beef
Beef as in cow / meat — the literal sense.
Seen in the wild
The U.S. Justice Department confirmed it was investigating potential antitrust violations in the meatpacking industry amid soaring domestic beef prices and a shrinking cattle herd. @leahnylen.bsky.social and Ilena Pen…
18 Chicken asado, beef fajita, sausage, and beans with chicharrón from Al Carbon Pollos Asados - Culebra #2.
Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer,' 'Bodies,' and 'Beef' made a binge-watch recommendation list this week. All three are currently streaming. https://www.tvgen.net/article/netflix-series-baby-reindeer-bodies-beef-highlighted
Damn 🔥 love deep throat that mighty fine beef
Thanks Putin, thanks Trump. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/04/uk-food-prices-rise-cost-of-living-crisis-beef-olive-oil-inflation
Definitions
Beef as in cow / meat — the literal sense. The feud sense is metaphorical / AAVE.
"Beef stew tonight."
Comments
A feud, especially between rappers. Has its own entire history — Drake/Kendrick, Pac/Biggie, Nas/Jay-Z, Pusha/Drake, etc.
"They've had beef since 2014."
Beef means: A feud, especially between rappers. Has its own entire history - Drake/Kendrick, Pac/Biggie, Nas/Jay-Z, Pusha/Drake, etc.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
beef means: A feud, especially between rappers. Has its own entire history - Drake/Kendrick, Pac/Biggie, Nas/Jay-Z, Pusha/Drake, etc.. Register: neutral, standard English. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
“The U.S. Justice Department confirmed it was investigating potential antitrust violations in the meatpacking industry amid soaring domestic beef prices and a shrinking cattle herd. @leahnylen.bsky.social and Ilena Peng report for @bloomberg.com: buff.ly/bwvD9cs”
— Bluesky· May 2026“18 Chicken asado, beef fajita, sausage, and beans with chicharrón from Al Carbon Pollos Asados - Culebra #2.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Oh no.. too chewy. I'm a connoisseur of prime beef I'll have you know 🤣😂🤣”
— Bluesky· May 2026“>> Today, we're settling the beef. Our”
“>> that's awful. Did you have a beef with”
Comments
Outside hip-hop: any feud or grudge. "We have beef" = we're in conflict.
“>> Today, we're settling the beef. Our”
"They've had beef since high school."
“Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer,' 'Bodies,' and 'Beef' made a binge-watch recommendation list this week. All three are currently streaming. https://www.tvgen.net/article/netflix-series-baby-reindeer-bodies-beef-highlighted”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Damn 🔥 love deep throat that mighty fine beef”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Thanks Putin, thanks Trump. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/04/uk-food-prices-rise-cost-of-living-crisis-beef-olive-oil-inflation”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Today: 📺: Witch Hat Atelier 🎮: Animal Crossing New Horizons 🎮: Tomodachi Life Cont'd... 📺: Beef S2 📖: The Strength of the Few by James Islington”
— Bluesky· May 2026“>> Today, we're settling the beef. Our”
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How fans, critics, and pop stars talk in 2024–2026 — from Swifties and the BeyHive to brat, Chappell-coded, sad-girl indie, and amapiano.
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Other words near "beef" (B)
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Semantically related
- beef out72%
(AAVE, intransitive) To have a beef or grudge against somebody.
- beefer71%
A cow used for beef and not milk.
- beefer70%
A term with multiple distinct senses: in general slang, someone with a muscular, beefy build; in farming, a cow raised for beef rather than dairy; and in British and Australian slang, a police informer. The informer sense is the sharpest and most distinctively slang. Context is essential to distinguish which meaning is intended.