Iowa’s Top Searched Slang Terms for 2024- Memes & Gen Alpha Lingo

Some days I just wish we wouldn't. New is not always better, and to be fair sometimes the old shouldn't get a return either. Well, move over, LOL and OMG! Iowa’s got some new slang in town, and it’s stranger and funnier (or dumber) than ever. The great state of corn and "Iowa-kind" has been doing some serious Googling to keep up with the latest lingo (Parents, I'm sure it's from us). Yes, from TikTok's, Instagram, YouTube, and memes, all the way to obscure academic references, here are the ten slang terms Iowans apparently can’t stop searching for in 2024.

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#10: Katz

Forget cats, katz is what you want to keep an eye on. It’s a catchall for anything awesome, enjoyable, or just downright “katz.” Did someone ask if you want extra whipped cream on your hot cocoa? Katz! It can even be a cool way to say “yes”—because simply saying “yes” is so last year. Where is that sigh emoji button at...

#9: Hawk Tuah

Seriously Iowa? This, we'll say, colorful phrase came from a street interview with the now Tennessee "legend" Hailey Welch, who said it was her "signature move." I don't think any elaborating needs to be made here...

#8: Oeuvre

You're exactly right, this is the word our snooty English professors would use to describe Shakespeare. But now this French word has become Iowa slang fodder. People are whipping out “oeuvre” when they want to talk about their own personal “body of work,” like the ten TikToks they posted last month. Using a fancy French word for your YouTube playlist? You may think it makes you chic or smart, and trust me, you are one smart burro.

#7: Schmaltz

Schmaltz is a word that’s been floating around for a while. In 1935 it literally meant melted or rendered fat. It's also used to describing something as way too sentimental. Here in Iowa, people are bringing “schmaltz” back to poke fun at movies, music, or any other sappy social media post. Come to think of it, isn't Taylor Swift pretty "schmaltzy"? We're also talking hallmark movies and overly dramatic Instagram captions. Next time you see a tear-jerker, feel free to scoff and mutter “schmaltz!”

#6: Rizz

If you have kids, then you knew it would be on the list. This one is easy to break down. “Rizz” is all about charm, (aka Drip) that natural magnetism that draws people in. Need to impress a crush? You better have some serious “rizz” to back it up. Want to turn heads as you walk into a room? That’s rizz in action. And let’s be real, for these kids, it is a way easier to spell “rizz," than to type out “charisma.”

#5: SMH

Most of us know this classic, but for boomers it's become the new "bread and butter". And yes, sometimes the oldies are the goodies. SMH (“shaking my head”) is the internet’s ultimate sigh expression. A term for the exasperated parent, the eye-rolling sibling, and anyone who’s been asked “Why are you like this?” more than once. In Iowa, SMH is basically shorthand for, "Seriously?"

#4: Aura

This one has been around forever, but mostly only "hippies" used it. Now it's a teen slang term for someone's popularity or lack thereof. It’s the Gen Alpha version of a vibe check. Got a good aura? People think you’re cool. Lose that “aura,” and you’re basically the opposite of a "vibe." For Teens, and tweens (and hippies), it’s all about that elusive energy and good vibes!

#3: Skibidi

Please let this die already. I'm begging you. Ok... I guess I'll break it down. What is “skibidi"? It's a viral trend of animated toilets and dancing heads. Yes, really. Think TikTok mixed with a weird, acid trip of a dream, then add some cartoon toilets, dance moves, and stretchy necks. It’s bizarre, it’s apparently hilarious (or really dumb), and Iowans are apparently all about it for slang. After all, what’s a good slang list without at least one term that makes no sense whatsoever? Basically "skibidi" is a meaningless nothing word thrown in for "added lyrical color." By the way it has 2.2 million views on YouTube alone.

#2: Sigma

It's no longer the "alpha dog." Sigma is here, and it’s for those lone wolves who do their own thing. Being a “sigma” means you’re cool without trying, independent, and "allergic to drama". It’s for all those "cool people" who’d rather play video games alone, than hit up a group chat. Sigma is apparently the ultimate cool-kid move, without actually being with any other kids. Wait a minute... how can you BE cool, if no one ever sees you being cool? Can someone please fix this crazy slang. By the way, the "sigma" meme template, is the one and only Patrick Bateman from American Psycho (seen above).

#1: Demure

I hate it. I hate it, soooo much. Yes, the number one most-searched slang word in Iowa for 2024 (and the U.S. as a whole) is… “demure”. Sure, it traditionally means “modest” or “reserved,” but TikTok user Jools Lebron redefined it (seen above). Now, “demure” is the playful way to judge makeup and style choices for the day. Does your outfit scream high drama? Maybe not "demure" enough for brunch. Iowans are all about leveling up their "demure style" and keeping things “appropriate”—in the most tongue-in-cheek way possible. Me? I just want it to die, but hey I'm getting old (no quotes needed).

This terrible and upsetting list has been compiled by unscramblerer.com who searched the top trending slag terms across the U.S. and each state. I just had fun elaborating on it. Sometimes the playful advance of language is great, exciting, and new. And sometimes it's pure drivel, or as Alpha Gen would put it, "Skbidi ohio, with no rizz. No cap". If you have no idea what that means, then this article may be for you.

So, there you have it, folks: Iowa’s top ten slang searches of 2024. Go ahead, learn them, and maybe surprise your kids with a few new words. If you do, it's sure to make them cringe. And then maybe, just maybe, they will start speaking like normal again. Until then, they're sure to "SMH" and give you zero "aura points".