WatchWord · Ages 10-25 · In use
spaz
Someone clumsy or freaking out. Comes from an old slur for people with cerebral palsy.
Why are you spazzing, it's just a spider.
For parents and educators
Many kids have no idea of its history. Worth explaining calmly, especially since it's heard as offensive here.
If you’re worried
If it's used to mock a child with a disability, treat it as bullying and involve the school. Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868.
Where it came from
From spastic. In the US it mostly just means clumsy, but in the UK and Canada it is widely seen as a slur. Two big pop songs changed lyrics over it in 2022.
Also heard as
spazzing, spaz out