This list includes 55 Slang words that start with L, from “l-plates” to “luvvie”. They cover regional speech, internet coinages, and colloquial shifts, often informal and context-dependent. Use this list for writing, editing, language learning, or quick reference.
Slang words that start with L are informal words and phrases used in casual speech across regions and online communities. Many travel into broader use through music, media, or local dialects; “luvvie” shows a long-standing British theatrical usage.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Meaning, Region, Register, Example, and Notes.
Word: The slang term itself, spelled as commonly used so you can spot the entry or search for it.
Meaning: A concise definition that explains how the term is used in everyday speech or writing.
Region: Shows where the word is most often used, so you can judge local or global relevance.
Register: Notes formality and tone, helping you pick language suitable for casual or professional contexts.
Example: One short sentence showing typical use, so you see meaning and natural phrasing in context.
Notes: Additional info such as origin, variant spellings, or source notes that aid further research.
Slang words that start with L
| Term | Meaning | Region/Register | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lame | Uncool, pathetic, or unsatisfactory. | Global; informal | That excuse for not coming is so lame. |
| legit | Legitimate, authentic, or genuinely cool. | Global; informal | This vintage jacket is totally legit. |
| lit | Excellent, fun, and exciting; or intoxicated. | US/Global; informal | The party last night was absolutely lit. |
| low-key | To a small extent; subtly, modestly, or secretly. | US/Global; informal | I’m low-key excited about the new movie. |
| lmao | Acronym for “laughing my ass off.” | Global; internet/vulgar | He tripped over his own feet, lmao. |
| lol | Acronym for “laughing out loud.” | Global; internet | That’s a funny joke, lol. |
| lad | A young man, often one who is boisterous and drinks with friends. | UK/AUS/NZ; informal | He’s out with the lads watching the football. |
| loo | A toilet or lavatory. | UK/AUS; informal | Excuse me, I just need to use the loo. |
| lurgy | A non-specific, fictional illness used to explain feeling unwell. | UK; informal | I can’t come in today, I’ve got the dreaded lurgy. |
| lush | Very pleasant, attractive, or delicious. | UK; informal | That slice of cake looks lush. |
| leg it | To run away, especially to escape trouble. | UK; informal | We saw the police and had to leg it. |
| legless | Extremely drunk, to the point of being unable to stand properly. | UK/AUS; informal | He was absolutely legless after his birthday party. |
| loaded | Having a lot of money; or being very drunk or high. | Global; informal | She just won the lottery, she’s loaded! |
| loser | An uncool, unsuccessful, or pathetic person. | Global; informal/pejorative | Don’t be such a loser, just ask her to dance. |
| looker | A very physically attractive person. | Global; informal | Her new boyfriend is a real looker. |
| left on read | To have a text message read by the recipient without a reply. | Global; internet | I can’t believe he left me on read after I asked him out. |
| live rent-free | To constantly occupy someone’s thoughts, usually in an obsessive or negative way. | Global; internet | My ex is still living rent-free in my head. |
| lick | A profitable score, often from illegal activity; a successful outcome. | US; informal/AAVE | He hit a nice lick and bought a new car. |
| loaf | One’s head or brain. | UK; informal | Use your loaf and think about the problem. |
| long | Boring, tedious, or requiring too much effort. | UK; informal/MLE | Filling out all that paperwork is long. |
| laters | Goodbye, see you later. | Global; informal | Alright, I’m heading off. Laters! |
| lairy | Loud, brash, and aggressive in an attention-seeking way. | UK/AUS; pejorative | He gets a bit lairy after a few drinks. |
| lemon | A product, especially a car, that is defective or unsatisfactory. | US/Global; informal | The car broke down again; it’s a total lemon. |
| lettuce | Paper money, cash. | US; informal | You got any lettuce on you? I forgot my wallet. |
| lifer | Someone serving a life sentence; or someone committed to a career or lifestyle. | Global; informal | He’s a company lifer; he’s worked here for 40 years. |
| lightweight | A person who cannot handle much alcohol; or is not serious. | Global; informal | Don’t give her another drink, she’s a lightweight. |
| lip | Insolent, cheeky, or disrespectful talk. | Global; informal | Don’t you give me any of your lip! |
| livid | Extremely angry; furious. | Global; informal | She was livid when she found out he had lied. |
| lock-in | An arrangement where a pub owner lets patrons stay drinking after closing time. | UK/Ireland; informal | The landlord announced a lock-in for the regulars. |
| locked and loaded | Fully prepared and ready for action. | Global; informal | I’ve studied all night, I’m locked and loaded for this exam. |
| log off | A command telling someone to stop talking, implying they are chronically online. | Global; internet | You’re taking this too seriously, you need to log off. |
| long in the tooth | Old or elderly. | Global; informal | He’s a bit long in the tooth to be starting a new career. |
| loose cannon | An unpredictable or uncontrollable person who is likely to cause damage. | Global; informal | You never know what he’ll say, he’s a complete loose cannon. |
| lost the plot | To become angry, irrational, or crazy. | UK/AUS; informal | He completely lost the plot when they cancelled his flight. |
| love handles | Pockets of fat on the sides of one’s waist. | Global; informal | I’m trying to get rid of these love handles at the gym. |
| lowdown | The true facts or relevant information about something. | US; informal | Give me the lowdown on what happened at the meeting. |
| loony | A crazy or eccentric person. | Global; informal/pejorative | Only a loony would go swimming in this cold weather. |
| lurker | Someone who reads online forums or social media without contributing. | Global; internet | I was a lurker on that forum for years before I finally made an account. |
| larp | To engage in live-action role-playing, or to adopt a persona. | Global; internet/gaming | He’s not really a tough guy, he’s just larping. |
| lag | A delay or slow response time, especially in online gaming. | Global; internet/gaming | I couldn’t shoot back because the lag was so bad. |
| lamp | To hit or punch someone hard. | UK; informal | He got angry and lamped the other guy. |
| l-plates | A sign on a vehicle indicating a learner driver; a symbol of being a novice. | UK/AUS/NZ; informal | Forgive him, he’s still on his l-plates at this job. |
| lump it | To reluctantly accept a situation one does not like. | Global; informal | If you don’t like the rules, you can lump it. |
| luvvie | An effusive, overly theatrical actor or performer. | UK; informal/pejorative | The awards show was full of luvvies congratulating each other. |
| let it rip | To go ahead at full speed or with full force. | Global; informal | Once you’re on the open highway, you can let it rip. |
| level up | To improve or advance to the next stage of proficiency or success. | Global; gaming/informal | She really leveled up her career by getting that new job. |
| libtard | A derogatory term for a person with liberal political views. | US; political/pejorative | He dismissed their argument by calling them a libtard. |
| lead-foot | A person who drives very fast. | US; informal | My dad is a real lead-foot, he’s always speeding. |
| layabout | A lazy person who avoids work. | UK; informal/pejorative | He’s a good-for-nothing layabout who still lives with his parents. |
| lug-hole | An ear. | UK; informal/vulgar | Stop shouting in my lug-hole! |
| lunkhead | A slow-witted, stupid person. | US; informal/pejorative | That lunkhead forgot to lock the door. |
| lift | To steal something, especially by shoplifting. | Global; informal | He got caught trying to lift a bottle of wine. |
| lie-in | An occasion when one stays in bed later than usual in the morning. | UK/AUS; informal | I’m looking forward to a long lie-in on Saturday. |
| let’s roll | Let’s go; let’s begin. | US; informal | Okay everyone, the taxi’s here. Let’s roll. |
| landlubber | A person unfamiliar with the sea or sailing. | Global; nautical/informal | The old sailor called me a landlubber for not knowing the knots. |
Descriptions
lame
A very common term of disapproval, popular since the 1980s. Its use has been criticized for being ableist.
legit
A shortening of “legitimate” that has been popular since the 1990s to express authenticity or high quality.
lit
Popularized in the 2010s through hip-hop music. It can mean something is amazing or that someone is drunk or high.
low-key
Gained widespread popularity in the 2010s. Used as an adverb to downplay a feeling or action.
lmao
An intensifier for “lol,” used in text messages and online to show strong amusement. Considered very informal.
lol
One of the most famous internet acronyms, dating back to the 1980s. It’s now used to signal a light-hearted tone.
lad
Associated with “lad culture” in the UK, which revolves around football, drinking, and stereotypically masculine interests.
loo
A very common, polite, and informal term for a toilet in Britain. Its exact origin is uncertain.
lurgy
Popularized by the 1950s British radio comedy “The Goon Show.” A humorous way to say you’re sick.
lush
Particularly common in Wales and the South West of England. A general term of positive approval.
leg it
A common informal imperative, often used in a narrative about escaping a situation quickly.
legless
A vivid and common way to describe extreme intoxication, implying one’s legs have stopped working.
loaded
A versatile term that can refer to wealth or intoxication. Context usually makes the meaning clear.
loser
A common insult that gained significant traction in popular culture during the 1990s.
looker
A slightly old-fashioned but still understood compliment for someone’s appearance.
left on read
A modern dating anxiety stemming from messaging apps that show “read receipts” for sent messages.
live rent-free
A popular online expression to describe an obsession or a persistent, unwanted thought about a person or topic.
lick
Originating in African American Vernacular English, it refers to a successful gain of money or goods.
loaf
From Cockney rhyming slang, where “loaf of bread” rhymes with “head.” Often used as a command to think.
long
Popular in London slang (Multicultural London English). Used to describe a task that is considered a hassle.
laters
An informal and clipped version of “see you later,” used for a casual farewell.
lairy
Often used to describe someone who is being ostentatious or confrontational, typically a young man.
lemon
This term became widespread in the 1960s, particularly in reference to faulty used cars.
lettuce
Slang for banknotes, originating from the green color of US dollar bills.
lifer
This term has expanded from prison slang to describe anyone with a long-term, inescapable commitment.
lightweight
Can also be used to dismiss someone or something as lacking substance or importance.
lip
Often used by a person in authority (like a parent or teacher) towards a subordinate.
livid
While found in standard dictionaries, its common use to mean “furious” is colloquial and emphatic.
lock-in
A cherished, though often illegal, part of pub culture in the UK and Ireland.
locked and loaded
Originates from military jargon for preparing a firearm, but is now used for any kind of preparation.
log off
Used to suggest someone’s perspective is warped by spending too much time on the internet.
long in the tooth
This idiom originates from the fact that a horse’s gums recede with age, making its teeth look longer.
loose cannon
This metaphor comes from the danger posed by a cannon that had broken free on the deck of an old sailing ship.
lost the plot
A common expression for someone who is no longer behaving in a rational or predictable way.
love handles
A euphemistic and humorous term for excess fat around the midsection.
lowdown
A casual way of asking for the most important details or inside information.
loony
A shortening of “lunatic,” it can be used affectionately or as a mild insult.
lurker
A neutral term in internet culture describing a passive consumer of content.
larp
Often used online to accuse someone of pretending to be something they’re not.
lag
Originating from technical jargon, “lag” is now common slang for any frustrating delay.
lamp
A blunt and aggressive term, often used in recounting fights.
l-plates
Used metaphorically to describe anyone who is new and inexperienced at a task.
lump it
Usually said as part of the phrase “like it or lump it,” meaning there is no alternative.
luvvie
A mildly derogatory term, from the way actors supposedly address each other as “darling” or “love.”
let it rip
An encouragement to act without restraint or hesitation.
level up
This term has moved from video game culture into mainstream slang for personal or professional advancement.
libtard
A portmanteau of “liberal” and “retard,” used as a political insult.
lead-foot
The metaphor refers to the imagined weight of a heavy foot pressing down on the accelerator pedal.
layabout
A common British insult for someone who is habitually unemployed and idle.
lug-hole
A coarse and humorous term for an ear, often used in an exasperated tone.
lunkhead
A mild, somewhat old-fashioned insult combining “lunk” (a clumsy oaf) and “head.”
lift
A common, slightly softer synonym for “steal,” frequently used by police and in news reports.
lie-in
A common term for sleeping late, viewed as a simple luxury.
let’s roll
Gained prominence after being said by Todd Beamer on United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.
landlubber
Originally used by sailors, it’s now a well-known, slightly jocular term for a non-sailor.