When it comes to classic eras in the United States, the 1970s certainly sticks out in the public consciousness. Sayings from this era are no exception. From ‘dude’ to ‘groovy’, there are dozens of expressions from this era that we continue to use in our day to day vocabulary. Other lingo hasn’t aged quite as well!
Whether you want to reminisce on some of the hilarious things you said back in the 1970s, or uncover the slang that defined a generation, follow along below for some ‘bitchin’ ‘70s expressions!
Popular Lingo & Expressions From the 1970s
| Key Takeaways – The ‘70s had so many unique phrases: Terms like “groovy”, “far out”, and “boogie” defined the era’s cultural vibe. – Popular greetings and farewells: People loved to say “Yo” and “What it is” to say hello in the 1970s, whereas they’d say ‘peace’ or ‘catch you on the flip side’ to say goodbye. – How well 1970s phrases have aged varies: Some slang terms, like “dude”, “chill out”, and “bummer” are still used today, while others, like “jive turkey”, and “dreamboat”, have run their course, and are commonly seen as corny and outdated today. |
1. Describing People
Compliments & Ways to Say Someone Is “Cool”
The ’70s were full of hunks and foxy ladies! Check out these commonly used ways to speak highly of someone in the ’70s:
- Foxy / Fox – attractive (usually women)
- Stone fox – extremely attractive
- Hunk – handsome guy with muscles
- Dreamboat – attractive male
- Far out – amazing or impressive person
- Cool cat – someone who’s laid back and hip
- Groovy – chill, stylish, or generally cool
- Smooth operator – suave, slick guy
- Outta sight – awesome person
- Righteous – genuine, cool person
- Boss – someone who’s cool or in control
- Right on – affirmation, someone who gets it
- Soul brother/sister – someone in your cultural/social circle
- The man – someone in authority, often sarcastic
Insults & Negative Terms
Not everybody was righteous back then. Here are common ways people in the ’70s insulted one another (believe it or not, getting called some of these silly names was downright offensive back in the day!):
- Jive turkey – someone fake or deceptive
- Tool – Foolish or used person
- Turkey – idiot or fool
- Square – uncool or old-fashioned person
- Dipstick – a dumb person
- Bozo – clown or fool
- Spaz – clumsy or over-excited person
- Geek – overly studious or socially awkward person
- Dweeb – loser or nerd
- Narc – someone who tells on others, usually to authorities
- Space cadet – someone out of it, flaky
- Airhead – not very smart
- Wannabe – someone trying too hard to be something they’re not
- Lighten up – relax, stop being serious
2. Describing Things / Situations
Good Things
There were so many positive things to experience in the ’70s, from disco-filled dance floors to the rise of Saturday morning cartoons. Here are ways people spoke of the good times back then:
- Groovy – great or enjoyable
- Far out – extraordinary or amazing
- Outta sight – excellent
- Neat-o – cool or awesome
- Boss – top-notch
- Funky – cool in a weird or retro way
- Heavy – profound or deep
- Solid – dependable or good
- Right on – totally agreed, perfect
- Dig it – appreciate or enjoy something
- Dynamite – fantastic
Bad Things
Not everything was groovy in the ’70s. Consider these expressions used to describe the bad or hard times:
- Bummer – unfortunate situation
- Drag – something boring or annoying
- Bogus – unfair, fake, or lame
- Lame – uncool or disappointing
- Downer – something depressing
- Crummy – low quality or bad
- Hassle – annoying situation or task
- Rip-off – something overpriced or unfair
3. Exclamations / Reactions
Sometimes people just need to chill out and keep on truckin’! Check out these common responses people would use back in the day:
- Can you dig it? – Do you understand?
- Right on! – Expression of agreement or enthusiasm
- Keep on truckin’ – Stay positive, keep going
- Don’t have a cow – Don’t overreact
- Sit on it – Shut up or go away
- That’s the way the cookie crumbles – That’s life
- Catch you on the flip side – See you later
- No way! – Disbelief or refusal
- Psyche! – Just kidding
- Bitchin’! – Really awesome
- Burn! – Sick insult or comeback
- Chill out – Relax
4. Greetings & Goodbyes
“Peace bro! Catch you on the flip side” Here are all of the ways people would say hi and bye back in the 1970s:
- What it is? – What’s up?
- Yo – Hey
- Peace – Goodbye or “cool”
- Catch you on the flip side – See you later
- Lay some skin – Give a high-five
- Later days – See you later
- Hang loose – Stay cool
5. Phrases About Love & Dating
Dating culture changed drastically in the 1970s with the rise of discos and evolving gender-roles. This common lingo sums up romance in that era perfectly:
- Going steady – Officially dating
- Making out – Kissing
- Getting it on – Making love
- Knocked up – Pregnant (slang)
- Love child – Baby born out of wedlock
- Free love – Casual relationships without commitment
- Doing your own thing – Embracing independence (often in dating or life choices)
6. Drugs / Party Culture
Like it or not, drugs and partying were a key component of ’70s culture. Check out these common expressions for partying in that time:
- Grass – Marijuana
- Mary Jane – Marijuana
- Doobie – Joint
- Tripping – High on psychedelics
- Stoned – High
- Baked – High
- Zoned out – Mentally gone from drug use
- Buzz – A light high
- High – Under the influence
7. Fashion / Appearance
From bell-bottom jeans to afros on the dance floor, fashion from the 1970s has stood the test of time! Check out this far out fashion lingo!
- Threads – Clothes
- Duds – Clothes
- Dig those threads – Nice outfit
- Decked out – Dressed up
- Funky – Stylish or cool in a unique way
- Stylin’ – Looking good
- Far out look – Wild or trendy appearance
8. Vehicles & Driving
Iconic cars like the Camaro and Ford Bronco dominated the 1970s. Automobile culture was fully ingrained into day-to-day life for most Americans at this point. Here’s how they described their classic hot rods back in the day:
- Cruisin’ – Driving around aimlessly for fun
- Ride – Car
- Wheels – Car
- Beater – Old, run-down car
- Hot rod – Fast, tricked-out car
- Gas guzzler – Car that uses a lot of fuel
- Burn rubber – Drive off quickly
- Floor it – Step on the gas
9. School / Social Life
Some people were cutting class while others were a teacher’s pet! Here’s how people talked about high school back in the day:
- Book it – Leave quickly
- Cut class – Skip school
- Brown-noser – Teacher’s pet
- Brainiac – Smart person
10. Music / Pop Culture
Disco and rock dominated the era and for good reason – many of these jams remain certified classics to this day! Here’s the groovy slang they would use on and off the dancefloor in the 1970s:
- Boogie – Dance
- Disco – Popular music/dance style
- Jam – Song or dance party
- Funk – Music genre and attitude
- Groovin’ – Enjoying the music
- Get down – Start dancing
- Jive – Talk or dance, often fast or showy
11. Money & Work
Work culture was as integral to American society as it is today. Here’s how people talked about hustling at their jobs to make the big bucks:
- Bread – Money
- Bucks – Dollars
- Green – Cash
- Moo-lah – Money
- Hustle – Side gig or working hard
- Rake it in – Make a lot of money
12. General Slang / Miscellaneous
While these specific phrases might not fit into a specific category, many of them remain prevalent in modern day vocabulary!
- Chill – Relax or take it easy
- Nifty – Cool or clever
- Swell – Great or pleasant
- Hunky-dory – All good
- Zip it – Be quiet
- Out to lunch – Clueless
- Heavy – Deep, serious, or emotional
- Flake – Someone who’s unreliable
What ’70s slang has stood the test of time?
These quintessential 1970s expressions remain in use to this day! Check out these words and phrases you’re probably still using in your day-to-day vocabulary and that remain present in pop culture:
- Cool – Still one of the most universal ways to describe something good or impressive.
- Chill / Chill out – Used to tell someone to relax or calm down, now also used as a vibe (e.g., “chill night”).
- Dude – The iconic, gender-neutral casual way to refer to someone became commonplace in the ’70s.
- Bummer – Frequently used when something unfortunate or disappointing happens.
- Right on – Used to express agreement or enthusiasm; still used, especially in retro contexts.
- Keep on truckin’ – A positive encouragement to keep going, often used today in a tongue-in-cheek or nostalgic way.
- Groovy – While it’s now used more ironically or retro-stylishly, “groovy” still pops up in pop culture and vintage-themed contexts.
- Boogie – Still used in fun or retro contexts to mean dancing.
- Funky – Used to describe something with a cool, unique style or vibe (still common in music!).
- Dig it / Can you dig it? – Occasionally still used in nostalgic or stylized conversation to mean “Do you get it?” or “I like it.”
- Peace – Used as a casual sign-off or greeting, especially in texts or retro-themed conversation.
- Jam – Is there any better way to describe a song you love? Along with banger, classic, etc., great songs are still just a ‘total jam’.
- Far out – Though dated, it’s still used to describe something especially cool, in a quirky or throwback way.
- Bread & Bucks – Slang for money, still widely recognized and sometimes used today.
- The Man – “You’re the man.” If a dude is a total bro, you’ll still use this expression to let him know!
What ’70s slang has aged poorly?
Here’s a list of 1970s slang terms that sound cringey today, feel too dated to use unironically, or have simply fallen completely out of use:
- Jive turkey – Once a biting insult, now mostly used as a joke or parody of ’70s lingo.
- Sit on it – A sassy way to say “shut up,” popularized by Happy Days now feels cheesy or awkwardly aggressive.
- Can you dig it? – Once cool and soulful, now sounds like someone trying too hard to be retro.
- Neat-o – Innocent but painfully outdated; sounds like something from a 5th-grade science fair.
- Outta sight – Meant “awesome” back in the day, but now sounds like a cheesy throwback.
- Dreamboat – What was once a top-tier compliment for a handsome guy now feels like a line from a black-and-white movie.
- Boogie down – Hasn’t made it past retro disco playlists or ironic dance party invites.
- Lay some skin – Slang for a high-five, now replaced by “dap,” “pound it,” or just… a normal high five.
- Burn rubber – While it was once commonly used to describe peeling out in a car, it sounds like something your uncle yells at a red light today.
- Sock it to me – Popular in the late ’60s/early ’’70s, but sounds overly theatrical or like a bad game show reference today.
- Gimme some skin – A once-cool way to ask for a handshake or high five, now feels cartoonish.
- Heavy – Used to mean deep or emotional, but now more likely to be misunderstood or sound out of place.
- Catch you on the flip side – A cutesy way of saying goodbye tied to cassette culture; now just sounds like dad-joke territory.
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Sources:
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/
- https://www.aol.com/7-bizarre-dating-rules-’70s-214017824.html
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