23 Phrases Millennials Need To Retire Immediately

Kasia Mikolajczak
woman gesturing stop with her hand
Pexels | Pexels

Ah, millennials, what can you say about them? They sure have their quirks, huh? Being a child of the '80s and a teenager of the '90s was definitely a fun time. But since then, millennials have grown up. And with that comes a change of behavior, no?

So don't you think that as an adult, it's time to retire some of the millennial catchphrases that are now pretty much outdated? I think so, too. Let's take a look at a few things millennials should stop saying right now.

'I can't even.'

young woman
Unsplash | Joanna Nix-Walkup

Ugh, I can't even! Again, who came up with that? Try using this in a sentence as a writer. Yeah, good luck with that. Grammarly will totally yell at you, and I can see why. Let's pick a new way to show our inability to handle things, okay?

'Selfie'

woman taking a selfie
Unsplash | Amy Humphries

Yes, we know you're taking a selfie, so you don't have to say the word. Newsflash, you don't have to spell everything out — we get it. That goes along with using a selfie stick, too. I've seen enough of those, lol.

'Adulting'

woman crying
Giphy | Shalita Grant

First of all, who came up with that catchphrase? Truth be told, I never liked it. So I'm really thrilled that people are sick and tired of it. Let's get rid of it once and for all. Who's with me?

'I did a thing.'

Ikea building
Pexels | Pexels

Seriously? Usually, millennials say "I did a thing" and then show us the most basic stuff like shopping at Ikea. I don't care if you shop there. It's not earth-shattering news. So don't make it sound like it's more important than it is. Am I right?

'Doggo'

dog
Unsplash | Victor Grabarczyk

Aww, this one I kind of like. In fact, I used this phrase like last week, ha, ha. It's just so cute, so I can't help it. But I get it — it definitely has been overused in the past. Maybe we can find another word to replace it, huh?

'Fur babies'

woman holding a cat
Unsplash | Japheth Mast

Just like "doggo," the "fur babies" phrase has been used to death, no? But I still dig it, hee-hee. As a fur baby mama, I like that title, and I'm sticking to it, okay? So don't try to take it away from me.

'Funsies'

three people jumping in the air
Unsplash | Zachary Nelson

Millennials are always there to tell us how much fun they're having. So much so that they had to come up with a catchphrase just to describe it. And I don't know about you, but I'm over it. It's time to find another "fun" word to replace it. Let's go.

'Basic'

woman saying "ya basic!"
Giphy | NETFLIX

How does one find a so-called nicer way to insult somebody? Oh, yeah, use the word "basic," and you got them. I think it's just a way to one-up each other. It's like the last thing you want is for somebody to use "basic" to describe you or your lifestyle. Let's drop this all together. Shall we?

'On fleek'

stylish woman
Unsplash | Sofia

I would really love to know who was the first person to say that? I mean, it's catchy — you have to give them that. But it makes zero sense. Why not just say that something is on point, huh? I don't get it.

'Lit'

man at an outdoor concert
Giphy | Justin

Every generation has its catchphrase to showcase that something is really happening. And for millennials, that phrase happens to be "lit." That party last nite was so "lit." I don't know about you, but I prefer to say "cool." That word will never go out of style, at least for me, hee-hee.

'Bye Felicia'

woman writing "bye XX" in red lipstick
Pexels | Pexels

Since when did Felicia become the person nobody cares about hehe? Aww, I feel bad for anybody who's got that name. Unless you're saying bye to them, then it actually makes sense, lol. I think it's time we say "sayonara" to that phrase, eh?

'Netflix and chill'

couple watching Netflix
Pexels | Pexels

So an innocent Tweet turned this phrase on its head, and it took on a life of its own, huh? I guess every generation has its own way to hint that they're about to get it on with someone, and this happened to be the millennials' way of saying so.

'Sorry not sorry'

woman saying "sorry not sorry."
Giphy | chescaleigh

Okay, if you're going to say you're sorry and then immediately take it back, then why say it at all? Oh, you're not sorry. I get it. That's one way to rub it in, huh? Well, let's just move on from that.

'Salty'

grumpy young man
Unsplash | Karina Tess

Since when being in a bad mood has become cool? Oh, yeah, since the word "salty" came into play. I mean, it sounds a lot sexier to say that than telling people you're grumpy. Am I right? Maybe not.

'Bae'

woman jumping on the back of a man
Unsplash | Carly Rae Hobbins

Don't you love it when people invent cute ways to call their partners? There were the "sweethearts," the "lovebugs," the "babes," and so on. And then millennials got tired of saying the word "baby" or "babe" and invented "bae." To me, it never sounded right. That's all I'm going to say.

'Bounce'

exit sign
Unsplash | mk. s

Let's "bounce" this joint, okay? I guess there had to be a word to describe when a person wants to leave right away. It takes too long to say that, so millennials borrowed "bounce," and it totally became the thing. However, I think it's time to move on, no?

'Goals AF'

person jumping on a mountain
Unsplash | Peter Conlan

When did everything in life become goals AF? Ha, ha! Honestly, I think people started this whole trend just so they can say that. And now it has become one of the most overused millennial catchphrases of the decade, no?

'The struggle is real'

man saying "the struggle is real."
Giphy | BBC Three

Newsflash, if somebody says this to you, they don't really understand what you're going through. In fact, they're making fun of whatever you're struggling with, lol. Yes, it's true. So if you spill your cup of coffee first thing in the morning, it's not as bad as you think. Deal with it, lol.

'Do it for the 'gram'

Person holding a phone with Instagram open
Unsplash | Solen Feyissa

Millennials grew up with social media which makes them a unique generation for that reason. So, it's no wonder that a lot of their slang revolves around posting things online. "Do it for the 'gram" basically means taking a picture of something just for the sake of posting it on Instagram. Let's all stop saying — and doing — this, okay?

'Shook'

Dr. Phil
Giphy | Giphy

How many times have you heard someone say that they're "shook" and instantly got confused? Well, it just means that someone is feeling surprised, shocked, or scared, but maybe we can just retire this word and say how we're really feeling from now on?

'Low-key'

Man sitting in sweatpants
Unsplash | Grailify

Using the phrase "low-key" isn't completely terrible. There are times when you might attend a low-key (aka casual) event. However, millennials are definitely guilty of overusing this word. What does it even mean to be "low-key sad" about your favorite show getting cancelled? Can someone explain this to me?

'Literally'

Kim Kardashian
Giphy | Bunim/Murray Productions

Remember how valley girls in the '90s used to say the word "like" all the time? Well, "literally" is the millennials' version of "like". We get it — we know you're being serious. There's no need to insert the word "literally" into every sentence.

'Sus'

Woman peering over a book
Unsplash | Natasha Brazil

If someone or something is "sus" all it means is that they are suspicious (according to millennials, anyway). I don't hear this one too much, but why not just say the rest of the word so everyone else knows what you're talking about?

Ha, ha, I can't stop laughing at these catchphrases here.

friends at a field
Unsplash | Melissa Askew

Who knew there were so many, huh? It's like millennials invented their own language. I admit it sounded fun for a while, but now it's time to move on. What catchphrase do you think is the most overused one, and you're happy to see it retired?