Why do many slang terms disappear within a short time?

Slang terms often disappear quickly because their primary purpose is to promote group or age-group solidarity by remaining "fresh and distinctive". Once a term becomes too widely used or loses its edge, it often loses the very quality that made it effective.12

Several factors contribute to this high turnover rate:

• Loss of Novelty: Excessive use tends to dull the luster of even the most descriptive phrases. As slang permeates the dominant culture, it often loses its shock value or satirical bite.23
• Cultural Shifts: Slang is deeply tied to the social conditions and values of the group that created it. When those conditions change, the term may become obsolete or "flat".2
• The Role of Media: While mass media can give a term instant currency, it also accelerates its overuse, forcing the need for increasingly effective new expressions to maintain the desired social effect.32
• Group Identity: Because slang is often used to define an "in-group," once a term is adopted by the general public, the original group may abandon it to maintain their distinctiveness.1