nounπŸ”₯ Gen-Z slang

menace

a playful troublemaker

What it means

In Gen-Z slang, a "menace" is a playful troublemaker who causes chaos or mischief in a fun, lovable way. Calling someone "a menace to society" is usually affectionate praise for their bold, unhinged, or hilarious energy.

Words like β€œmenace” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures β€” find out how many English words you know.

Examples

  • She put googly eyes on every photo in the office, what a menace.
  • You're a menace to society and I love it.
  • My little brother is a menace, he hid all my shoes.
  • Bro showed up in a dinosaur costume, absolute menace.

Where it comes from

The literal word means a threat, but Gen Z flipped it into affectionate praise for chaotic, funny behavior; 'menace to society' became a popular ironic compliment on TikTok and Twitter in the early 2020s.

Related slang

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