Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz
1 / 15What did 1980s skaters and surfers mean when they called a stunt or situation "gnarly"?
About Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz
Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz is a free word games quiz with 15 multiple-choice questions aimed at mixed difficulty. Test your memory of the awesome words and phrases that defined the totally tubular 1980s — from Valley Girl vocabulary to MTV lingo and beyond. A typical run takes about 7 minutes, hints are always one tap away, and your streak ticks up the first time you finish a game on a given day.
A few sample questions
1. What did 1980s skaters and surfers mean when they called a stunt or situation "gnarly"?
Answer: Dangerous or impressively extreme (meaning depended on context)
"Gnarly" originally described something difficult or treacherous — like a gnarled tree root — and spread from surfing and skateboarding into general 1980s teen speech, where it could mean both dangerously intense and awesomely impressive depending on the context.
2. In 1980s slang, calling something "rad" meant it was what?
Answer: Impressive, excellent, or cool
"Rad" — short for "radical" — was one of the decade's most popular all-purpose compliments, used to describe anything outstanding, from a new pair of sneakers to a bold skateboard move.
3. If a 1980s teenager called a rule or situation "bogus," what did they mean?
Answer: Unfair, fake, or just plain lame
"Bogus" is an older word meaning fraudulent or counterfeit, but 1980s teens made it their go-to term for anything phony, unjust, or deeply disappointing — as in "That homework assignment is totally bogus!"
4. If someone in the 1980s said they were "totally psyched" about a concert, they were feeling what?
Answer: Very excited and enthusiastic
"Psyched" meant pumped up with excitement and eager anticipation — the word was almost always paired with "totally" for maximum 1980s effect.
5. The 1980s Valley Girl word "grody" meant something was what?
Answer: Disgusting or gross
"Grody" — sometimes stretched to "grody to the max" — meant thoroughly disgusting and was a cornerstone of the Valley Girl vocabulary that spread from Southern California across the country in the early 1980s.
Things you'll learn along the way
- "Gag me with a spoon" expressed that something was so revolting it made you feel physically ill — it became a signature Valley Girl phrase amid the craze sparked by Moon Zappa's vocals on her father Frank Zappa's song "Valley Girl" in 1982.
- "Dweeb" described someone who was socially clumsy and out of touch, similar to "nerd" or "geek" but with a particular emphasis on awkwardness and social cluelessness.
- The rise of personal computers and films such as "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984) began turning "nerd" from a simple insult into an identity that some people claimed with pride — a shift that accelerated into the 1990s and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz?
Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz has 15 multiple-choice questions. Each one has four answer options and an explanation that appears after you answer, so you learn something even when you miss.
Is Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz free to play?
Yes. The entire SeniorBrainGames catalog — including Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz — is free, with no sign-up required, no time limits, and no ads on top of the game. It also works offline once the page has loaded once.
How long does Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz take?
Most players finish Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz in about 7 minutes. You can pause between questions, replay it as often as you like, and there is no penalty for taking your time — answers are explained after you submit them.
What's a good follow-up after Totally Radical! 1980s Slang Quiz?
If you enjoyed this word games quiz, try the Daily Challenge — five rotating questions, refreshed every 24 hours, that count toward your streak. You can also use the Surprise Me button on the homepage to land on a different game type for variety.
Explore related topics
More Word Games
1950s Americana Slang
Relive the fabulous fifties with the hip lingo of soda shops, sock hops, and rock 'n' roll
Far Out! 1970s Slang Quiz
Take a groovy trip back to the Me Decade and test your knowledge of the colorful slang that filled everyday conversations in the 1970s — from the disco floor to the living room couch.
New York Slang
How well do you know the language of the Big Apple? Test your NYC vocabulary!
1920s Jazz Age Slang
Step into the Roaring Twenties with the colorful slang of the Jazz Age
1930s Depression Era Slang
Explore the gritty language born from the Great Depression and its hard times
Try Nostalgia Trivia
1980s Pop Culture Flashback
MTV, Pac-Man, and big hair — test your memory of the totally awesome 1980s!
Try Nostalgia Trivia
1980s MTV Era
I want my MTV! How well do you remember the music videos, VJs, and artists that defined the MTV generation?
Try General Knowledge
True or False
Test your knowledge — is this statement true or false?