CRASHING OUT

Crashing out has become the dramatic Gen Z version of losing your cool. For example: Failed a clapback? Crashed out. Got too drunk at a party and cried over an ex's Instagram? Crashed out. Tried to be deep on your insta and accidentally posted cringe? Deffo crashed out! However, not to worry. They’ll own it in a self-deprecating TikTok post before the haters even finish screenshotting. It's not a meltdown, it's "content." Gen Z turned melting down into a personality and crashing out into performance art.

Crashing out has also become Gen Z's way of describing what older generations knew as "burning out." Naturally, they've added their own flair for the dramatic. Where previous generations might quietly admit to being "exhausted" or "overwhelmed," Gen Z announces they're "crashing out" with the same intensity reserved for natural disasters. This version captures their tendency to collapse from overstimulation — whether from doom-scrolling TikTok until 3 a.m., juggling seventeen different apps simultaneously, or experiencing the crushing weight of having to choose between 12 streaming services. They'll crash out from the mental exhaustion of maintaining multiple online personas while also trying to be "authentic." "I'm crashing out" has become their dramatic way of saying "I need a nap."

"Crashing out" as quitting represents Gen Z's flair for turning even the most mundane decisions into high-stakes drama. Where previous generations might simply say "I'm done" or "I quit," Gen Z announces they're "crashing out" as if they're the protagonist in their own action movie. Gen Z doesn't quit jobs, hobbies, or friendships, they simply "crash out" when the "vibes are off." Of course, they'll spin it as intentional: "I didn’t flake, I simply honored my boundaries." "I didn't give up, I outgrew the situation." Crashing out isn't quitting, it's "self-awareness" (or so their TikTok therapist tells them).

"Crashing out" is a slang idiom , which is a casual, informal phrase or expression that combines slang (non-standard, often trendy words) with idiomatic meaning (where the phrase's overall meaning isn't literal). These are commonly used in everyday speech, especially within specific groups or cultures.