This list includes 88 Slang words that start with C, from “cap” to “cya”. They are mainly informal, social and internet terms you can use for writing, speech, or cultural research.
Slang words that start with C are informal expressions beginning with the letter C used across dialects and online communities. Some, such as “cap” meaning ‘lie’, moved from African American Vernacular English into global internet slang.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Meaning, Region, Register, Example, and Source.
Word: The slang term itself, shown as you would search for or quote it in writing and conversation.
Meaning: A concise one-sentence definition that explains the common sense or nuance behind the term, broadly.
Region: Where the term is commonly used, helping you judge local meanings and geographic spread today.
Register: Shows whether the word is formal, informal, slangy, or pejorative so you can match tone correctly.
Example: A short, natural sentence demonstrating typical use so you can see tone and grammatical fit.
Source: A brief note on where the usage appears, like social media, regional speech, or published glossaries.
Slang words that start with C
| Term | Meaning | Part of Speech | Region & Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cap | A lie or exaggeration. | noun | US — informal (AAVE origin, now global) |
| capping | Lying or exaggerating. | verb | US — informal (AAVE origin, now global) |
| catfish | A person who fakes their identity online. | noun | Global — informal (internet slang) |
| catfishing | Luring someone into a relationship using a fake online persona. | verb | Global — informal (internet slang) |
| catch-22 | A paradoxical situation with no escape. | noun | Global — literary slang |
| chav | A pejorative for a working-class youth. | noun | UK — pejorative |
| cheapskate | A stingy person who hates to spend money. | noun | Global — informal |
| cheddar | Money. | noun | US — informal (AAVE origin) |
| cheeky | Playfully impudent, impertinent, or audacious. | adjective | UK, AU, NZ — colloquial |
| cheers | Thank you; also used for goodbye. | interjection | UK, AU, NZ — colloquial |
| cheesy | Tacky, overly sentimental, or inauthentic. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cheugy | Outdated, trying too hard, slightly off-trend. | adjective | US — informal (Gen Z slang) |
| chew the fat | To chat leisurely or gossip. | phrase | Global — informal |
| chicken | A coward; someone who is afraid. | noun | Global — informal |
| chill | To relax or hang out. | verb | Global — informal |
| chill | Relaxed, calm, or easygoing. | adjective | Global — informal |
| chinwag | A long and pleasant chat. | noun | UK, AU — colloquial |
| chintzy | Cheap, of poor quality, or stingy. | adjective | US, CA — informal |
| chock-a-block | Crammed full; completely packed. | adjective | UK, AU — colloquial |
| chook | A chicken or hen. | noun | AU, NZ — colloquial |
| chopper | A helicopter. | noun | Global — informal |
| chuck | To throw something carelessly. | verb | Global — informal |
| chuffed | Very pleased or delighted. | adjective | UK — colloquial |
| chug | To drink a beverage in one go without pausing. | verb | Global — informal |
| chump | A foolish or easily deceived person. | noun | Global — informal (dated) |
| clanger | An obvious and embarrassing mistake. | noun | UK, AU — colloquial |
| clapped | Unattractive or ugly. | adjective | UK — informal (MLE origin) |
| clapped out | Worn out, old, and in poor condition. | adjective | UK, AU — colloquial |
| class act | Someone with great style, skill, and integrity. | noun | Global — informal |
| clobber | Clothes and personal belongings. | noun | UK — colloquial |
| clock | To notice, see, or realize something. | verb | UK, US — informal |
| clout | Influence, fame, or social power. | noun | US — informal (now global) |
| cluey | Clever, knowledgeable, or perceptive. | adjective | AU, NZ — colloquial |
| clueless | Completely unaware, ignorant, or inept. | adjective | Global — informal |
| clunker | An old, worn-out vehicle or machine. | noun | US — informal |
| clutch | Performing well under pressure. | adjective | US — informal |
| cobblers | Nonsense or rubbish. | noun | UK — colloquial |
| cock-up | A mistake or something badly mishandled. | noun | UK, AU — informal (mildly vulgar) |
| cockamamie | Ridiculous, absurd, or nonsensical. | adjective | US — informal (dated) |
| cold feet | A loss of nerve or confidence. | phrase | Global — informal |
| cold fish | A person who is unemotional and unfriendly. | noun | Global — informal |
| cold shoulder | A deliberate show of indifference or rejection. | noun | Global — informal |
| come clean | To confess or tell the truth about something. | phrase | Global — informal |
| conk out | To fall asleep suddenly or for a machine to break down. | verb | Global — informal |
| cool | Excellent, fashionable, stylish, or socially adept. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cool beans | An expression of agreement or approval. | interjection | US — informal (dated) |
| cookie-cutter | Lacking individuality; mass-produced and uniform. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cooties | Fictional germs carried by a disliked person. | noun | US — informal (children’s slang) |
| cop | A police officer. | noun | Global — informal |
| cop | To get, buy, or acquire something. | verb | US — informal (AAVE origin) |
| cop-out | An excuse used to avoid responsibility. | noun | Global — informal |
| cor blimey | An exclamation of surprise or shock. | interjection | UK — colloquial (dated) |
| corker | An excellent or remarkable person or thing. | noun | UK, AU — informal (dated) |
| corny | Trite, predictable, and unsophisticatedly sentimental. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cotton on | To begin to understand or realize something. | verb | UK, AU — colloquial |
| couch potato | A lazy person who watches a lot of television. | noun | Global — informal |
| couch surfing | Staying temporarily at various friends’ homes. | noun | Global — informal |
| crack up | To burst into laughter. | verb | Global — informal |
| crackerjack | Exceptionally good, skilled, or excellent. | adjective | US — informal (dated) |
| cram | To study intensively just before an exam. | verb | Global — informal (student slang) |
| crank | An eccentric or bad-tempered person. | noun | Global — informal |
| cranky | Irritable, grouchy, or in a bad mood. | adjective | Global — informal |
| crap | Nonsense, rubbish, or something of poor quality. | noun | Global — informal (mildly vulgar) |
| crap on | To talk at length in a boring or foolish way. | verb | UK, AU — informal (mildly vulgar) |
| crapola | Something of extremely poor quality; junk. | noun | US — informal |
| crappy | Of very poor quality. | adjective | Global — informal (mildly vulgar) |
| crash | To fall asleep quickly or stay somewhere overnight. | verb | Global — informal |
| crazy | Excellent, amazing, or wild. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cream-crackered | Extremely tired, exhausted. | adjective | UK — colloquial |
| creep | A strange, unsettling, or repellent person. | noun | Global — informal |
| creepy | Causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease. | adjective | Global — informal |
| crew | A close group of friends or associates. | noun | Global — informal |
| crib | A person’s home; their house or apartment. | noun | US — informal (AAVE origin) |
| crikey | An exclamation of surprise or astonishment. | interjection | UK, AU, NZ — colloquial |
| cringe | Causing feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness. | adjective | Global — informal (internet slang) |
| croak | To die. | verb | Global — informal (euphemistic) |
| crook | Sick, unwell, or broken. | adjective | AU, NZ — colloquial |
| cruising for a bruising | Behaving in a way that invites trouble or a fight. | phrase | Global — informal |
| crumbum | A lazy, worthless, or contemptible person. | noun | US — informal (dated) |
| crunk | Very excited or full of energy. | adjective | US — informal (AAVE origin) |
| crush | An intense, but often brief, romantic infatuation. | noun | Global — informal |
| crusty | Old, grimy, and/or irritable. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cuppa | A cup of tea. | noun | UK, AU, NZ — colloquial |
| curtains | The end; death, ruin, or disaster. | noun | Global — informal |
| cushy | Undemandingly easy, comfortable, or secure. | adjective | Global — informal |
| cut a rug | To dance, especially in a lively way. | phrase | US — informal (dated) |
| cut it out | A command to stop doing something annoying. | phrase | Global — informal |
| cya | See you; a farewell. | interjection | Global — informal (internet/text slang) |
Descriptions
cap
Popularized in hip-hop and on social media. The phrase “no cap” means “no lie.” Example: “He said he won the lottery? That’s cap.”
capping
The act of telling a “cap” (a lie). Often used in the continuous form. Example: “Stop capping, you weren’t even there.”
catfish
From the 2010 documentary “Catfish,” it describes someone creating a fake online persona to fool others. Example: “She found out he was a catfish.”
catfishing
The verb form describing the deceptive practice of pretending to be someone else online. Example: “Be careful online, many people are catfishing.”
catch-22
From Joseph Heller’s novel. A problem whose only solution is denied by a rule. Example: “You need experience to get a job, but need a job to get experience. It’s a catch-22.”
chav
Associated with specific fashion (tracksuits, “bling”) and antisocial behavior. Considered offensive by many. Example: “The media often portrays them as chavs.”
cheapskate
A common insult for someone who is excessively frugal to the point of being mean. Example: “He’s such a cheapskate he reuses tea bags.”
cheddar
One of many food-related slang terms for money, popularized in hip-hop. Example: “He’s all about getting that cheddar.”
cheeky
Describes behavior that is slightly rude but in a charming or amusing way. Example: “He gave a cheeky wink after stealing the last cookie.”
cheers
Besides its use for a toast, it’s a very common, informal way to express thanks or end a conversation. Example: “Cheers for the help, mate!”
cheesy
Used to describe things like bad jokes, cliché movie lines, or overly romantic gestures. Example: “His pickup line was so cheesy, I had to laugh.”
cheugy
Coined around 2013 but popularized on TikTok in 2021 to describe millennial tastes. Example: “She said my skinny jeans were totally cheugy.”
chew the fat
An idiom for having a long, informal conversation about nothing in particular. Example: “We spent the afternoon just chewing the fat.”
chicken
A common schoolyard taunt, often used in the context of daring someone to do something. Example: “Don’t be such a chicken, just jump in!”
chill
A very common term for taking it easy, often with friends. Can also be an adjective. Example: “Let’s just chill at my place tonight.”
chill
Describes a person, vibe, or situation that is laid-back and without stress or drama. Example: “He’s a very chill guy, nothing bothers him.”
chinwag
Evokes the image of chins “wagging” during a good conversation, often over a cup of tea. Example: “I had a good chinwag with my neighbor.”
chintzy
Can describe a poorly made item or a person who is unwilling to spend money. Example: “The hotel decorations were a bit chintzy.”
chock-a-block
A nautical term that entered general slang, often shortened to “chockers” in Australia. Example: “The train was chock-a-block with commuters.”
chook
An affectionate, common term for a domestic chicken. Can also refer to an older woman. Example: “Let’s go feed the chooks in the backyard.”
chopper
A very common colloquial term for a helicopter, evoking the sound of its blades. Example: “The news chopper was flying over the scene.”
chuck
A casual term for throwing or tossing an object without much aim or effort. Example: “Just chuck your bag in the back of the car.”
chuffed
A classic British expression of happiness or pride. You might be “dead chuffed” for extra emphasis. Example: “I was chuffed to bits with my exam results.”
chug
Often associated with drinking beer or other beverages quickly, especially in a competitive context. Example: “He can chug a whole pint in five seconds.”
chump
A mild insult for a sucker or idiot. Feels a bit old-fashioned but is still widely understood. Example: “He paid $100 for that? What a chump.”
clanger
From the phrase “to drop a clanger,” meaning to make a blunder, especially a verbal one. Example: “He dropped a real clanger asking about her ex-husband.”
clapped
A modern slang term, particularly popular in London, to describe something or someone as ugly. Example: “Man, that haircut is clapped.”
clapped out
Typically used to describe old machinery, especially cars, that are barely functional. Example: “I’m still driving my dad’s clapped out old truck.”
class act
A high compliment for a person who behaves with admirable grace and excellence. Example: “Even after losing, she was a true class act.”
clobber
An informal, slightly old-fashioned term for your gear or stuff, particularly clothing. Example: “Just throw all your clobber in this bag.”
clock
Often means to become aware of someone or something, sometimes in a confrontational way. Also means to punch. Example: “I clocked him in the crowd straight away.”
clout
Heavily used in the context of social media to describe someone’s level of influence. Example: “He’s just posting that for clout.”
cluey
A common Australian way to say someone is “clued-in” or sharp. The opposite is “clueless.” Example: “Ask Sarah, she’s pretty cluey about computers.”
clueless
Describes someone who has no idea what is going on. Popularized by the 1995 film of the same name. Example: “He’s completely clueless about her feelings for him.”
clunker
Refers to a car that is in bad shape, often making loud, “clunking” noises. Example: “I’m saving up to replace this old clunker.”
clutch
Originating in sports, it describes a crucial, successful action performed at a critical moment. Example: “Scoring that final goal was a totally clutch move.”
cobblers
A classic example of Cockney rhyming slang: “cobbler’s awls” rhymes with “balls” (testicles). Example: “What a load of old cobblers!”
cock-up
A less formal way of saying something went wrong due to incompetence. A common Britishism. Example: “There was a cock-up with the tickets.”
cockamamie
A whimsical, old-fashioned word for a silly or unbelievable story or plan. Example: “He came up with some cockamamie excuse for being late.”
cold feet
Most famously used to describe a bride or groom having second thoughts before their wedding. Example: “He got cold feet the night before the big presentation.”
cold fish
An idiom for someone who seems distant, aloof, and lacking in warmth or emotion. Example: “It’s hard to get to know her; she’s a bit of a cold fish.”
cold shoulder
To “give someone the cold shoulder” is to intentionally ignore them. Example: “She’s been giving me the cold shoulder all day.”
come clean
Implies a revealing of a secret or wrongdoing that was previously hidden. Example: “It’s time for you to come clean about what happened.”
conk out
Can apply to a person falling into a deep sleep or an engine suddenly stopping. Example: “I conked out on the sofa after dinner.”
cool
One of the most enduring and versatile slang terms of the 20th and 21st centuries. Example: “That’s a really cool jacket.”
cool beans
A slightly quirky and dated way to say “cool” or “great,” popular in the 1990s. Example: “We’re meeting at 8? Cool beans.”
cookie-cutter
Used to criticize things, like suburban houses or pop songs, that are all identical and unoriginal. Example: “I’m tired of living in a cookie-cutter apartment complex.”
cooties
A playground term for imaginary germs, often used in the context of “boy germs” or “girl germs.” Example: “Eww, don’t touch him, he has cooties!”
cop
A very common, sometimes slightly derogatory, slang term for a police officer. Origin is debated. Example: “Someone called the cops about the noise.”
cop
Often used in streetwear and sneaker culture for acquiring a new, desirable item. Example: “Did you manage to cop the new Jordans?”
cop-out
The act of evading a commitment or difficult situation by making a weak excuse. Example: “Saying you’re too busy is just a cop-out.”
cor blimey
A classic British exclamation, considered a minced oath for “God blind me.” Sounds very Cockney. Example: “Cor blimey, look at the size of that!”
corker
A somewhat old-fashioned but positive term of high praise. Example: “Last night’s performance was a real corker.”
corny
Similar to “cheesy,” it’s often used to describe bad jokes or predictable movie plots. Example: “My dad tells the corniest jokes ever.”
cotton on
An informal way to describe the moment of comprehension, often after a period of confusion. Example: “He finally cottoned on to what we were planning.”
couch potato
Coined in the late 1970s, this term perfectly captures a sedentary, TV-centric lifestyle. Example: “I was a total couch potato all weekend.”
couch surfing
The practice of moving from one friend’s couch to another, sleeping in their homes for free. Example: “He was couch surfing for a month between apartments.”
crack up
To laugh uncontrollably. Can also mean to have a mental or emotional breakdown. Example: “The comedian’s joke made the whole audience crack up.”
crackerjack
A very positive but old-fashioned term of praise. Can also be a noun for an expert. Example: “He’s a crackerjack salesman.”
cram
The classic student practice of trying to learn a large amount of information in a very short time. Example: “I have to cram all night for my history final.”
crank
Often used to describe an odd person with strange ideas, or simply an irritable, grouchy individual. Example: “He’s known as the neighborhood crank.”
cranky
The state of being easily annoyed or bad-tempered, often due to lack of sleep or discomfort. Example: “The baby is always cranky when she’s teething.”
crap
A versatile, milder alternative to other swear words for things that are worthless or untrue. Example: “Don’t believe that story, it’s a load of crap.”
crap on
Used to describe someone droning on and on about something uninteresting. Example: “He was crapping on about his new car for an hour.”
crapola
A more emphatic or slightly jocular version of “crap,” with the “-ola” suffix adding flair. Example: “I bought this gadget online, but it’s total crapola.”
crappy
The adjectival form of “crap,” used to describe anything that is substandard or unpleasant. Example: “I had a really crappy day at work.”
crash
Implies sleeping in an unplanned or informal way, like on a friend’s sofa. Example: “Can I crash at your place tonight?”
crazy
Used as a positive intensifier, shifting from its standard meaning of ‘insane’. Example: “That concert was crazy! The band was amazing.”
cream-crackered
A fine example of Cockney rhyming slang, where “cream-crackered” rhymes with “knackered” (exhausted). Example: “After that long shift, I’m absolutely cream-crackered.”
creep
Describes someone whose behavior makes others uncomfortable, often in a weird or invasive way. Example: “That guy at the bar was a total creep.”
creepy
Describes a person, place, or situation that is weirdly unsettling or frightening. Example: “There’s a creepy old house at the end of the street.”
crew
Popularized by hip-hop culture, it refers to one’s social circle or squad. Example: “I’m going to the movies with my crew tonight.”
crib
Popularized by hip-hop culture, particularly the TV show “MTV Cribs” in the early 2000s. Example: “We’re all hanging out at my crib later.”
crikey
A mild oath, likely a minced form of “Christ,” heavily associated with Australian English. Example: “Crikey, that’s a big spider!”
cringe
Often used to describe content or behavior that is so awkward it makes the observer feel embarrassed. Example: “His attempt at a TikTok dance was so cringe.”
croak
A blunt and informal slang term for dying, likening the last breath to a frog’s croak. Example: “My ancient old car finally croaked last week.”
crook
A common way to say you’re feeling ill. “Go crook at someone” means to get angry. Example: “I’m feeling a bit crook today, I might stay home.”
cruising for a bruising
A warning that someone’s provocative actions are likely to result in them getting hurt. Example: “Keep making those jokes and you’ll be cruising for a bruising.”
crumbum
A silly-sounding, old-fashioned insult for a good-for-nothing person. Example: “Get a job, you lazy crumbum!”
crunk
A portmanteau of “crazy” and “drunk,” it originated in Southern US hip-hop in the 1990s. Example: “The crowd got crunk when the beat dropped.”
crush
Describes a typically one-sided attraction, common among teenagers but used by all ages. Example: “I had a huge crush on my teacher in third grade.”
crusty
Often used to describe an old, unkempt, and bad-tempered person. Example: “He’s a crusty old sailor with lots of stories.”
cuppa
An iconic shortening of “cup of tea,” central to British and Commonwealth culture. Example: “Fancy a cuppa and a biscuit?”
curtains
From the theatrical metaphor of the final curtain call. “It’s curtains for you” is a classic threat. Example: “If we miss this deadline, it’s curtains for the project.”
cushy
Derived from the Hindi word for pleasure, it often describes a job or situation that’s very easy. Example: “He landed a cushy job with great pay.”
cut a rug
An old-fashioned, jive-talk expression from the swing era of the 1930s and 40s. Example: “Let’s go to the party and cut a rug!”
cut it out
A common, informal imperative used to tell someone to cease their behavior immediately. Example: “You two, cut it out! Stop arguing.”
cya
A phonetic spelling of “see ya,” extremely common in text messages and online chat. Example: “Gotta go, cya later!”