Gnarly, Tubular, Rad: Exploring the Slang Words of the 80s and 90s
At Coglin’s Retro Bar in Willmington, we have all the deets on the legendary retro slang of the 80s and 90s. So, grab a bag of Doritos, some airheads and a Surge soda and let's take a stroll down memory lane!
Epicly Rad and Fresh Vocab From the 80s and 90s
From gnarly waves to phat shoes, let’s cover some of the best 80s and 90s slang words, complete with a definition and sentence usage!
Gnarly - an adjective used to describe something that is extreme or cool.
Example: "That wave was gnarly, dude!"
Tubular - an adjective used to describe something that is excellent or awesome.
Example: "That concert was totally tubular!"
Rad - an adjective used to describe something that is cool or amazing.
Example: "Your new car is rad, man!"
Fresh - an adjective used to describe something that is new or innovative.
Example: "Those kicks are fresh, bro!"
Phat - an adjective used to describe something that is attractive or impressive.
Example: "That girl is phat, yo!"
Fly - an adjective used to describe something that is stylish or fashionable.
Example: "Your outfit is fly, sis!"
Dope - an adjective used to describe something that is excellent or cool.
Example: "That party was dope!"
Chill - a verb or adjective used to describe a relaxed or easy-going attitude.
Example: "Let's just chill at home tonight."
Wack - an adjective used to describe something that is boring or uncool.
Example: "This movie is wack, let's leave."
Bounce - a verb used to describe leaving or going away.
Example: "We gotta bounce, it's getting late."
Hype - a verb or adjective used to describe excitement or anticipation.
Example: "I'm so hyped for this concert!"
Bust a move - a verb phrase used to describe dancing or performing a cool action. Example: "Did you see him bust a move on the dance floor?"
Word - an interjection used to express agreement or acknowledgment.
Example: "Word, I'm down with that plan."
Trippin' - a verb phrase used to describe someone acting crazy or irrational.
Example: "Why are you trippin', man? Everything's cool."
Wig out - a verb phrase used to describe someone losing control or freaking out.
Example: "Don't wig out on me, we can fix this."
Jams - a noun used to describe music, especially upbeat or danceable music.
Example: "Turn up the jams, I wanna dance!"
Homeboy/Homegirl - a noun used to refer to a close friend or someone from the same neighborhood.
Example: "Me and my homeboys are gonna hang out tonight."
Bogus - an adjective used to describe something that is fake or untrue.
Example: "That story is totally bogus, don't believe it."
Gag me with a spoon - a phrase used to express disgust or annoyance.
Example: "She was being so fake, it was like, gag me with a spoon!"
As if! - a phrase used to express disbelief or disagreement.
Example: "You think you're gonna win the game? As if, we're gonna crush you!"
Well, that's all the time we have for today, folks! We've covered some gnarly slang words from the 80s and 90s, and hope you've enjoyed this blast from the past. Now, if you'll excuse us, were going to go put on some Jams and wig out to some phat beats. As if you weren't going to do the same!
Come Visit Coglin’s of Wilmington To Embrace Your Inner 80s and 90s Child
Located in Historic Downtown Wilmington, Coglin’s is a spacious second-floor bar with a roofless outdoor patio that overlooks Market and 2nd street. With a large dance floor and plenty of nostalgic neon decor, you can bust a groove to amazing music while drinking retro-inspired cocktails. Jazzercise Juice, anyone? Or maybe a Blue Lagoon Fish Bowl?
Check Out Coglin’s Today
Come dance the night away with incredible DJs and classic tunes at Coglin’s Retro Bar in Wilmington. One of North Carolina’s BEST 80’s and 90’s Bar — relive the glory days of the finest decades around and party like it’s 1999! For more information on Coglin’s pop culture vibe, check out the website at www.coglins.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
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