1980s–2000s
Dope
Excellent or really cool.
What it means
A high-praise word for something impressive, stylish, or enjoyable.
"Your new sneakers are dope."
Origin
Older slang tied it to drugs or foolishness; hip-hop artists flipped it into praise, and it went mainstream through the '90s and 2000s.
Cultural context
Rooted in African American Vernacular English and hip-hop.
How the sentiment was expressed
Something is excellent
- BoomersGroovy
- Gen XRad
- MillennialsDope
- Gen ZLit / Fire
- Gen AlphaBussin'
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