The 1980s were a blast from the past where everything cool had its own special word.
This was the decade that turned up the volume on fun slang, giving us phrases like “rad,” “gnarly,” and “totally tubular.”
It was a time when style, music, and language came together in a totally unique way.
So, let’s put on our favorite ’80s tracks and dive into the slang that made the decade truly unforgettable.
Ready to flashback to a time when cool was king?
Let’s go!
1980’s Slang For Cool
Awesome
“Awesome” was one of the most iconic slang terms of the 1980s, used to express excitement, admiration, or approval.
Whether it was a movie, a car, or a killer outfit, if it was “awesome,” it was seriously cool.
The word became a staple in pop culture, fueled by movies, TV shows, and teen lingo of the decade.
Examples in sentences:
- “That new arcade game is totally awesome!”
- “You got front-row tickets to the concert? Awesome!”
- “This mixtape is full of awesome tracks.”
- “Her new leather jacket looks awesome!”
- “That party last night was awesome, dude!”
Bodacious
“Bodacious” was a classic 1980s slang term that combined “bold” and “audacious” into one word.
It was used to describe anything remarkable, from a gnarly skateboarding trick to a totally radical outfit.
The word had a larger-than-life feel, often used by surfers, skaters, and anyone looking to add extra flair to their compliments.
Examples in sentences:
- “That was a bodacious move on your BMX!”
- “Check out that bodacious sunset—it’s unreal!”
- “Her hair is so bodacious today!”
- “Dude, that was a bodacious party last night!”
- “This car is bodacious—just look at the paint job!”
Cowabunga
“Cowabunga” was a totally tubular exclamation that became a staple of 1980s pop culture.
Originally used by surfers to express excitement when catching a big wave, it later gained widespread fame thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Whether someone was celebrating an epic win or just pumped about life, “Cowabunga” was the go-to phrase for expressing sheer joy and excitement.
Examples in sentences:
- “Cowabunga, dude! That was an epic wipeout!”
- “We’re going to the arcade after school—Cowabunga!”
- “He landed the trick perfectly and shouted, ‘Cowabunga!’”
- “Cowabunga! This pizza is the best!”
- “When they won the game, the whole team yelled ‘Cowabunga!’”
Dope
In the 1980s, “dope” became a popular way to describe something as exceptionally cool or high-quality.
Whether it was a fresh outfit, a killer song, or an awesome skateboard trick, if it was “dope,” it was seriously impressive.
The word originated in hip-hop culture and quickly spread into mainstream slang, solidifying its place as a go-to term for anything outstanding.
Examples in sentences:
- “That jacket is dope! Where’d you get it?”
- “This new mixtape is totally dope!”
- “Did you see his high score? That was dope!”
- “Your dance moves were dope at the party last night.”
- “Check out my new Walkman—it’s so dope!”
Fly
In the 1980s, if something was “fly,” it was seriously cool, fashionable, or impressive.
Often used to describe a person’s outfit, style, or confidence, “fly” was a must-know term in hip-hop culture and beyond.
Whether it was a fresh tracksuit, a hot new car, or someone with undeniable swagger, calling it “fly” was the ultimate compliment.
Examples in sentences:
- “Those new kicks are fly!”
- “She always looks so fly in those shades.”
- “That convertible is fly as hell!”
- “His dance moves were fly at the club last night.”
- “You’ve got a fly jacket on—where’d you get it?”
Fresh
In the 1980s, “fresh” was the go-to word for anything trendy, stylish, or exciting.
Whether it was a new outfit, a cool hairstyle, or a slick dance move, if it was “fresh,” it meant it stood out in the best way possible.
The term was especially popular in hip-hop culture, where being “fresh” was a badge of honor.
Examples in sentences:
- “That jacket is fresh—I need one!”
- “Did you see his fresh dance moves?”
- “This track is fresh, straight off the charts!”
- “She always keeps her style fresh and unique.”
- “That new car is looking fresh!”
Gnarly
“Gnarly” was a classic 1980s slang word, especially popular among surfers, skaters, and adrenaline junkies.
It was used to describe anything intense or out of the ordinary, whether that was an amazing trick, a wild party, or even a nasty wipeout.
While it could be used in a positive or negative way, it was most often a term of admiration for something bold and daring.
Examples in sentences:
- “That wave was totally gnarly, dude!”
- “Did you see that gnarly skateboard trick?”
- “The traffic was gnarly this morning—took me an hour to get here.”
- “His new guitar solo is absolutely gnarly!”
- “I wiped out hard on my bike—so gnarly!”
Rad
“Rad” was a staple of 1980s slang, used to describe anything that was exceptionally cool or awesome.
It originated from “radical,” which was a term for extreme or revolutionary things but became widely used among surfers, skaters, and the general youth culture of the decade.
If something was “rad,” it was top-tier in terms of style, fun, or excitement.
Examples in sentences:
- “That movie was totally rad!”
- “Check out his rad new skateboard.”
- “This party is rad—we have to stay all night!”
- “He’s got a rad collection of 80s vinyl records.”
- “Those neon sunglasses are so rad, dude!”
Stoked
“Stoked” was a major part of 1980s slang, especially among surfers and skateboarders.
It expressed intense excitement or anticipation, whether about an upcoming event, a great experience, or just feeling pumped about life.
If you were “stoked,” you were beyond happy—you were fired up and ready to go!
Examples in sentences:
- “I just got tickets to the concert—I’m so stoked!”
- “He was totally stoked after landing that trick.”
- “We’re heading to the beach this weekend, and I’m stoked!”
- “She was stoked to get her dream job.”
- “That new arcade game is coming out next week—I’m stoked!”
Tubular
“Tubular” became a widely-used expression in the 1980s, largely popularized by surfers and the skateboarding culture.
The term was used to describe anything that was considered awesome, exciting, or amazing.
It’s an adjective that conveyed a feeling of admiration or excitement for something truly extraordinary.
Examples in sentences:
- “That surf session was totally tubular!”
- “You should’ve seen that party—it was tubular!”
- “The new video game is so tubular, I can’t stop playing.”
- “She had a tubular time at the concert last night.”
- “This movie is tubular! You have to see it!”
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Founder -
@PollyWebster
Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.
Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.
Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.