nounπ₯ 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 βmenaceβ 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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