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Gen Z has a unique way of doing things. They were born into a transitioning world, actively shifting from old-school traditions to a tech-driven reality. As such, they are constantly introducing new trends, slang, and ways of thinking. Their workplace expectations, for example, are often discussed as being drastically different than the generations before them.

Another difference is how Gen Zers speak, particularly how they give compliments. Gen X teacher and content creator @gibsonishere pointed this out in the recent tiktokreflecting on Gen Z’s unique style of compliments.

1. One-word compliments

Kikat Pajaro | Capturenow

These are the go-to praises like “Queen,” “Diva,” or “GOAT,” which stands for Greatest of All Time. They’re short, punchy, and a perfect fit for online comments, though they are also used in real life to praise someone’s looks or accomplishments.

This type of compliment mostly makes sense to Gen X, the TikToker explained, but things start to get trickier with the next two.

: 12 Phrases That Offend Gen Z But Don’t Bother Older Generations At All

2. Odd wishes

These compliments start off normal, like, “You did a great job cooking this food.” But then they take a funny turn: “I hope both sides of your pillow are always cold.” It’s as if the initial compliment isn’t enough, so Gen Z adds a second blessing. “You look pretty; I hope there’s always milk in your cereal bowl,” they say.

As Gibson noted, “there are always really random hopes and wishes for you.”

3. Praising with threats

Hector Ges | baseimage

“This is where it gets really freaking funny, but also mildly disturbing,” the content creator said. It’s when Gen Z gives you a compliment, then follows it up with a bizarrely threatening wish. It goes, “You’re so funny — please don’t go bald.” Suddenly, you’re left in shock, wondering, “Wait, was I going to go bald in the first place?”

It could also be something like, “You’re so pretty — please don’t die,” or “You’re awesome — I’m gonna follow you home.” These strange compliments leave you questioning whether you should be thankful for the blessing or alarmed. It almost sounds offensive, but in reality, it’s just the younger generation’s comedically unique way of complimenting you.

: The Two Incredibly Common Words Gen Z Can’t Seem To Use Correctly

Gen Z is not only changing compliments, they’re changing language itself.

Commenters shared some other quintessential Gen Z compliments that don’t necessarily fit in one of Gibson’s three categories. “Big fan of whatever this is” and “I love whatever is wrong with you” are classic Gen Z compliments. In response to something funny online, they might say, “Please never go to therapy, you’re so funny,” or “Do you do weddings?”

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But, when it comes to language, the younger generation is changing more than just compliments. A 2023 article from Deseret News revealed that Merriam-Webster adds new words to the dictionary every year, and many of them come straight from Gen Z. Some of these slangs even originate on TikTok before becoming mainstream language.

The most popular ones are “simp,” which means to show excessive devotion or longing for someone; “bussin’,” used to describe something extremely good or delicious; “rizz,” referring to charisma used to attract someone; and “mid,” a term for something average.

Of course, one day, all of these terms will be outdated, and new ones will come, likely from Gen Alpha and those not even born yet. It’s the circle of life for ideas. And while Gen Z’s compliments may sound bizarre to older generations, a compliment is a compliment. So, please don’t go bald.

: 11 Things Gen Z Thinks They Invented But Actually Existed Way Before Their Time

Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.