# capping

/ˈkæpɪŋ/ (US) · /kˈæpɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/capping
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

to lie or tell a story that is not true. People use this when they think someone is bragging or making things up.

For teachers: to lie, exaggerate, or make false claims. Frequently used in African American Vernacular English and digital contexts to call out dishonesty or boasting.

## Examples

- He said he won the lottery, but I know he's capping.
- Stop capping about your high score because I saw your actual results on the screen.
- Social media users often accuse influencers of capping when their lifestyle posts appear too perfect to be authentic or consistent with their known history.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is capping to me" but "He is capping" — In this slang sense, the verb is usually intransitive and does not require a prepositional object like 'to me'.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive and often appears in the continuous form ('capping') or as the phrase 'no cap'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.