Disapproval & Insults

American slang for expressing disapproval, criticism, and mild insults

Introduction

Just as Americans have many ways to say something is great, they have equally creative ways to express disapproval. From calling something "lame" to declaring it "sus", these terms range from mildly critical to genuinely insulting.

This chapter covers the slang Americans use to criticise, dismiss, and express disapproval — knowing these will help you understand everyday American banter.

Themes

All American Slang & Idioms in This Chapter (69)

• Lame Something boring, uncool, or disappointing.
• Sus Short for 'suspicious' or 'suspect' — something or someone that seems untrust...
• Trash Something of terrible quality, or a person who behaves badly or lacks skill.
• Corny Something overly sentimental, cheesy, or trying too hard to be funny or cool.
• Basic A person who follows mainstream trends without originality — predictable and ...
• Wack Something terrible, stupid, or of extremely poor quality.
• Bogus Fake, fraudulent, or unfair — something that shouldn't be accepted.
• Cringe Something so awkward or embarrassing that it makes you physically uncomfortab...
• Clown A person who acts foolish, makes bad decisions, or can't be taken seriously.
• Tool A person who is foolish, easily used by others, or tries too hard to impress.
• Sketchy Something or someone that seems unsafe, untrustworthy, or potentially dangerous.
• Shady Dishonest, deceitful, or behaving in a way that suggests hidden motives.
• Janky Something poorly made, unreliable, or not working properly.
• Weak sauce Something disappointing, pathetic, or insufficiently impressive.
• Busted Broken, ugly, or caught doing something wrong.
• Tacky Something in poor taste, cheap-looking, or socially inappropriate.
• Ratchet Something or someone that is trashy, messy, or of low quality.
• Try-hard Someone who puts in excessive effort to impress others or appear cool, in a w...
• Poser Someone who pretends to be something they're not, especially to seem cool or ...
• Wannabe A person who tries to be something they're not, especially someone who imitat...
• Sellout A person who compromises their values or integrity for money, fame, or approval.
• Douchebag An arrogant, obnoxious person, typically a man who is aggressively unpleasant.
• Airhead A stupid or absent-minded person — someone whose head seems to be full of air...
• Flaky Unreliable, inconsistent, or someone who frequently cancels plans or breaks c...
• Deadbeat A lazy, irresponsible person, especially one who doesn't pay debts or support...
• Slacker A person who avoids work or effort — someone who does the bare minimum.
• Loser A person who is unsuccessful, uncool, or socially inept.
• Hot mess A person or situation that is chaotic, disorganized, or out of control, but i...
• Dumpster fire A situation that is completely out of control and disastrously bad.
• Train wreck A person or situation that is a complete disaster — so bad you can't look away.
• Drama queen A person who exaggerates situations and reacts with excessive emotion to mino...
• Party pooper Someone who refuses to join in the fun or dampens everyone's enthusiasm.
• Debbie Downer A person who constantly brings up negative, depressing, or discouraging topics.
• Karen A demanding, entitled person (typically a middle-aged white woman) who compla...
• Simp A person (usually a man) who does too much for someone they're attracted to, ...
• Thirsty Desperately eager for attention, approval, or romantic/sexual interest.
• Clout chaser Someone who does things primarily for fame, influence, or social media attent...
• Cap A lie or exaggeration — to 'cap' is to lie.
• Taking an L Suffering a loss or failure — the 'L' stands for 'loss.'
• Mid Something mediocre, average, or underwhelming — not terrible but not impressi...
• NPC A person who seems to lack independent thought, personality, or awareness — l...
• Pick-me A person who puts down their own group to win approval from the opposite gender.
• Toxic A person, relationship, or environment that is harmful, negative, or emotiona...
• Two-faced A person who acts differently behind your back than to your face — saying one...
• Snake A sneaky, untrustworthy person who betrays others — someone who operates behi...
• Fake A person who is not genuine — someone who pretends to be something they're not.
• Phony A person who is insincere or pretentious — someone whose personality or claim...
• Cheapskate A person who is excessively stingy with money — someone who avoids spending a...
• Freeloader A person who takes advantage of others' generosity without contributing anyth...
• Moocher A person who habitually asks to borrow or share other people's things instead...
• Screw-up A person who frequently makes mistakes, or a serious mistake itself.
• Space cadet A person who is dreamy, absent-minded, or seems disconnected from reality.
• Couch potato A lazy person who spends most of their time sitting on the couch watching TV.
• No-show A person who fails to appear for a scheduled event, appointment, or commitment.
• Flop Something that fails badly, especially when it was expected to succeed.
• Dud Something that fails to work as expected or turns out to be disappointing.
• A drag Something or someone that is boring, tedious, or brings down the mood.
• Played out Something that has been overused, overdone, or is no longer fresh or interest...
• Cheesy Something overly sentimental, cheap-looking, or trying too hard to be impress...
• Wishy-washy Unable to make decisions or take a firm stance — lacking conviction or backbone.
• Half-assed Done with minimal effort, care, or attention — incomplete or poorly executed.
• Creep A person whose behavior makes others uncomfortable — someone who is unsettlin...
• Weirdo A strange or eccentric person — someone who doesn't conform to normal behavior.
• Goofy Silly, foolish, or behaving in a playfully ridiculous way.
• Roast To mock or make fun of someone aggressively but usually in a humorous, good-n...
• Burn A clever insult or comeback that leaves someone embarrassed — also used as an...
• Diss To disrespect or show contempt for someone — also the insult itself.
• Cheugy Something that is outdated, uncool, or trying too hard — the opposite of trendy.
• The ick A sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion toward someone you were previously a...