Gen Xers were born between 1965 and 1980, which puts them between the ages of 44 and 59 years old. Before they became parents and corporate employees and silver foxes, they were punks and skaters, valley girls and B-boys.Â
As kids who were raised in an era when divorce was on the rise and a majority of families were two-income households, they were the definitive latch-key kids. Many Gen Xers claim to have essentially raised themselves, which gave them a strong sense of independence and self-sufficiency. And all that independence gave way to words and phrases Gen X used regularly, though they have since gone out of style.
In 2024, Gen X became part of the “sandwich” generation: an in-between generation, often caring for their aging parents and their children at the same time. They have more responsibilities now than ever before, but somewhere, deep down, a glimmer of their do-it-yourself attitude and youthful mindset remains.
Here are 11 words and phrases Gen X used regularly that have gone completely out of style
1. ‘No duh’
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Gen Xers would exclaim, “No duh!” whenever they were faced with a well-established fact. It was usually said with a mocking tone, to express disbelief that someone was declaring something so obvious. Interestingly enough, the phrase “no duh” and “duh” meant the exact same thing, and were used interchangeably.
According to a Chinese sociolinguistic study published in the journal “Theory and Practice in Language Studies,” slang can be defined as an informal use of words or phrases that are influenced by culture and historical context. It’s fairly uncommon for slang words to stay in use for more than a few years at a time. The study’s authors explained that slang is always changing: “What is new and exciting for one generation is old-fashioned for the next.”
Older slang terms either fade out of use or get folded into standard language and become the norm. The phrase “no duh” and its closely-related cousin, “duh,” are examples of phrases Gen X used regularly that have gone completely out of style.
2. ‘Bomb diggity’
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“Bomb diggity” means that something is very good or extremely impressive. The word “bomb diggity” holds a spot one step above the phrase “da bomb,” indicating that whatever’s being talked about is even better than being “da bomb.” The word “bomb diggity” has its origins in hip hop culture, which was a major influence on mainstream language and social trends, and still is today.
An academic article titled “Slang and the Semantic Use of Identity” noted that slang can be used to indicate something about a person’s identity. Slang is also a way to foster a sense of in-group solidarity, which means that using certain words and phrases show that you belong. Slang words exist in a separate universe from a word’s semantic meaning. Slang words are rooted in social meaning.
You probably won’t hear anyone describe a person or thing as being the “bomb diggity” anymore, but it was a phrase that Gen X used regularly back in the day.
3. ‘Psych!’
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Another word Gen X used regularly that has gone completely out of style is the exclamation “psych!” This word was used to let people know you were joking about something. One skater bro might turn to another skater bro and say, “Dude, you’re shredding,” only to follow it up with a sharp “psych!”
As the Chinese sociolinguistic study explained, the most basic function of language is its interpersonal function, which implies that language is used as a way to explain yourself to others and make your feelings known. Language is a connective tool, as the way we speak with one another can bring us closer together or create a sense of distance. The study’s researchers noted that the most important parts of slang are its social implications.
In the olden days of the 1980s, hearing people say “psych!” was a common occurrence. Gen Z skaters are designing their own words and phrases, just like Gen Alpha will when they get old enough to go to skateparks by themselves. Words are social currency. “Psych!” might not be cool anymore, but it was once, and that’s what matters.
4. ‘Take a chill pill’
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Telling someone to “take a chill pill” was a way of imploring them to calm down. Many Gen X kids and teenagers told their parents to take a chill pill when they got upset about Gen Xers’ grades or attitude or unwillingness to do the dishes.
The Chinese sociolinguistic study revealed that slang words form when younger generations decide to reuse old expressions and rename things to fit their worldview. They might invent entirely new words and phrases or misapply old words and phrases to mean something they never did before.
While it might be outdated now, the phrase “take a chill pill” was indicative of Gen X’s propensity to stand up to their parents and leave for the mall without doing their homework or the dishes.
5. ‘Don’t have a cow’
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Another phrase Gen X used regularly that has gone completely out of style is the phrase “don’t have a cow.” In the proverbial sense, having a cow meant freaking out, losing your mind, going postal, or any other version of overreacting. By telling someone not to have a cow, Gen Xers were telling them not to take everything so seriously.
Slang terms are often meant to be funny, and the phrase “don’t have a cow” is a fairly funny way of telling someone to leave you alone. While the origin of the phrase “don’t have a cow” can’t be traced back to anything in particular, it was popularized by the one and only Bart Simpson. The spiky-haired, bright yellow cartoon told many people not to have a cow and, as a result, Gen Xers incorporated the phrase into their lexicon. That a TV show could so deeply influence the way people spoke highlights how important pop culture was for Gen X.
For many Gen X kids, TV was a faithful friend and after-school companion while their parents were at work. Being raised on TV was incredibly common for Gen X kids, when they weren’t roaming the neighborhood unsupervised by any adult, something that rarely happens now.
6. ‘Gag me with a spoon’
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The phrase “gag me with a spoon” was used to express disbelief or disgust, as in, “I can’t believe Tiffany wore a dress without shoulder-pads to prom — gag me with a spoon!”
According to a research paper from the scholarly journal The Compass, the phrase originated in Valley Girl culture, which refers to the dialect spoken by people living in and around the San Fernando Valley in California. Valley Girls were stereotyped as dumb, ditzy, teenage girls, who cared more about fashion than substance, and spent most of their time at the mall. Valley Girl speak was often characterized by uptalk, which is a linguistic feature of ending sentences with a lilt, as though the speaker were asking a question.
While uptalk is usually negatively categorized as something only girls do, academic researchers discovered that uptalk isn’t actually gendered, and it’s done by both men and women. The researchers found that uptalk actually serves a specific purpose, known as “floor-holding.”
When a speaker thinks they’re about to be interrupted by another person, they put a rising intonation at the end of their sentence, which basically tells them, “I’m not done talking yet.” Uptalk defies the stereotype of being something only dumb girls do, and it could be seen as a way to take back power when someone tries to derail a conversation.
Saying, “Gag me with a spoon” might have gone completely out of style, but it represented an important cultural touchpoint for Gen X.
7. ‘Bogus’
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The word “bogus” meant that something wasn’t cool or fair. It’s an example of how slang takes old words and makes them new again. In its original use, “bogus” meant that something was fake or counterfeit, like a bogus designer purse you bought on the street corner. Yet Gen X took the word and refashioned it as a way to declare that something was disappointing.
The Chinese sociolinguistic study explained that many slang terms are actually old words that are given an additional meaning, and that new meaning becomes popularized. Slang words exist outside standard use of language, in that they extend meaning to terms that have been around for centuries.
The word “bogus” is now completely out of style, yet it shows how dynamic language can be.
8. ‘Gnarly’
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Another word Gen X used regularly that has gone completely out of style is the word “gnarly,” which originated from the word “gnarled,” meaning twisted, knotty, or bent. In its Gen X iteration, “gnarly” held two distinct meanings. It was a way to describe something that was difficult or something that was amazing.
The Gen X version of the word “gnarly” came from 1970s surf culture, as a way to describe a dangerous wave. Later, the word “gnarly” made its way from the beaches of California into regular use, and its meaning shifted slightly to incorporate something being awesome.
Language, and slang especially, expresses emotions when nothing else can, and “gnarly” is nothing if not expressive.
9. ‘Grody’
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The word “grody” meant disgusting, dirty, or gross. Its origin point is most likely a variation on the word “grotesque,” which means repulsive or distorted. The food at the school cafeteria might be grody, unless it was pizza day. A punk’s mohawk might be grody if they decided to stop using shampoo and use the grease as a natural way to spike their hair. “Grody” was definitely an insult, one that was used regularly by Gen X.
In the academic article, “Slang and the Semantic Use of Identity,” the author quoted a linguist who said that “Using slang makes it possible to say more or less the same thing in a variety of ways.” The word “grody” is an example of how slang can take certain words and breathe new life into them, even though it’s gone completely out of style today.
10. ‘Radical’
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Another word Gen X used regularly that has gone completely out of style is the word “radical,” which was shortened to “rad.” It meant something was very impressive or cool, like, “Rad guitar solo, dude!” The original meaning of “radical” is used to describe an action that changes the fundamental nature of something. In the ways that Gen X used them, the words “radical” and “rad” did exactly that.
According to the Chinese sociolinguistic study, conciseness is a main feature of developing slang words. The fact that “radical” made its way to a shortened “rad” showed that feature in real time, despite both words being completely out of style now.
11. ‘Cowabunga’
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The phrase “cowabunga” was a way to express approval or extreme excitement, and Gen X used it regularly. “Cowabunga” was popularized within surf culture, and then leaked into suburban homes everywhere through the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Those radioactive teen turtles shouted “Cowabunga!” as they took Shredder down and then enjoyed a victorious pizza dinner in their sewer home, and then Gen X started saying it, too.
Much like the word “cowabunga,” which has become sadly outdated, Gen X has gone through a series of cultural changes. Gen X might not have enough money to retire, but they can hold onto the social capital those words and phrases once gave them.
The era that Gen X lives in now is markedly different from the one they came from, but they can still look back and celebrate who they used to be.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango’s news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
