Great care should be taken regarding the use of slang outside the context of ordinary everyday speech. Slang may be defined as including any examples of vocabulary or idioms that do not belong within the standard forms of a language and are likely to be considered unacceptable in formal contexts. Many people use slang words as a mainstay of daily conversation, peppering their discourse with them in order to convey what they have to say with more immediacy or color. Slang is often described as the language of the common people and can be vibrant, vigorous, and original. It can also identify membership of a particular social class, trade, age group, or geographical region.Slang is constantly changing. Slang words tend to be metaphorical in nature and in most cases are relatively short-lived, in many cases coming into and going out of fashion within a few years. The incautious use of outdated or unfamiliar slang can make the user look anachronistic and behind the times. One phenomenon that can cause confusion concerns the reworking of existing words by giving them new meanings, as was the case with gay (originally meaning "cheerful" or "brightly colored," later adopted as an offensive slang term for "homosexual," then adopted by homosexuals themselves and in due course entering the language as a generally accepted term and not a slang usage). Other examples include the adjectives bad, cool, and wicked, all of which have enjoyed new slang incarnations as superlatives in recent years.Other slang terms are arrived at through the contraction or abbreviation of longer words, often to a single syllable (thus, biz for business or vibes for vibrations). Such coinages represent the least offensive end of the slang spectrum, but they should still be employed with care, since they may be considered too casual for formal contexts.In the wrong context, slang words can alienate or seriously offend a reader. A person who employs slang words inappropriately risks being accused of using "bad language" (though some might argue whether any such thing exists). Even more contentious is the use of the coarser vulgarisms sometimes categorized as taboo slang. As a general rule it is best to avoid any word belonging to this category in written contexts and to exercise care in their use even in daily speech, particularly bearing in mind the expectations and sensitivities of a specific reader or audience. Overuse also tends to blunt their impact, both in spoken and in written contexts. Taboo slang typically includes references to religious, sexual, defecatory, or drugs imagery. An alternative course is to use a milder euphemism or the technical name for something (although such words may sound stilted in spoken communication among friends or peers).A last category of slang words concerns the use of expletives, which can vary considerably in strength and character. As expressions of raw passion, many people would consider expletives of one kind or another indispensable in daily conversation, while still being aware that their use in written language is more contentious. As with all other slang, it is best to avoid the insertion of expletives in all but the most informal of written contexts, such as personal letters or passages of reported speech.The following list includes a few examples of informal and slang equivalents of formal words:| Formal | Informal/Colloquial | Slang |
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| angry | mad | pissed | | attractive | sexy | hot | | automobile | car | wheels | | deranged | crazy; mad | loony | | excellent | fine | cool | | friend | buddy; pal | main man | | impressive | great | mega | | lunatic | madman | headcase | | pleasing | nice | sweet | | satisfactory | all right | OK; okay | | unintelligent | stupid | dumb |
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