American Slang & Idioms Starting with "S"
294 entries
- S'mores A campfire treat made by sandwiching melted marshmallow and chocolate between...
- Safety school A college that a student is confident of being accepted to, applied to as a b...
- Salty Feeling bitter, upset, or resentful, especially about something minor or a pe...
- Same I relate to that completely; I feel exactly the same way.
- Same old, same old Nothing new — everything is the same as usual.
- Sass Disrespectful or impudent talk, especially from a child to an adult; back talk.
- Sauce Personal style, swagger, and confident flair in how someone dresses and carri...
- Savage Ruthlessly honest, bold, or impressively daring — someone who says or does th...
- Saved by the bell Rescued from a difficult situation at the very last moment.
- Say less I understand completely — no further explanation needed. Count me in.
- Say no more An expression meaning you completely understand and no further explanation is...
- Say what? What did you just say? I can't believe what I'm hearing!
- Say word An exclamation of surprise or disbelief. Similar to 'no way' or 'are you seri...
- Scalable Able to grow or expand efficiently without a proportional increase in cost or...
- Scarf down To eat food very quickly, almost without chewing.
- Scenic overlook A designated viewpoint along a road or trail offering panoramic views of the ...
- Scenic route A longer but more beautiful road taken for the views rather than speed.
- Schlep To carry something heavy or cumbersome; to make a tedious journey.
- Schlub A slovenly, lazy, or unremarkable person; a slob or loser.
- Schmaltz Excessive sentimentality or cheesiness; also literally rendered chicken fat u...
- Schmaltz it up To make something excessively sentimental or emotionally over the top.
- Schmatta A rag or worn-out garment; also used to describe cheap or unfashionable cloth...
- Schmear A spread of cream cheese on a bagel; also used broadly to mean 'the whole thi...
- Schmooze To chat in a friendly, persuasive way; to network or make small talk with an ...
- Schmuck A foolish, stupid, or contemptible person.
- Scholarship Financial aid awarded to students based on academic achievement, athletic abi...
- School of hard knocks Life experience and tough lessons learned through real-world struggles rather...
- School spirit Enthusiastic pride and support for one's school, expressed through traditions...
- Schvitz To sweat profusely; also a steam bath or sauna.
- Score a parking spot To find and claim a desirable parking space, especially in a crowded area.
- Scraper A large, older American-made car customized with oversized rims, often a Buic...
- Scratch Money, especially a small or modest amount.
- Screenshot A captured image of what's displayed on a screen, or the act of capturing one.
- Screw-up A person who frequently makes mistakes, or a serious mistake itself.
- Screwed up To make a mistake or ruin something; also describes something that is broken ...
- Scrub Someone who doesn't take care of their appearance and lacks ambition or style.
- Secure the bag To ensure you get paid or lock down a financial opportunity.
- Seeing someone Casually dating a person; in the early stages of a romantic relationship.
- Self-care Deliberate activities done to maintain your mental, emotional, or physical he...
- Sell like hotcakes To sell quickly and in large quantities.
- Sellout A person who compromises their values or integrity for money, fame, or approval.
- Semper Fi Short for 'Semper Fidelis' (Always Faithful) — the US Marine Corps motto.
- Send help A humorous plea for assistance when you're overwhelmed or in a comically bad ...
- Send it To commit fully to a challenging outdoor activity without hesitation.
- Sending me Making me laugh uncontrollably — something is so funny it's metaphorically la...
- Senioritis A decline in motivation and effort experienced by students in their final yea...
- Served Delivered an impressive performance or look — presented excellence to others.
- Serving Presenting yourself in an exceptionally impressive way, delivering a stunning...
- Set for life Having enough money or resources to never need to work again.
- Set up (framed) To be framed for a crime; to be deliberately placed in a compromising position.
- Setlist The list of songs a band or artist plans to perform at a concert, in order.
- Settle down To stop living a wild or carefree lifestyle and commit to a stable relationsh...
- Seven-year itch The idea that after seven years of marriage, couples become restless and temp...
- Shacking up Living together as a couple without being married.
- Shadow banned When a platform secretly limits or hides your content without notifying you.
- Shady Dishonest, deceitful, or behaving in a way that suggests hidden motives.
- Shaka The 'hang loose' hand gesture — extending the thumb and pinky while folding t...
- Shakedown An act of extortion; demanding money or favors through threats or intimidation.
- Shank A makeshift knife or weapon, typically made in prison; to stab someone with one.
- Shape up or ship out An ultimatum telling someone to improve their behavior or performance, or els...
- Sharp Well-dressed in a crisp, polished way — looking neat and impressive.
- She shed A backyard shed or space that a woman has claimed as her personal retreat — t...
- Sheesh An exclamation of admiration, disbelief, or being impressed.
- Shell out To pay a significant amount of money, often reluctantly.
- Shell-shocked Stunned, dazed, or overwhelmed by a traumatic or shocking experience.
- Shill To promote something disingenuously while pretending to be unbiased, or a per...
- Ship To endorse or root for a romantic pairing, whether real or fictional; short f...
- Ship it To release, launch, or send out a product or project — Silicon Valley slang f...
- Shook Shocked, stunned, or deeply affected by something surprising or emotional.
- Shoot from the hip To speak or act impulsively without careful thought; to be direct and spontan...
- Shooting your shot Making a bold attempt to express romantic interest in someone, despite the ri...
- Shorty An attractive woman or girl. Can also refer to a girlfriend, a young person, ...
- Shotgun The front passenger seat of a car, or the act of claiming that seat by callin...
- Shotgun a beer To puncture a hole in the side of a beer can and drink the entire thing rapidly.
- Shotgun wedding A rushed wedding, typically because the bride is pregnant.
- Shotgunning Punching a hole in the side of a beer can and chugging the entire thing as fa...
- Shots Small, quick servings of straight liquor consumed in one gulp.
- Shoutout A public expression of recognition, gratitude, or promotion for someone.
- Show up To arrive or appear at a place; also, to outperform or embarrass someone.
- Showstopper A performance, moment, or person so impressive that it metaphorically 'stops ...
- Shred To perform exceptionally well at surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, or any...
- Shredded Having extremely low body fat with visible, defined muscles.
- Shut up An exclamation of disbelief meaning 'no way!' or 'you're kidding!' — not nece...
- Sibling rivalry Competition, jealousy, or conflict between brothers and sisters.
- Sick Extremely cool, impressive, or amazing — the opposite of its literal meaning.
- Sick of Tired of, disgusted with, or completely fed up with something or someone.
- Sickening So stylish, fierce, and flawless that it makes people sick with envy — the ul...
- Side hustle A secondary job or income source alongside your main employment.
- Side piece A secret romantic or sexual partner that someone has in addition to their mai...
- Side quest An unexpected adventure, detour, or spontaneous activity that wasn't part of ...
- Side-eye A suspicious, disapproving, or judgmental sideways glance that communicates s...
- Sides Side dishes that accompany a main course at a restaurant.
- Sideshow An illegal street gathering where drivers perform stunts like donuts, burnout...
- SigAlert A traffic alert indicating a major highway incident that will block lanes for...
- Sigma An independent, self-reliant person who doesn't follow social hierarchies — o...
- Significant other A person's romantic partner — a gender-neutral term for boyfriend, girlfriend...
- Silicon Valley The global tech industry hub in the San Francisco Bay Area, and by extension,...
- Silo (corporate) When departments or teams operate independently without sharing information o...
- Silver lining A positive aspect found in an otherwise bad situation.
- Simp A person (usually a man) who does too much for someone they're attracted to, ...
- Single and ready to mingle A playful declaration that you're single and actively looking to meet new rom...
- Sipping tea Passively observing drama or gossip without getting involved.
- Sitrep Situation report; an update on the current status.
- Situationship A romantic relationship that has no clear definition or commitment — more tha...
- Skate by To barely pass or get by with minimal effort, doing just enough to avoid fail...
- Skeleton in the closet A shameful or embarrassing secret from someone's past.
- Sketched out Feeling uneasy, suspicious, or uncomfortable about a situation, place, or per...
- Sketchy Something or someone that seems unsafe, untrustworthy, or potentially dangerous.
- Ski bum A person who lives in a ski town and prioritizes skiing over career ambitions.
- Skibidi A nonsensical word used as a meme expression, often associated with absurd hu...
- Skill issue The problem is your lack of ability, not the situation; you just need to get ...
- Skin in the game Personal investment or risk in a venture, so you have something to lose.
- Skinny fat Appearing thin but having a high body fat percentage with little muscle defin...
- Skip town To leave a place quickly, usually to avoid trouble or responsibilities.
- Slack off To be lazy or avoid doing work; to put in less effort than expected.
- Slacker A person who avoids work or effort — someone who does the bare minimum.
- Slam dunk Something that is a guaranteed success or an easy, sure thing.
- Slap your mama good So delicious that you might lose your senses; extremely good food.
- Slaps Something that is extremely good, especially music or food.
- Slay To do something exceptionally well, to look amazing, or to dominate.
- Sleek Having a smooth, polished, and streamlined appearance — stylishly minimal.
- Sleep hygiene Habits and practices that promote good quality sleep.
- Sleep on To underestimate, ignore, or fail to appreciate someone or something's value.
- Sleep on it To wait until the next day before making a decision, allowing time to think i...
- Sleep with the fishes To be murdered and disposed of, typically in a body of water.
- Sleeper hit A song, movie, or show that unexpectedly becomes popular despite little initi...
- Slice A single piece of pizza, sold individually at NYC pizza shops.
- Slick Smooth, clever, or sneaky. Can also be used as an adverb meaning 'kind of' or...
- Slide To come over, show up, or move to a different location smoothly. Can also mea...
- Slider A small hamburger, typically served as an appetizer or in multiples.
- Sliding into DMs Sending a direct message to someone on social media, usually with romantic or...
- Slinging Selling products or services, especially in an informal or hustling manner.
- Sloppy Joe A messy sandwich of seasoned ground beef in tomato sauce served on a hamburge...
- Sloshed Very drunk, similar to wasted but with a slightly lighter, humorous tone.
- Slow burn A romantic connection that develops gradually over a long period of time rath...
- Slow fade Gradually reducing communication and contact with someone to end a relationsh...
- Slow jam A slow, romantic R&B or soul song meant for intimate listening or slow dancing.
- Slower than molasses Extremely slow; painfully unhurried.
- Smackin' Delicious, really tasty. Used to describe food that tastes exceptionally good.
- SMH Abbreviation for 'shaking my head,' expressing disapproval, disappointment, o...
- Smoke 'em out To force someone out of hiding; to expose or reveal someone.
- Smoke screen A deliberate action designed to distract from the truth or hide real intentions.
- Smokeshow An extremely attractive person — someone so hot they're practically smoking.
- Smoking gun Undeniable evidence that proves guilt or wrongdoing.
- Smol A cute, intentional misspelling of 'small,' used for anything tiny and adorable.
- Smooth Effortlessly cool, charming, or skillfully executed without visible effort.
- Smoothie bowl A thick smoothie served in a bowl and topped with fruit, granola, and seeds —...
- Snack An attractive person — someone who looks good enough to be considered desirable.
- SNAFU A mistake or problem; a chaotic situation.
- Snake A sneaky, untrustworthy person who betrays others — someone who operates behi...
- Snake in the grass A deceitful, untrustworthy person who hides their true nature.
- Snap To suddenly lose your temper or composure, breaking from a calm state into an...
- Snap out of it Wake up and stop dwelling on something; pull yourself together quickly.
- Snapped Did something amazingly well — went above and beyond expectations.
- Snatch and grab A quick theft where someone grabs items and runs; a type of fast robbery.
- Snatched Looking extremely good, attractive, or perfectly styled — especially referrin...
- Sneak diss An indirect or covert insult aimed at someone without naming them explicitly.
- Snitch Someone who informs authorities about others' activities. A tattletale or inf...
- Snow day A day when school is canceled due to heavy snowfall or dangerous winter condi...
- Snowbird A person who migrates from the cold Northeast to warmer southern states (espe...
- Snowshoeing Hiking through deep snow using wide, flat snowshoes that distribute your weig...
- So random Describing something unexpectedly weird, quirky, or out of place.
- Sober curious Choosing to examine or reduce alcohol consumption without identifying as an a...
- SoCal Southern California — the region south of the Tehachapi Mountains, centered o...
- Soccer mom A suburban middle-class mother who spends much of her time driving her childr...
- Soft launch Subtly revealing a new relationship on social media without showing the perso...
- Sold out A performance or event where every ticket has been purchased, indicating mass...
- Solid Reliable, dependable, good quality, or a favor done for someone.
- Solutioning The process of developing solutions, especially in consulting and tech.
- Son A term of address for a friend, similar to 'bro' or 'dude' — not referring to...
- Sore loser Someone who reacts badly to losing, showing anger, bitterness, or poor sports...
- Sorority A social organization for female college students with Greek letter names, ri...
- Sorry, not sorry A defiant expression meaning you're not actually apologetic about something.
- Soul food Traditional African American cuisine from the Southern United States.
- Sounds good A casual way to express agreement or acceptance of a plan or suggestion.
- Southern hospitality The tradition of warm, generous, and welcoming behavior toward guests that is...
- Southpaw A left-handed person, especially a left-handed pitcher or boxer.
- Space cadet A person who is dreamy, absent-minded, or seems disconnected from reality.
- Spam Unwanted, unsolicited messages or content sent in bulk, or to overwhelm with ...
- Spaz out To freak out, lose control, or overreact dramatically about something.
- Speak of the devil Said when the person you were just talking about unexpectedly shows up.
- Speed trap A stretch of road where police frequently hide to catch speeders, or a town k...
- Spendy Expensive — the Midwestern way of saying something costs a lot.
- Spicy Emotionally charged, feisty, or provocative — having an edge or intensity tha...
- Spill To share gossip, secrets, or juicy information — short for 'spill the tea.'
- Spill the beans To reveal a secret or share confidential information.
- Spill the tea To share gossip or reveal juicy, often scandalous information.
- Spin class A group indoor cycling workout class with high-energy music and an instructor.
- Spinoff A new show, movie, or product derived from an existing one, featuring charact...
- Spiraling Losing control of anxious thoughts, rapidly descending into panic or emotiona...
- Spit To rap or deliver lyrics, especially with skill and intensity.
- Spit shine To clean or polish something hastily; also a thorough polish using spit and e...
- Spitting game Flirting with someone or using smooth, persuasive talk to attract romantic in...
- SPK Salt, pepper, ketchup — the standard condiment combo on NYC breakfast sandwic...
- Splurge To spend a lot of money on something, especially as a treat.
- Spoiler alert A warning that you're about to reveal key plot details, or used sarcastically...
- Spot me To assist someone during a weightlifting exercise for safety.
- Spread A large, impressive display of food laid out for a gathering.
- Spring break A one- to two-week vacation from school in the spring, famous in American cul...
- Squad goals A group of friends whose dynamic is so admirable that others aspire to have a...
- Square up To prepare to fight. To put your fists up and get ready for a physical confro...
- Squared away Well organized, prepared, and in proper order.
- Squid A Navy sailor — used as a nickname, sometimes affectionate, sometimes teasing.
- Stacks A lot of money, usually implying neatly piled cash.
- Stage dive The act of jumping off the stage into the crowd at a concert, trusting the au...
- Stage five clinger A person who becomes excessively attached and needy very quickly in a relatio...
- Stakeholder Anyone who has an interest in or is affected by a project, decision, or organ...
- Stan To be an extremely devoted fan of someone, or to strongly support and admire ...
- Stand down Relax; stop being aggressive or confrontational; return to a non-alert state.
- Stand-up A morally upright, reliable person who does the right thing.
- Stand-up guy A person of integrity who is reliable, loyal, and honest — especially under p...
- Standing ovation When the entire audience stands up and applauds to show exceptional appreciat...
- Standing room only So crowded that all seats are taken and people must stand; extremely packed.
- Stargazing Observing the night sky, stars, and astronomical phenomena, especially from d...
- Starter marriage A first marriage that ends in divorce relatively quickly, often before the co...
- Stash A hidden supply of drugs, money, or weapons; to hide something secretly.
- State fair An annual multi-day festival celebrating agriculture, food, entertainment, an...
- Stateside In or relating to the United States; back home in America.
- Stay hydrated The mantra of drinking enough water throughout the day for health.
- Stay in your lane Mind your own business; stick to what you know.
- Stay woke A call to remain aware and vigilant about social injustice and deception.
- Steal someone's thunder To take credit for someone else's idea or to overshadow their moment.
- Steal the show To outperform everyone else and become the most memorable part of an event, e...
- Steezy A combination of 'style' and 'ease' — performing a trick or action with effor...
- Step up To take responsibility, increase effort, or rise to meet a challenge.
- Step up to the plate To take responsibility, accept a challenge, or volunteer for a difficult task.
- Steppin' out Going out somewhere while looking especially well-dressed and put together.
- Stick shift A manual transmission car that requires the driver to shift gears using a sti...
- Sting An undercover police operation designed to catch criminals in the act.
- Stir-crazy Restless, agitated, or going crazy from being stuck indoors or in one place t...
- Stoked Extremely excited and enthusiastic about something.
- Stood up When someone fails to show up for a planned date or meeting, leaving you wait...
- Stoop The front steps or small porch of a building, especially a brownstone or apar...
- Stoop sale A yard sale or garage sale held on the front steps (stoop) of an NYC building...
- Stoopid Extremely good; impressively skillful — an emphatic term of praise.
- Stoplight A traffic signal, especially when referring to the red light that means stop.
- Storytime An announcement that you're about to share a dramatic or entertaining persona...
- Straight A's Perfect grades; receiving the highest possible marks in all courses.
- Straight fire Absolutely excellent with no reservations — an intensified version of 'fire.'
- Straight from the horse's mouth Information from the most reliable or authoritative source.
- Straight up Honestly, directly, and without any exaggeration or sugarcoating.
- Straphanger A subway rider; someone who commutes by subway, especially standing and holdi...
- Strapped for cash Short on money; having very limited funds.
- Streaming Watching or listening to content in real-time over the internet, or broadcast...
- Street cred Respect and credibility earned through real-life experience, especially in ur...
- Street smart Having practical intelligence and survival skills learned from real-world exp...
- Streetwear A casual fashion style rooted in hip-hop, skate, and urban culture — sneakers...
- Stress eating Eating food in response to emotional stress rather than physical hunger.
- Strike out To fail completely, especially after multiple attempts.
- Stringing along Keeping someone in a relationship or romantic pursuit without genuine commitm...
- Struggle bus A humorous way to describe having a really hard time with something.
- Student loans Money borrowed to pay for college education, repaid with interest after gradu...
- Student section A designated area in a stadium where college students stand together to cheer...
- Study abroad A college program where students spend a semester or year studying at a forei...
- Study buddy A friend or classmate you regularly study with.
- Study group A group of students who meet regularly to study together, review material, an...
- Stuffed Extremely full from eating too much food.
- Stunner Someone who is stunningly attractive or an outfit that is breathtakingly impr...
- Stunting Showing off one's success, wealth, or style in an impressive way.
- Sub A long sandwich made on a roll, also called a submarine sandwich.
- Subtweet A post on social media that indirectly refers to someone without mentioning t...
- Sucker punch An unexpected attack or blow that catches someone completely off guard.
- Sugar daddy A wealthy older man who lavishes gifts and money on a younger romantic partner.
- Summit (verb) To reach the top of a mountain or peak.
- Sunday best Your nicest, most formal clothing, traditionally worn to church on Sunday.
- Sunday driver A person who drives very slowly and cautiously, annoying other drivers.
- Sunday scaries The anxiety and dread felt on Sunday evening about the upcoming work or schoo...
- Sunrise hike A hike timed so that you reach a summit or viewpoint at sunrise.
- Sunset chaser A person who actively seeks out scenic locations to watch and photograph suns...
- Super An intensifier meaning 'very' or 'extremely' — used to amplify any adjective.
- Superfood A food marketed as exceptionally nutrient-dense and beneficial for health.
- Supersize To upgrade to the largest available portion size, especially at fast-food res...
- Supper A regional term for the evening meal, used mainly in the South and rural area...
- Supper club A distinctly Midwestern type of restaurant featuring a relaxed atmosphere, a ...
- Supplement stack A combination of dietary supplements taken together to enhance workout results.
- Sure thing An emphatic way to say 'yes,' 'of course,' or 'you're welcome.'
- Surface streets Regular city streets as opposed to freeways — used when choosing to avoid hig...
- Sus Short for 'suspicious' or 'suspect' — something or someone that seems untrust...
- SUV Sport Utility Vehicle — a large, high-riding vehicle that has become the domi...
- Swag Confident style, cool demeanor, or an aura of effortless coolness.
- Swaggy Having a cool, confident style — the adjective form of swagger.
- Swamped Extremely busy or overwhelmed with work or tasks.
- Sweeper A vacuum cleaner — the standard Midwest term for the appliance.
- Sweet corn Fresh corn on the cob — a summer staple and source of intense Midwest pride.
- Sweet tea Cold tea that is heavily sweetened with sugar while still hot, served over ic...
- Sweet tooth A strong craving or love for sweet foods and desserts.
- Swim lane A person's or team's designated area of responsibility.
- Swimming hole A natural spot in a river, creek, or lake where people swim, especially a hid...
- Swipe left To reject or pass on someone, originally on dating apps; used broadly to expr...
- Swipe right To indicate interest in someone, originally on dating apps; now used broadly ...
- Switchback A zigzag section of trail that goes back and forth up a steep slope.
- Swole Very muscular; having large, well-developed muscles.
- Syllabus week The first week of a college semester when classes are easy and professors mos...
- Synergy The supposed benefit of different teams or ideas working together for a great...