it's a pejorative for people who aren't following the trends and particularly the now out of fashion trends from the 2010's (live laugh love signs, mom jeans, minions, holds up spork, girl bossing etc) that's now associated with being behind the times, tryharding etc, but has evolved to a general term for people who are uncool.

(I am a millennial though for the record so maybe I'm not using it right :D)

[–] samus12345@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I'd never heard it before. After looking it up, that appears to be the correct usage. It's one of those slang words with no apparent etymology. It refers to a pretty specific time period, so it will probably have a short shelf life unless it changes in meaning.

[–] uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 months ago

I'll add the opposite of cheugy is basic and still negative. Basic people conform too much to the current trends, are trying too hard to be in the groove, and are hence seen as shallow and artificial.

So you can't win either way, but it was this way in the 1980s too.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

The only Time is Morris Day's, and that's the hill I'll die on.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Also how do you pronounce it? Chew-gey?