What Does No Cap Mean? Modern Slang Explained

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to use and reply to this slang like a pro
PDF download Download Article

Gen Z has come up with plenty of inventive and unique slang terms , but not all of them are immediately easy to interpret. “No cap” in particular is a uniquely strange one, especially since it often stands entirely on its own as an answer to a question. But we’ve got your back! In this article we’ll explain what the term means, its origins, and how you’d employ it in a conversation.

Things You Should Know

  • “No cap” means “no lie,” or, “I’m serious.” It’s a way to emphasize that you aren’t exaggerating.
  • Use “no cap” to stop haters who don’t believe you or back up friends making arguments you agree with.
  • “No cap” probably comes from the usage of “cap” for “limit” (i.e. a “salary cap” referring to a limit on salaries).
Section 1 of 4:

No Cap Meaning

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    “No cap” is a slang term that basically means “I’m not lying.” To most teens, it's a playful way to emphasize that you’re not telling a fib. It can also be used as a funny way to support something someone else has said. If someone says something you agree with, following up with "No cap" is like saying, "yes, true!" [1]
    • People often drop the “no” and just say “cap” to mean “you’re lying” or “get out of here.” Like, someone might say, “I just got into Harvard!” and you might say, “That’s cap!” as in, “No way!”
    • People will also use the 🧢 (blue hat) emoji to stand in for “cap.”
    • As a note, “cap” is a common piece of slang in urban areas and among people who use African-American Vernacular English (AAVE). If you aren’t from a background where this kind of speech is common or natural, you may catch some flack or side eye.
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

How to Use No Cap

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/66\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/66\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you’re talking to someone and they give you a little bit of side eye or suggest that you might be overblowing something, say “no cap” to let them know you’re serious. [2] For example:
    • You: “I told them I wasn’t coming to work if they weren’t going to give me a raise.”
    • Them: “Oh come on, you’ve got to at least show up on Monday.”
    • You: “No cap. I’d rather look for a new job than put up with this.”
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3d\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3d\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can drop a “no cap” in the middle of a comment or speech to really drive home how serious you are. This is an easy way to make sure people don’t think you’re being dramatic and to back up your claims. [3] You might say:
    • “I’m on a rampage on the court. I’m going to put up 30 points next game, no cap.”
    • “No cap, if Julia calls me again and she doesn’t have my money, it’s going to be a problem.”
    • “People think I’m a pushover, but I’ll throw down if I need to and that’s no cap.”
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-4.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    “No cap” is also a popular way of throwing some love at someone who’s flexing or making an argument you agree with. If you want to show someone some love, you might say something like:
    • Them: “People who really think LeBron is better than MJ just don’t know anything about basketball.”
    • You: “No cap. Jordan was the goat.”
    • Them: “That’s what I’m saying!”
    4. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

Alternatives to No Cap

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Originating in Chicago slang, this is an example of "marching" (which basically means “swearing on something sacred”). There are a lot of ways to do this: you might say “On my kids” or “On my life” as way of expressing that you’re serious and telling the truth. This phrase is used in the same way as "no cap." [4]
    • If you listen to hip hop (and drill music specifically), you’ll often hear the phrase “on foenem." This is another common example (it’s short for “foe and them”—the “foes” are a gang). [5]
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d3\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d3\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-6.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you don’t want to offend anybody by dipping into some lingo that’s a touch outside of your life experience or natural speech, just say “for real,” “I’m serious,” or “I’m being honest.” It’ll communicate the exact same thing without rubbing anyone the wrong way by dropping unnatural slang.
    3. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

History of No Cap

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/24\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/24\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-7.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    People may talk about a cap on the number of deer people are allowed to hunt each year, or a cap on the amount of carbs they can eat a day to stay keto. So, if people use “no cap” to mean “I’m not lying” in scenarios where they’re saying something potentially over the top, it makes sense that someone would make the connection. [6]
    • Another classic example is a “salary cap” in professional sports, which refers to the maximum amount of money a single player can be paid.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/No-Cap-Meaning-Step-8.jpg\/v4-728px-No-Cap-Meaning-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Nobody knows exactly when the word “cap” became synonymous with “lie,” but the slang term blew up in 2017 after Future and Young Thug released “No Cap.” The song was a huge hit, and with a lot Migos tracks from the same year mentioning “cap” it spread like wildfire.
    • Earlier references to “cap” can be found all the way back in Geto Boys and UGK’s music from the 1980s and 1990s.
    3. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • You can also use “cap” as a verb. For example, someone might say, “You’re cappin’” as a way of saying, “You’re lying” or, “You’re exaggerating.” [7]
        Thanks
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Talk With a Deeper Voice
      How to Talk to a Girl if You’re Shy
      How to
      Permanently Lower Your Voice
      Expert-Backed Ways to Improve Your Speech Clarity
      How to
      Stop Speaking So Loudly
      How to
      Develop a Perfect Speaking Voice
      How to
      Speak Well and Confidently
      How to
      Speak Clearly
      How to
      Speak Less
      What Does the Phrase "Chivalry is Dead" Mean?
      How to
      Make a Water Drop Sound With Your Mouth
      How to
      Stop Mumbling and Speak Clearly
      How to Confidently Speak Up for Yourself
      Stop Stammering: Easy-to-Follow Tips and Tricks to Smooth Your Speech
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.yahoo.com/video/simp-bussin-cap-gen-z-110000695.html
      2. ↑ https://www.own3d.tv/en/blog/dictionary/no-cap/
      3. ↑ https://www.own3d.tv/en/blog/dictionary/no-cap/
      4. ↑ https://www.enjoytravel.com/us/travel-news/guides/chicago-slang
      5. ↑ https://dailyrapfacts.com/21291/what-does-foenem-or-foe-n-em-mean/
      6. ↑ https://www.own3d.tv/en/blog/dictionary/no-cap/
      7. ↑ https://sports.yahoo.com/does-no-cap-mean-211319191.html

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 5,799 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement