Every generation has its own slang, catchphrases, and ways of speaking that can be a little irritating to those who aren’t in the same age group. Millennials, in particular, have picked up certain phrases that seem to stick around no matter how much they annoy people.
Here are 21 of the most eye-roll-worthy things millennials say that drive people crazy.
Adulting is hard
Millennials love to use “adulting” to describe doing basic life tasks like paying bills, cooking dinner, or going to work. It started as a funny way to acknowledge the struggles of growing up, but at this point, it just sounds like an excuse. Everyone has to deal with responsibilities – it’s not some special burden.
I can’t even
This phrase was all over the internet for years, usually paired with some dramatic reaction to a minor inconvenience. “I can’t even” doesn’t actually finish the sentence, which makes it extra irritating. What can’t you do? Form a full thought?
People who hear this too often get tired of the exaggerated response to something that isn’t really that shocking. At one point, it was funny and relatable, but now it just sounds lazy.
Sorry, not sorry
People use this when they want to act unapologetic while still acknowledging they might be wrong. It’s a way to be passive-aggressive without fully owning up to it. Instead of just admitting they don’t care about someone’s feelings, millennials throw this phrase out like it makes them untouchable. It’s become one of those sayings that sounds playful at first but quickly turns obnoxious.
That’s my trauma response
Lately, everything is a “trauma response,” even things that have nothing to do with trauma. It’s fine to acknowledge mental health struggles, but throwing this term around for everyday frustrations makes it lose meaning. Not wanting to reply to emails? That’s not trauma, that’s procrastination.
It’s giving…
This phrase popped up on social media and somehow made its way into everyday conversations. “It’s giving” is usually followed by some kind of vague description, like “It’s giving boss energy” or “It’s giving 90s nostalgia.” It started as a fun way to describe a vibe, but now it’s been overused to the point where people can’t stand it.
Instead of just saying something looks cool or reminds them of something, millennials turn it into a dramatic statement.
Low-key obsessed
Millennials love to be “low-key obsessed” with things, even when they’re very clearly high-key obsessed. If you talk about something all the time, constantly bring it up, and can’t stop thinking about it, there’s nothing “low-key” about it. The phrase is supposed to sound casual, but it actually makes people roll their eyes. If you love something, just say so – there’s no need to pretend you’re playing it cool when you’re not.
No offense, but…
This is usually followed by something very offensive. Millennials throw this phrase in before criticizing someone as if it softens the blow, but it really just makes them sound insincere. If you have something to say, own it – don’t try to sneak in an insult while pretending you’re being polite. The second someone hears “no offense,” they immediately brace themselves for something rude.
Weird flex, but okay
This phrase started as a clever way to call out people who brag about random things, but now it’s used for everything. Millennials say it when they don’t know how to respond or just want to sound sarcastic.
The problem is, most people aren’t even bragging when this phrase gets thrown at them. It’s become a lazy way to dismiss someone without actually engaging in conversation.
I did a thing
Whenever millennials accomplish something – even something small – they love to announce it with “I did a thing.” Bought a new couch? “I did a thing.” Got a haircut? “I did a thing.” It’s a way to sound playful while still wanting attention, and people are tired of hearing it. If you’re excited about something, just say it.
There’s no need to turn it into a vague, cutesy statement. This phrase tries to be relatable, but instead, it just makes it sound like the person is fishing for validation.
Literally dying
Millennials tend to exaggerate everything, and saying they’re “literally dying” over something is one of the most overused examples. Whether they’re laughing too hard, embarrassed, or just mildly inconvenienced, apparently, it’s enough to bring them to the brink of death. Obviously, nobody believes they’re actually dying, but hearing this phrase constantly gets annoying.
Big yikes
This phrase was funny at first, but now it just feels overplayed. Millennials use “big yikes” to react to anything awkward, embarrassing, or uncomfortable, but at this point, it just sounds childish. There are plenty of other ways to express discomfort or secondhand embarrassment without resorting to overused internet slang.
I’m here for it
This phrase is meant to show support, but it’s so overused that it barely means anything anymore. Millennials say “I’m here for it” to describe excitement for anything from a new fashion trend to a celebrity drama. The problem is, it doesn’t actually add anything to the conversation. It’s become one of those automatic responses that people say without thinking.
Manifesting it
It’s one thing to stay positive, but acting like saying something out loud will magically bring it into your life is a bit much.
Hard work and effort matter more than “putting it into the universe.” But some people are convinced that just declaring they’ll get their dream job or perfect partner is enough to make it real. It’s fine to be optimistic, but sometimes, you have to do more than just manifest success.
Let’s circle back
Instead of just saying, “Let’s talk about this later” or “We’ll figure it out soon,” they throw out this phrase like it actually means something. It’s mostly used when they want to avoid making a decision but still sound professional.
The problem is, most of the time, no one actually circles back – they just move on and forget about it.
Side hustle culture
Saying things like, “I’m grinding” or “No days off” doesn’t make you sound ambitious – it makes you sound like you don’t know how to enjoy life.
Not everything needs to be turned into a job, and not everyone wants to hustle 24/7. Older generations worked hard, too, but they didn’t feel the need to make every interest into a business opportunity.
Living my best life
At this point, “living my best life” has lost all meaning. It began as a fun way to describe enjoying yourself, but now people use it for everything. Whether they’re drinking iced coffee, taking a nap, or posting a beach photo, it’s always, “Just living my best life!” It’s become one of those generic phrases that people say without thinking.
If you’re actually happy, great – but do you really need to announce it in the most overused way possible?
Sending good vibes
If someone is struggling, they probably need more than “vibes” to fix their situation. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with saying it, but after hearing it over and over, it starts to feel empty. Encouragement means more when it actually comes with real effort behind it.
This ain’t it, chief
This phrase came out of internet culture and should have stayed there. Millennials use it when they want to dismiss something without actually explaining why. It’s a lazy way of saying, “I don’t like this,” while trying to sound clever. It’s especially annoying because it’s often used in a smug, know-it-all way as if the person saying it has the ultimate judgment on what’s good or bad.
Just sayin’
Tacking “just sayin’” onto the end of a sentence is like trying to soften an insult while still getting the last word. Millennials love to use it when they want to be passive-aggressive, but it doesn’t actually make their statement any less rude.
If anything, it makes it worse. “Your idea was kind of dumb… just sayin’.” “That haircut doesn’t really suit you… just sayin’.” It’s the verbal equivalent of shrugging after offending someone as if that makes it okay.
I’m dead
Like a lot of internet slang, this phrase started out feeling fresh but quickly became overused. Now it just sounds forced, like someone trying too hard to keep up with social media trends.
If something makes you laugh, just say it’s funny – there’s no need to act like you’ve passed away from laughter.
FOMO
“Fear of missing out” (FOMO) was a real thing for a while, but at this point, it’s become one of those phrases that people throw around even when it doesn’t apply. Millennials use it as an excuse for overbooking themselves, spending money they don’t have, or feeling bad about not being at every event.
The reality is, you can’t be everywhere all the time, and that’s fine. Instead of constantly worrying about missing out, maybe just enjoy where you are. But for some reason, millennials keep clinging to this idea like they’re being left out of something life-changing.
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Parts of this article were developed using AI assistance.