Every generation brings its own flair to the workplace, from the suits and ties of Baby Boomers to the startup hustle of Millennials. Now we have the digital-natives, Gen Z, and their slang entering the chat. Jargon isn’t just trendy or workplace language; it reflects how people view work, careers, and more.
We know there’s a lot of new trending words out there right now, so we’re gonna do our best to break down the popular Gen Z work slang of 2024–2025 that you should know. Plus, the Millennial buzzwords that defined the last two decades. Some may overlap, and others may not so much, but understanding both can make workplace communication smoother and, honestly, kind of fun (especially if you’re a millennial testing out new Gen Z slang).
What Is Gen Z Work Jargon?
Gen Z (born ~1997–2012) grew up online, surrounded by memes, TikTok, and a culture of instant communication. Their workplace language blends internet slang, humor, and some mental-health awareness.
Trending Gen Z Jargon in 2025
Act your wage
Doing only what your salary justifies; setting boundaries.
I stopped answering emails at midnight, I’m just acting my wage.
Aura
The vibe or energy someone gives off.
Her aura in the presentation was so confident that everyone was impressed.
Bare minimum Monday
Starting the week slowly to protect mental health.
I only cleared emails today; it’s a bare minimum kind of Monday.
Basic
Mainstream, unoriginal, predictable.
That company’s “we’re like family” tagline feels so basic.
Career catfishing
Accepting a job offer but never showing up for Day One.
The company hired two analysts, but one totally career catfished them.
Cancel / Canceled
To stop supporting someone or something due to bad behavior.
That agency got canceled after mistreating staff on social media.
Clout
Reputation or influence, often online.
She’s got serious clout on LinkedIn after her post went viral.
Conscious unbossing
Choosing not to pursue management to prioritize autonomy and well-being.
He turned down the promotion, conscious unbossing at its finest.
Crash out / Crashing out
Having a dramatic reaction or emotional meltdown.
He crashed out in the meeting when his idea got rejected.
Delulu
Delusional optimism, often jokingly.
He’s delulu if he thinks he’ll get promoted after skipping deadlines.
Dining el desko
Eating lunch at your desk instead of taking a break.
I’ve been dining el desko all week to hit this deadline.
Extra
Over the top or dramatic.
He made us record a separate video of the slides? That’s so extra.
Fell off
Something or someone lost popularity.
That app used to be great, but it really fell off.
Faulty tasker
Someone who takes on too many tasks and under-delivers.
He keeps volunteering but misses deadlines, a total faulty tasker.
Fire
Something excellent or impressive.
That sales deck was fire; the client signed immediately.
Gen Z stare
Blank expression when uninterested or overloaded.
She gave me the Gen Z stare when I asked her to come in on Saturday.
Ghosting / Ghosted
Cutting off communication suddenly without explanation.
The recruiter ghosted me after my second interview.
Glow up
A transformation, personal or professional.
Her glow-up after that leadership program was amazing.
Green flag
Positive sign about someone or something.
Offering therapy benefits is a huge green flag for me as a candidate.
Hard launch
Publicly and clearly announcing something.
They hard-launched the new product at the conference.
Highkey
Very, definitely (opposite of lowkey).
I highkey want that promotion, I’ve told my boss five times.
Hot take
A bold or controversial opinion.
Hot take: remote work makes people more productive, not less.
Job hugging
Staying in one job for security instead of hopping around.
With the economy shaky, Gen Z is all about job-hugging.
Lives rent-free in my head
Something you can’t stop thinking about.
That jingle from our last ad lives rent-free in my head.
Main character energy
Owning your story; being the star of your career.
She walked into the boardroom with main character energy.
No cap
Truthfully, for real.
No cap, this is the best team I’ve worked with.
Quiet quitting
Doing your job but not going beyond your contract.
He’s not slacking; he’s just quiet quitting.
Rage applying
Applying for many jobs after a frustrating day.
After my boss yelled at me, I rage applied to five new roles.
Red flag
A warning sign about something or someone.
No DEI policy listed on their site? Red flag.
Say less
Acknowledgment or agreement.
“Let’s grab lunch to talk it over.” “Say less.”
Shoot your shot
Take a chance or risk, often for something you want.
I decided to shoot my shot and pitch the idea to leadership.
Slay
To do something exceptionally well.
She slayed that presentation with visuals and confidence.
Soft launch
Hinting at something new without fully revealing it.
They soft-launched the partnership on Instagram with a teaser post.
Soft life
A stress-free, balanced lifestyle.
He left finance for a soft life running a small coffee shop.
Understood the assignment
Going above and beyond expectations.
The intern didn’t just make slides; she built an interactive deck, she understood the assignment.
White fonting
Hiding resume keywords in white text to beat AI filters.
He got through the ATS by white fonting extra skills.
What Is Millennial Work Jargon?
Millennials (born ~1981–1996) came of age during the startup boom, hustle culture, and the rise of corporate buzzwords. Their workplace jargon leans on productivity, ambition, and professional networking.
AI-First Mindset
Corporate focus on putting AI at the center of strategy and operations.
Our CEO wants us to adopt an AI-first mindset when rethinking customer service.
Circle back
Corporate phrase for revisiting something later.
Let’s circle back to this budget discussion after lunch.
Corporate accent
Using buzzword-heavy language in meetings.
“Bandwidth,” “synergy,” “low-hanging fruit: that’s his corporate accent showing.
Disrupt / Disruption
To radically change or innovate in an industry.
This startup is disrupting payroll by automating compliance.
Hustle culture
Celebrating constant work and long hours.
He’s still into hustle culture, bragging about 80-hour weeks.
Lean in
Encouraging women to pursue leadership roles boldly.
She decided to lean in and apply for the director position.
Networking
Building professional relationships to advance your career.
Networking at the conference landed me a new client.
Passion project
Side project driven by personal interest.
Her passion project turned into a successful app launch.
Quiet cutting
Reducing someone’s role subtly, like a hidden demotion.
After budget cuts, half the staff experienced quiet cutting.
Side hustle
A job or project outside your main role.
My side hustle, designing logos, brings in good extra income.
Synergy
Corporate buzzword for collaborative success.
The synergy between HR and Finance made the rollout smooth.
Thought leader
Recognized expert who influences industry discussions.
She’s a thought leader in HR tech, always speaking at events.
Vibe / Vibe check
The atmosphere or feeling of a place or group.
I did a vibe check on Glassdoor before applying; it looked positive.
Woke
Being socially and politically aware.
Their new DEI campaign shows they’re finally woke.
The Language of Work Keeps Evolving
From Millennials’ “synergy” and “side hustles” to Gen Z’s “rage applying” and “delulu,” workplace jargon reflects shifting values. Millennials embraced ambition and hustle, while Gen Z prioritizes wellness, autonomy, and authenticity.
Amanee Hasan
Amanee Hasan is a Senior Content Writer at ZenHR, an award-winning and top-rated HR solution that offers world-class HR software services in the MENA region. Her main focuses are SEO, UX writing, copywriting, and creating content highlighting the latest HR trends, and gives organizations and individuals the tools they need to create successful work environments where people thrive.
