Slang about friends and feelings: what the words mean
Short answer: Slang about friends and feelings includes “fam” (family or very close friends), “bae” (someone you love), “FOMO” (worry about missing the fun), “ghosted” (stopped answering without a reason) and “bail” (leave or cancel plans). It is very informal.
What do these expressions mean?
| Expression | Meaning | Example | How informal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fam | Your family or very close friends | I'm cooking dinner for my fam tonight. | Informal |
| Bae | Someone you love or are dating | My best friend and I call each other bae as a joke. | Very informal |
| Ghosted | Stopped answering someone's messages without saying why | She ghosted the group chat and never replied. | Very informal |
| FOMO | Worry that friends are having fun without you | I felt FOMO when I saw the photos of the trip. | Informal |
| Bail | To leave or cancel plans | I wanted to stay, but I had to bail early. | Informal |
Is it safe to use?
Slang is very informal. It is for friends and for casual chat online, not for school, work or formal writing. “Bae” and “ghosted” are labelled very informal in the Teen Talk lessons, because they are personal words. Slang also changes fast, so a word can go out of date or change its meaning.
When do you hear these words?
- In chat and comments between friends: “fam”, “FOMO”.
- In songs and videos: “bae”.
- When people talk about plans: “bail”.
- When people talk about messages: “ghosted”.
Common mistakes with this slang
- “Bae” is a very personal word. Use it only with someone close to you.
- “Ghosted” describes something that can hurt. Do not use it as a joke about a person.
- “Bail” here means to leave or cancel, not to pay money.
- “Fam” is not only your family. It can be very close friends.
More slang
- English slang: what common slang words mean (all groups)
- Slang for saying something is great: lit, dope, fire, slay
- Slang about attitude and plans: low-key, bet, YOLO and more
- Slang about honesty: no cap, cap and sus
Questions
What does “fam” mean?
It means your family or very close friends. It is slang, so it is for casual talk.
What does “FOMO” mean?
It means the worry that friends are having fun without you. It stands for “fear of missing out”.
What does “ghosted” mean?
It means someone stopped answering your messages without saying why. It is slang and can describe a painful experience.
What does “bail” mean?
In slang, “bail” means to leave or cancel plans. “We bailed early” means we left early.
Part of the English slang guide in the 🗣️ Teen Talk tool.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.