This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Jordyn Centerwall. Find her on Instagram at @jordyncenterwall. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Generation Alpha has captivated the internet with its creative slang terms. Sigma, mewing, negative aura, and of course, skibidi toilet have all been fan favorites. While most other generations approach the slang with some apprehension, there are plenty of Gen Z and Millennials who just want to understand. This is especially true of teachers. Decoding this secret language that Gen Alpha has crafted has become its own microcosm of social media content. One of the latest phrases that has found its way into the common vernacular is “crashing out.” Here’s what it means when you hear crashing out slang and how you should use it too, plus where these phrases really come from.
What Does Crash Out Mean?
No, crashing out slang doesn’t mean that you’re tired or ready to “crash.” It’s also not an F1 reference to a car being eliminated from a race. No, this phrase has adopted an entirely different meaning lately. As the TikTok above explains, the new definition of “crash out” means to lose your sh*t. Urban Dictionary also explains it can similarly mean to do something even though you know it’s a bad idea. The emotions tied into the reaction are anger, frustration, or an overall loss of control. If someone says they’re about to “crash out” it means they’re about to blow their lid.
Some have also suggested that crash out can be not just a verb, but a noun as well. Used in this way it refers to someone who is prone to acting erratic or irrationally. This isn’t the first time the youngest generation has adapted a word to fit their own use. Their definition of preppy caused a meltdown via social media as other generations argued about what preppy style actually is.
Gen A Slang and AAVE
AAVE, or African American Vernacular English, is often at the root of many slang words. This dialect of English is associated with different grammatical or pronunciation rules. AAVE, once known as Ebonics, is entangled with racist stereotypes about speech and class. Many of these phrases were once weaponized against Black Americans. They were called lazy or uneducated when they spoke in this dialect in society. Now, and over time though, many of these phrases became “cool.” For example, “bet” and “no cap” both originated as phrases exchanged within the Black community.
It is important to acknowledge this tension and where these phrases originated from when thinking of the popularity of these Gen Alpha terms like crash out slang. It’s not just Gen Alpha that has appropriated these AAVE slang words. Gen Z popular slang such as period and woke derived from AAVE. Other recent slang phrases like “on fleek,” “slay,” and “lit.” All of these have circulated the internet in recent years . But for Black individuals it can be harmful to have this dialect appropriated and made trendy. This is especially true when these slang words are coupled with a pronunciation similar to a blaccent.
Earlier Definitions of Crash Out
Crashing out slang used to have a much more severe definition according to one creator. The term also used to be used more negatively as the creator above argued. Now, it seems to be used more commonly in situations that would only cause mild irritation at most. AAVE terms being watered down for popular use is one of the biggest indicators that it has been appropriated.
Origins Of Other Popular Slang
Many BIPOC and LGBTQ individuals tend to be at the forefront of trending slang. Another recent example is the rise of “demure.” Trans creator, Jools Lebron, used the phrase “very demure, very mindful” in a TikTok video. The video blew up and now has over 54 million views. Demure was also named 2024’s word of the year. Thankfully, this has proven to be an example when the origin of a phrase is given due credit.
Not all of the popular circulating slang like crash out slang is derived from AAVE or the appropriation of other dialects. There are plenty of phrases that just evolved from internet jokes pushed to the extreme. One example of this is the “Donatella VERSACE 💜“ meme. This joke came from an unfortunate social media comment. Donatella commented the iconic phrase on Bella Hadid’s pro-Palestine Instagram post, and people quickly took advantage of joking about the irrelevance. Now, just adding a purple heart to the end of a sentence is enough to reference the meme.
Diva is another big slang term currently, more specifically the phrase “who is this diva?” People also combine the phrase with the purple heart to mean the opposite (someone is not a diva). And no, they don’t mean diva as in a snob or “the female version of a hustler.” A diva in this context is someone who is serving looks and attitude, either ironically or truly in a unique way. There’s also “Do you do weddings?,” which is my personal favorite. This one speaks to not letting anyone know peace. This slang phrase is best used when someone does a poor or mediocre job at something or even just slightly messes up. Or just as a running bit.
Should You Use Crash Out?
I don’t pretend to have any authority over who can and can’t or should or shouldn’t use popular slang terminology. Slang and memes have the potential to bring people together and in rare cases—do good. Of course as with all of these phrases, there is a fine line between jokes and making fun of people. The internet often takes these jokes too far and they can slip into the realm of cyberbullying. Similar to that, using phrases without understanding their origin or what they truly mean can lead to appropriation and a misunderstanding of their true impact.
What do you think of crashing out slang? Do you have a favorite recent slang word?
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