How every generation says that's bad
Calling something bad can mean truly awful, merely disappointing, or just not worth the hype. Each generation's preferred word shifts the force of the judgment, from Gen Z's flat mid to the older, sharper put-downs wack and lame.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X ·
Saying "that's bad" across the ages
- Gen Alphano word of its own
Bad is still the clearest everyday word here. In game chat, mid covers something that is only average, and the much harsher dog water covers a player who is terrible.
“That movie was bad, but the new game is mid.”
- Gen Zmid
Mid means average, mediocre, or underwhelming, not completely terrible. It is casual and dismissive, especially about something people hyped; Merriam-Webster lists an informal sense meaning neither very good nor very bad.
“I watched the whole thing and it was honestly mid.”
- Millennialmeh
Meh signals indifference as much as criticism: something is unimpressive, boring, or not worth strong feelings. Dictionary.com says it was first recorded in the early 1990s and popularized by The Simpsons.
“The new season was meh, so I stopped after episode three.”
- Gen Xwack
Wack means bad, weak, wrong, or disappointing, with more bite than a neutral word like mediocre. Dictionary.com says it was popularized in 1986 by Keith Haring's Crack Is Wack mural.
“That sequel was wack, and the ending made it worse.”
- Boomerlame
Lame calls something weak, boring, or disappointing, and it is an older put-down than mid or meh. Merriam-Webster lists slang senses meaning boring, foolish, or unsophisticated, and inferior.
“The party was lame, so we went home early.”
What they all have in common
All five versions judge something as falling short, but they do not all mean equally bad. Mid and meh often leave room for mild disappointment, while wack and lame sound more openly dismissive.
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How Bad Is It?
0/41. Which Gen Z term usually means average or underwhelming rather than completely terrible?
2. Which term shows indifference as well as criticism?
3. Which word is most associated with Gen X in this comparison?
4. Which term is the strongest insult and is especially associated with gaming?
Questions people ask
What is the Gen Z way to say something is mediocre?
Say mid. It means average, underwhelming, or not as good as people claimed.
What does meh mean?
Meh means unimpressive, boring, or simply not worth caring much about. It can also be used alone to show indifference.
Is dog water the same as mid?
No. Dog water is much harsher and usually insults someone's performance as extremely bad, especially in gaming.
What did Gen X say when something was bad?
Wack was a casual way to call something bad, weak, or disappointing, and it caught on in the 1980s.
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