Contradiction-as-emphasis. Means "actually pretty" without committing to the intensity. "Lowkey highkey obsessed with this song" = "I definitely am."
"Lowkey highkey want to skip work today."
“Video calls was lowkey highkey one of the worst things to happen in society because the way I be so stuck on staring at myself that I sometimes miss important talkimg points? 😭😭😭”
'Lowkey' means 'a little bit' or 'secretly', and 'highkey' means 'openly' or 'a lot'. 'Lowkey want pizza' = 'I kind of want pizza, not making a big deal of it'; 'highkey love this song' = 'I unashamedly love this song'. If your teen uses either, they are adjusting how strongly they want to admit to something. Harmless, useful conversational softeners. Both rose to mainstream youth speech around 2015 from earlier African-American Vernacular English use.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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The words defining how Gen Z and TikTok talk right now — from rizz and aura to skibidi, delulu, and the ick. Updated as fast as the trends move.
See all Gen Z & TikTok slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with L.
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