drip

Meaning: Stylish, fashionable clothing or appearance.
Example: “His outfit has serious drip”
How to remember: Literally “to drip”; in slang—style that draws attention, “dripping” with style.

34. Hits blunt

Meaning: Deep, sometimes nonsensical thoughts similar to philosophical musings.
Example: “Hits blunt: If you buy a bigger bed, you have more bed room but less bedroom”
How to remember: Phrase comes from smoker jargon describing a moment of philosophical contemplation.

35. AFK (Away From Keyboard)

Meaning: To step away from the computer, be unavailable online.
Example: “I’ll be AFK for dinner, talk later”
How to remember: Acronym for “Away From Keyboard.”

Gen Z Dictionary: Modern Youth Slang

Generation Z (born roughly between 1997 and 2012) has developed its own linguistic code that constantly evolves. This vocabulary is now actively used not only in social networks but also in everyday communication, music, and even advertising:

36. Bussin’

Meaning: Extremely good, delicious (especially about food).
Example: “This pasta is bussin’ fr fr”
How to remember: Derives from “busting” in the sense of “bursting with flavor”; “fr fr” means “for real for real.”

37. Zaddy

Meaning: A stylish, attractive man, often older.
Example: “Look at him in that suit, total zaddy vibes”
How to remember: Combination of “daddy” and “Z” (Generation Z) or from “zazzy” (stylish).

38. Caught in 4K Ultra HD

Meaning: Extended version of “caught in 4K”—being caught with irrefutable evidence.
Example: “He said he wasn’t at the party but he’s in the background of my story – caught in 4K Ultra HD”
How to remember: Enhanced version of “caught in 4K,” with “Ultra HD” added for emphasis.

39. On period

Meaning: Extended version of “periodt”—confirming truth, undoubtedness.
Example: “She’s the best artist of our generation, on period!”
How to remember: Emphasizing a fact as if placing a period at the end of a sentence (“period” literally means the punctuation mark).

40. Ate that down

Meaning: To perform something incredibly impressive, exceed expectations.
Example: “Her performance at the talent show? She ate that down!”
How to remember: Metaphor for completely consuming something, like food eaten to the last crumb.

41. Based

Meaning: Having your own opinion, being authentic, genuine, not afraid of judgments.
Example: “He doesn’t care what others think. He’s so based”
How to remember: From “based”—grounded, with a strong foundation.

42. Not the [something]

Meaning: Expression of surprise or disappointment about something unexpected.
Example: “Not the wifi going out during my exam!”
How to remember: Literally “not the [something],” expressing the undesirability of a situation.

43. Vibe check passed/failed

Meaning: Assessment of atmosphere or a person as good or bad.
Example: “This cafe definitely passed the vibe check”
How to remember: Vibe—atmosphere, check—verification; evaluating the quality of atmosphere.

44. Main character syndrome

Meaning: Considering yourself the center of the universe, like the protagonist in a movie.
Example: “She’s posting daily vlogs about her grocery shopping. Main character syndrome for sure”
How to remember: Feeling like the main character in a film where everyone else is a supporting character.

45. Chronically online behavior

Meaning: Behavior of someone who spends too much time on the internet and is disconnected from reality.
Example: “Getting offended by that harmless joke is chronically online behavior”
How to remember: Chronically—constantly, persistently; description of behavior formed through excessive online presence.

How to Navigate the Social Media Language Landscape: Practical Tips

Social networks in 2025 are developing at the speed of light, and even the younger generation sometimes struggles to keep up with all the linguistic trends. Here’s a practical guide for staying current with the latest slang innovations:

🔮 Strategies for Learning Modern Slang

• 🔹 Algorithmic Immersion — allow your TikTok and Instagram feeds to adapt to your interests; over time, you’ll start noticing recurring slang expressions
• 🔹 Active Comment Observation — often the most interesting slang expressions appear in comments rather than in the main content
• 🔹 Regularity — dedicate 10-15 minutes daily to viewing trending videos and posts
• 🔹 Contextual Learning — pay attention not only to the words themselves but also to the situations where they’re used
• 🔹 Record New Words in a Personal Dictionary — create a note in your phone with new expressions, their meanings, and examples of use

💬 When and How to Use Social Media Slang

• 🔹 Start with Understanding, Not Using — first learn to recognize slang in texts and videos before actively starting to use it
• 🔹 Consider the Target Audience — Gen Z slang may be incomprehensible to older generations
• 🔹 Start with Universal Expressions — first master cross-platform slang, then move on to platform-specific slang expressions
• 🔹 Track the Life Cycle — some expressions quickly become “cringe” (outdated and awkward), so it’s important to monitor their relevance
• 🔹 Practice with Native Speakers — find online friends for language exchange to practice slang in real communication

📚 Effective Resources for Learning Modern Slang

• Urban Dictionary — an online slang dictionary with explanations from users
• TikTok and Instagram hashtags: #EnglishSlang, #SlangExplained
• YouTube channels of young bloggers, especially those focused on explaining trends
• Podcasts about modern culture and communication
• Specialized language apps that include sections on modern slang

The Latest Trends of the First Half of 2025

Here are the most current expressions that gained popularity in the first months of 2025:

46. Sleepy Era

Meaning: A period of life when a person focuses on rest and well-being.
Example: “I’m in my sleepy era right now, not taking any new projects”
How to remember: Sleepy—drowsy, era—period; a time in life when a person allows themselves to rest.

47. Cinematic Parallels

Meaning: Ironic comparison of two situations as similar scenes in films.
Example: “Me failing my exam and then dropping my lunch – the cinematic parallels”
How to remember: Cinematic—film-related, parallels—similarities; a term from film criticism that’s ironically applied to everyday situations.

48. Reality Shifting

Meaning: Deep immersion in an imaginary world or alternative reality through meditation.
Example: “She’s been reality shifting to her favorite TV show universe every night”
How to remember: Reality—the real world, shifting—moving; the concept of moving consciousness between realities.

49. Sigma behavior

Meaning: Independent, strong behavior of a person who doesn’t need approval.
Example: “Leaving the party early because you’re tired? That’s sigma behavior right there”
How to remember: Sigma—Greek letter, used to describe a person with an independent character, as opposed to “alpha” and “beta.”

50. Beige flag

Meaning: In contrast to “red flags,” these are neutral traits of a person that aren’t problematic but are strange.
Example: “He alphabetizes his spice rack. It’s such a beige flag”
How to remember: Beige—neutral color, flag—marker; development of the concept of “red flags” (warning signs).

Conclusion

📱 The language of social media in 2025 is a unique cultural phenomenon that’s evolving at an unprecedented speed. It reflects not only current trends but also deeper cultural changes, values, and worldviews of the modern generation.

Understanding social media slang provides several significant advantages:

• Live, contemporary speech — unlike textbooks that often contain outdated phrases, slang shows how language is used right now
• Understanding context — many slang expressions are associated with cultural phenomena, understanding which deepens knowledge of culture
• Improved listening skills — understanding fast, informal speech in social networks significantly improves overall language comprehension
• Ability to communicate in international communities — knowledge of modern slang allows free interaction in online communication

Social networks continue to blur linguistic boundaries, creating a global linguistic space where English slang becomes the universal language of internet communication, regardless of the user’s country of origin.

Most importantly — remember that this vocabulary is constantly updated, and we’ll regularly supplement our article with the latest trends from TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.

Which slang expressions from our list did you like the most? Which ones do you already use, and which were a discovery? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💬

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❓ FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Slang

Question: Do native speakers use slang in formal communication?
Answer: Rarely. Slang is mostly limited to informal online communication and conversations with friends. In formal situations (business, education), it’s better to avoid slang.

Question: How do I know if a certain slang expression is outdated?
Answer: Monitor the frequency of its use in comments and videos. If the expression is rarely encountered or is used ironically, it’s probably no longer trending. Also, note whether popular bloggers use it.

Question: Are there slang expressions that are better not to use?
Answer: Yes, some expressions may have hidden negative undertones or be culturally sensitive. Before using a new expression, make sure you fully understand its meaning and context.

Question: What are the best platforms for learning modern slang?
Answer: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube best reflect current language trends. For additional understanding, use Urban Dictionary and Reddit forums, where new slang expressions are often explained.

Question: How can I incorporate slang learning into my daily routine?
Answer: Spend 10-15 minutes daily viewing English-language content on social media. Write down new expressions and look for their explanations. Try using 1-2 new slang expressions weekly in language practice with friends or language partners.

📱 5 Most Popular Hashtags for Learning English Slang

• #EnglishSlang
• #SlangExplained
• #LearnEnglishWithTikTok
• #EnglishExpressions
• #GenZVocabulary

Article updated: April 2025