Brat (noun / adjective / UK Pop Culture Slang)
(Also heard as: Brat Summer, Brat Girl, Brat Energy)
Definition:
Confident, messy, unapologetic party-girl energy. Someone who is brat owns their flaws, stays out too late and does not care what anyone thinks. It flips the older meaning of the word, a badly behaved or spoilt child.
Where It Comes From:
British pop star Charli XCX released her album Brat in 2024, with a plain lime-green cover, and “brat summer” took over the internet. Fans turned the colour and the attitude into a whole aesthetic, and Collins Dictionary even named “brat” its Word of the Year for 2024.
How People Actually Use It:
Mostly as a compliment for someone who is a bit chaotic, a bit rebellious and completely themselves. It is used about nights out, outfits and general behaviour. The old meaning is still very much alive too, so context matters.
Examples in the Wild:
- “Lost one shoe, missed the last train, still dancing. Peak brat summer.”
Meaning: It was a chaotic night, but she is having the time of her life and does not care.
- “Wearing trainers with a dress to the wedding is very brat of you.”
Meaning: You are breaking the dress code in a cool, rebellious way.
- “Don’t be a brat, tidy your room.”
Meaning: The traditional use, telling a child off for bad behaviour.
Similar Slang:
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