You’ve Been Using These Words All Wrong (According to Gen Z)

Think you know what “op” means? If your mind goes to “opposition,” it might be time for a vocab update.

In the ever-changing world of Gen Z and Gen Alpha dialect, “op” now stands for “original poster”. What’s more, it’s far from the only word that’s done a full 180.

Wondering how many of your go-to phrases are now out of date? The language experts at English learning app Preply have rounded up the most surprising words that no longer mean what you think they do.

Op
Then: Opposition or enemy
Now: Original poster

What used to describe your enemy or rival now simply refers to the person who started a post or thread online. 

Having transitioned from street slang to social media dialect, you’ll now find this acronym on Reddit, X, and TikTok communities.

Ratio
Then: A maths equation
Now: Outperforming someone’s social post in likes

Once confined to your GCSE revision nightmares, the term ‘ratio’ now carries a whole new kind of drama.

On social media, if someone replies to your post and their comment racks up more likes than yours, you’ve officially been ratioed. 

It’s often used as a form of protest. People simply comment ‘ratio’ under a post they disagree with, and if that comment ends up with more likes than the original, it’s considered a digital win for the reply. 

Slaps
Then: A hit with the hand
Now: Incredibly good

While it used to mean hitting something with your hand, it is now used to describe something that’s really good.

“This slaps” is a common reaction after hearing a particularly great song or taking a delicious bite of food.

Ate
Then: Having eaten
Now: Doing an amazing job

When someone ‘ate’ (and left no crumbs), it means they excelled at something. It can be used in a number of contents, from when someone beautifully styles an outfit to aces their exam. 

You’ll often see this word in the comments section of photos, especially when enthusiastic friends or fans are hyping someone up.

Serve
Then: To offer someone
Now: Looking effortlessly great or doing something cool without trying

Previously, “serve” meant to present something to somebody, typically food or drink. Nowadays, if someone is ‘serving’, they’re turning heads.

If your friend’s look is on point or their confidence is off the charts, you’d tell them they’re serving, and they’d know exactly what you mean.

Lore
Then: Backstory in gaming or fantasy
Now: Used for personal backstories or drama

What began in fantasy novels and Dungeons & Dragons games has found a second life in the group chat. From celebrity feuds to your friend’s long-lasting situationship, everything now has lore.

Simply put, it refers to the backstory or context behind something. If someone says “the lore is wild”, you know there’s a backstory worth delving into. 

Dragged
Then: Pulled along the ground
Now: Publicly criticised or exposed

If you’ve been dragged online, you’ve been metaphorically pulled through the mud.

It could come in the form of a jibe, a clapback, or even a string of brutal emojis. Either way, someone’s got a problem, and they want everyone to see it.

Core
Then: The centre of something
Now: Added to anything to make it an aesthetic

From ‘cottagecore’ to ‘balletcore’ to ‘fairycore’, adding ‘core’ to the end of a word instantly gives it a distinct aesthetic.

You’ll often see it on Pinterest and TikTok, used to define specific vibes or niche subcultures. Whatever you’re into, there’s almost certainly a ‘core’ for it.