American Slang & Idioms Starting with "M"

104 entries

• Mac and cheese Macaroni pasta with a creamy cheese sauce — an iconic American comfort food.
• Macros Macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat) tracked for dietary optimization.
• Mad (intensifier) Very; extremely — used as an intensifier before adjectives and adverbs in NYC...
• Mad nice Really good; very skilled or talented — using the NYC intensifier 'mad' befor...
• Mad respect Deep, genuine admiration and respect for someone or their accomplishment.
• Mad tight Very close (friendship); also can mean very angry or very good, depending on ...
• Madder than a wet hen A colorful Southern expression meaning extremely angry, evoking rural imagery.
• Main character A person who acts as if they're the protagonist of a movie, drawing attention...
• Main character energy The confident, standout quality of someone who lives as if they're the protag...
• Main quest Your primary goal or most important task — borrowed from video game terminology.
• Main squeeze Your primary romantic partner; the most important person you are dating.
• Major A student's primary field of study in college, chosen as the focus of their d...
• Major league Big-time, serious, important, or at the highest level.
• Make bail To successfully post bail and be released from jail while awaiting trial.
• Make it make sense This is so illogical I need someone to explain it; nothing about this is rati...
• Make it rain To throw or spend money freely and ostentatiously.
• Make my day Go ahead and try — I dare you; or: that made me very happy.
• Make the cut To meet the required standard; to qualify or be selected.
• Makeover A complete transformation of someone's appearance — new hair, makeup, wardrob...
• Making bank Casual slang meaning to earn a lot of money, especially quickly or impressively.
• Making out Kissing someone passionately and extensively, often with physical closeness.
• Mama bear A fiercely protective mother who will defend her children at all costs.
• Mama's boy A man or boy who is extremely close to his mother, often to the point where i...
• Man cave A room or space in a house dedicated to a man's hobbies and relaxation, like ...
• Manage up To strategically influence and communicate with one's own boss or superiors.
• Manifest To bring something into reality through positive thinking, visualization, or ...
• Mansplain When a man explains something to a woman in a condescending way, assuming she...
• Marine layer A blanket of low clouds and fog that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean, coverin...
• Mark (target) The intended victim of a crime, scam, or con game.
• Marone An Italian-American exclamation of surprise, frustration, or dismay — equival...
• Mash (a button) Southern dialect term meaning to press or push a button firmly.
• Match made in heaven A perfect romantic pairing — two people who seem destined to be together.
• Matinee An afternoon performance or movie showing, usually at a discounted price.
• Meal prep Preparing meals in advance, usually for the entire week, in a single cooking ...
• Meal ticket A person or thing that is a source of financial support or livelihood.
• Mean mug To give someone a hostile, aggressive facial expression; an angry or threaten...
• Mean streets Dangerous, crime-ridden urban streets.
• Mellow out To calm down, relax, and become less tense or agitated.
• Meme A funny image, video, or piece of text that spreads rapidly across the intern...
• Mensch A person of integrity and honor; a genuinely good, decent human being.
• Mental health day A day off work or school taken specifically to rest and care for mental well-...
• Messed up Made a mistake; also describes something morally wrong, broken, or emotionall...
• Messy Describes a person who stirs up drama or a situation full of complicated inte...
• Mewing A facial posture technique of pressing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, s...
• MIA Missing in Action; absent or unaccounted for.
• Mic drop A dramatic gesture of dropping the microphone after making a powerful stateme...
• Micromanager A boss or supervisor who controls every tiny detail of their employees' work,...
• Mid Something mediocre, average, or underwhelming — not terrible but not impressi...
• Middle child The child born between the oldest and youngest in a family, stereotypically o...
• Midnight snack A snack eaten late at night, often impulsively.
• Midwest goodbye The prolonged farewell ritual where leaving takes 30-60 minutes of additional...
• Midwest nice The broader regional version of 'Minnesota nice' — the Midwest cultural norm ...
• Might could Might be able to; a polite way of expressing a tentative possibility.
• Mind your P's and Q's Be on your best behavior; watch your manners carefully.
• Mind-blown So amazed, stunned, or impressed that your mind feels like it has exploded.
• Mindfulness The practice of being fully present and aware in the current moment.
• Minefield A dangerous, risky situation full of hidden problems.
• Minnesota nice The stereotypical Midwestern trait of being outwardly polite and friendly, so...
• Mint In perfect condition, flawless, or excellent.
• Miss me with that I don't want to hear it. Leave me out of that. I'm not interested in or accep...
• Miss the boat To miss an opportunity by being too slow or late.
• Mission burrito A massive, overstuffed foil-wrapped burrito originating from San Francisco's ...
• Mission creep A gradual expansion of a project or task beyond its original scope.
• Mixed drink A cocktail or any alcoholic drink made by combining liquor with mixers like s...
• Mixtape A self-released collection of songs, especially in hip-hop, often used to bui...
• Mob To go somewhere, move quickly, or roll out — Bay Area slang for heading to a ...
• Mob wife A bold, glamorous, maximalist aesthetic inspired by Italian-American mafia wi...
• Mom brain The forgetfulness, mental fog, and scattered thinking that many mothers exper...
• Mommy issues Emotional or behavioral problems in adults caused by a dysfunctional relation...
• Monday blues A feeling of sadness, low energy, or lack of motivation that comes with the s...
• Monday morning quarterback Someone who criticizes decisions after the fact, when the outcome is already ...
• Money moves Smart, strategic actions that lead to financial or personal success.
• Monochrome An outfit styled entirely in one color or shades of one color — a deliberatel...
• Moocher A person who habitually asks to borrow or share other people's things instead...
• Mood A one-word response meaning 'that's relatable' or 'I feel the same way.'
• Mood board A curated collection of images, colors, and textures that capture a desired a...
• Moolah Money, typically used in a lighthearted or humorous way.
• Moonlighting Working a second job, especially secretly or at night.
• Moonshine Illegally distilled, homemade liquor, traditionally made in rural America.
• Moots Mutual followers on social media — people who follow you and whom you follow ...
• Moping Sulking, feeling sorry for yourself, or moving around listlessly because of s...
• Morning routine A structured sequence of health and productivity habits performed every morning.
• Mosh pit An area at a concert where people aggressively push, shove, and slam into eac...
• Mother A term of ultimate admiration for someone who serves flawless style, grace, a...
• Mountain goat A person who is an incredibly strong and agile uphill hiker, seemingly unfaze...
• Mountain town A small town located in or near the mountains, often oriented around outdoor ...
• Move the goalposts To unfairly change the rules or criteria after someone has already begun tryi...
• Move the needle To make a noticeable impact or significant progress on something.
• Move-in day The day when college students arrive on campus and move into their dorm rooms...
• Moving the goalposts Changing the rules or criteria after someone has already met the original req...
• Moving too fast Progressing a relationship at an uncomfortably rapid pace — too much commitme...
• MRE Meal Ready to Eat — the standard military field ration, notorious for its taste.
• Mudding Driving a truck or ATV through mud for fun — a popular rural Midwest pastime.
• Munchie run A late-night trip to a store or fast-food place to buy snacks.
• Muscle An enforcer; someone hired for physical intimidation or violence.
• Must-see Something so good or important that you absolutely have to watch, visit, or e...
• Mute To silently hide someone's posts from your feed without unfollowing or blocki...
• MVP Most Valuable Player — the person who contributed the most or was the best in...
• MVP performance An exceptional effort or outstanding execution of a task.
• My bad A casual apology meaning 'my mistake' or 'that was my fault.'
• My dawg My close friend. Someone I trust and am loyal to.
• My go-to Your preferred or default choice; the thing or person you always turn to.
• My person The one person you trust most, confide in completely, and consider your emoti...
• My two cents My humble opinion; here's what I think, for whatever it's worth.