American Slang & Idioms Starting with "H"

118 entries

• Hail Mary A desperate, last-ditch attempt with little chance of success.
• Hair of the dog Drinking alcohol the morning after to cure a hangover.
• Half-assed Done with minimal effort, care, or attention — incomplete or poorly executed.
• Hall pass A written permission slip allowing a student to be in the hallway during clas...
• Ham it up To overact or exaggerate a performance for dramatic or comedic effect.
• Hammered Very drunk, heavily intoxicated.
• Hammock camping Camping by sleeping in a hammock suspended between trees instead of in a tent...
• Handle A 1.75-liter bottle of liquor — the largest standard size sold in American st...
• Hands down Without question, easily, or by far — used for emphasis when something is cle...
• Hang in there Words of encouragement telling someone to persist through a tough situation.
• Hang loose To relax, take it easy, and go with the flow — the fundamental philosophy of ...
• Hang out To spend time casually with someone, without any specific plans or activity.
• Hang ten A classic longboard surfing move where the surfer walks to the nose of the bo...
• Hang tight A casual way to say 'wait' or 'be patient — I'll be right back.'
• Hangover The unpleasant physical effects (headache, nausea, fatigue) experienced the d...
• Hangry Irritable or angry due to hunger.
• Hankering A strong craving or desire for something, especially food.
• Happy hour A period, usually in the late afternoon, when bars and restaurants offer disc...
• Hard launch Officially and openly revealing a new relationship on social media with clear...
• Hard pass A firm, emphatic refusal or rejection of something.
• Hard stop A firm, non-negotiable end time for a meeting or commitment.
• Hard time Time served in a maximum-security or particularly harsh prison environment.
• Hard up In financial difficulty; struggling for money.
• Hardened criminal An experienced, unrepentant criminal who has been through the justice system ...
• Has a chokehold on me Something has an intense, inescapable grip on your attention or emotions — yo...
• Hat trick Three successes or achievements in a row.
• Hater Someone who criticizes, discourages, or shows negativity toward others out of...
• Haul A large shopping purchase, or a video/post showing off everything you bought.
• Hauling Going very fast, or transporting something heavy in a vehicle.
• Have a dog in this fight To have a personal stake or interest in the outcome of a dispute.
• Have a good one A friendly farewell meaning 'have a good day/evening/weekend.'
• Have several seats Sit down and be quiet; stop talking because you're wrong or out of line.
• Having a blast Having an amazing, incredibly fun time.
• Having a meltdown Experiencing an emotional breakdown, losing control of emotions, or becoming ...
• Having a moment Experiencing a brief, intense emotional episode — being temporarily overwhelm...
• Head-turner Someone or something so attractive or impressive that people literally turn t...
• Headliner The main act or star performer at a concert, festival, or event.
• Heads down Focused intently on work without distractions.
• Heads up An advance warning or notification about something that's coming.
• Healing era A period of life focused on recovering from past trauma, heartbreak, or a tox...
• Heartbreaker A person who is known for breaking people's hearts, often because they are ve...
• Heat Police attention, pressure from law enforcement, or a firearm.
• Heated Very angry, furious, or intensely agitated about something.
• Heavy hitter A powerful, influential, or important person.
• Hecka A milder, family-friendly version of 'hella,' meaning very or a lot.
• Heckin' A cute, family-friendly intensifier used in internet pet language, meaning 'r...
• Helicopter parent A parent who is excessively involved in their child's life, hovering over eve...
• Hella Very; a lot; extremely. The signature intensifier of Northern California.
• Here goes nothing I'm about to try something with low expectations of success; wish me luck.
• Here we go It's starting; brace yourself — this situation is about to unfold (often impl...
• Hero A long sandwich on Italian bread — what other regions call a sub, hoagie, or ...
• High maintenance A person who requires a lot of attention, effort, money, or emotional support...
• High school sweethearts A couple who started dating in high school and are still together years later.
• Highkey Openly, obviously, or intensely — the opposite of 'lowkey.'
• Highway robbery An outrageously high price; blatant overcharging.
• HIIT High-Intensity Interval Training — alternating between intense bursts and res...
• Hike it out To go on a hike specifically to process emotions, clear your mind, or work th...
• Hiker hunger The insatiable appetite that develops after days of intense hiking.
• Hissy fit A dramatic, childish outburst of anger or frustration; a tantrum.
• Hit a lick To make money quickly, especially through a hustle, good deal, or lucky oppor...
• Hit and run A traffic accident where the responsible driver flees the scene without stopp...
• Hit it out of the park To do something exceptionally well; to greatly exceed expectations.
• Hit me up A casual request meaning 'contact me' or 'reach out to me.'
• Hit the books A common idiom meaning to begin studying seriously, especially for exams.
• Hit the dance floor To start dancing, usually at a club, party, or wedding reception.
• Hit the mattresses To prepare for war or conflict; to hide out and prepare for battle.
• Hit the nail on the head To be exactly right about something; to identify the precise point.
• Hit the road To leave, depart, or begin a journey.
• Hit the spot To be exactly what you wanted or needed, perfectly satisfying a craving.
• Hits different Something that is uniquely good or has a special, elevated quality compared t...
• Hitting on Flirting with someone or making romantic advances toward them.
• Hoagie A large submarine sandwich — the Philadelphia term for a sub.
• Hold it down To take care of things, maintain stability, or keep everything running in som...
• Hold my beer Watch this — I'm about to do something either impressive or incredibly stupid.
• Hold up An interjection meaning 'wait' or 'stop,' often expressing surprise or the ne...
• Hold your horses Be patient; slow down; wait a moment.
• Hole in one A perfect result achieved on the first try.
• Hole-in-the-wall A small, modest, unassuming restaurant that serves unexpectedly great food.
• Holler To contact someone, talk to them, or get in touch. Also means to flirt or try...
• Holy buckets A mild exclamation of surprise or amazement — a clean Midwestern substitute f...
• Holy grail The single most coveted item in someone's fashion or beauty collection — the ...
• Home run A great success or outstanding achievement.
• Homecoming An annual college or high school event celebrating alumni returning, featurin...
• Homewrecker A person who breaks up a marriage or committed relationship by having an affa...
• Homie A close friend. Someone from your neighborhood or inner circle.
• Honeymoon phase The early stage of a relationship when everything feels perfect and both part...
• Honk To sound a car's horn, or the sound itself.
• Honky-tonk A bar or nightclub that features country music and dancing, especially a live...
• Honor roll A list of students who have achieved high academic grades during a term.
• Hooah An all-purpose Army exclamation meaning yes, understood, or expressing enthus...
• Hood Short for neighborhood, specifically referring to a predominantly Black urban...
• Hook up To have a casual sexual encounter with someone; can also mean to meet up or c...
• Hooman An intentional baby-talk spelling of 'human,' used from a pet's imagined pers...
• Hoosier A person from Indiana — the official demonym that Indianans proudly claim.
• Hooyah The battle cry of the US Navy, especially Navy SEALs, expressing motivation a...
• Hot (wanted) Wanted by the police; carrying something illegal; stolen.
• Hot and bothered Flustered, agitated, or worked up — either from embarrassment, frustration, o...
• Hot girl summer A carefree, confident, fun-filled summer focused on self-love and living your...
• Hot mess A person or situation that is chaotic, disorganized, or out of control, but i...
• Hot take A bold, controversial, or provocative opinion, often shared deliberately to g...
• Hot yoga Yoga performed in a heated room, typically 95–105°F, intended to increase fle...
• Hotdish A hearty casserole typically made with a starch, meat, canned vegetables, and...
• Hottie An attractive person — someone who is physically good-looking.
• House party A party held at someone's home rather than at a bar, club, or venue.
• How you doin'? A casual NYC greeting that doesn't expect a real answer — more of a nod than ...
• Howdy Hello; a casual, friendly greeting.
• Hubby An affectionate, informal term for a husband or long-term male partner.
• Huddle up To gather together for a quick meeting or discussion.
• Humblebrag A seemingly modest or self-deprecating statement that is actually a boast.
• Hurry up and wait A frustrating pattern of rushing to prepare, then having nothing to do.
• Hush your mouth An expression meaning 'be quiet' or expressing disbelief at what someone just...
• Hustle To work hard, often in unconventional or entrepreneurial ways; also a scheme ...
• Hustle culture The glorification of constant work and productivity as a lifestyle and identity.
• Hype man A person whose job is to energize the crowd and build excitement, often backi...
• Hype up To build excitement and enthusiasm around something or someone.
• Hypebeast Someone obsessed with buying and wearing trendy, brand-name fashion items pur...
• Hyped Extremely excited, pumped up, or eagerly anticipating something.
• Hyphy Wild, energetic, and unrestrained — a Bay Area term for getting crazy and hav...