Have you been texting with your group of friends and felt completely lost when some weird letter and number combinations popped up on your screen?
Trust us – we’ve been there too.
What on Earth are these cyphered codes you are apparently too old or too out-of-the-loop to understand?
Texting abbreviations (or acronyms) are short versions of a particular phrase.Whether you prefer to use them or not, the chances are you will come across many commonly usedacronyms(such asLOLandROFL, for example) whenever you step into the digital world.
In this post, we have put together some of the most common text abbreviations and their meanings. You will always be able to refer to this table whenever you get confused during texting.
Let’s make you a master texter!
Text Abbreviations & Acronyms to Remember
It seems as if there are so many of these acronyms that you could create their very own dictionary.
There are actually over2000commonly used texting acronyms, and the list keeps getting longer as slang evolves and more and more phrases get their own “cyphered” versions.
Let’s take a look at the most common ones you should definitely know if you ever plan on texting again.
Common Text Abbreviations:
#1 – LOL: Laughing Out Loud
Example:LOL, you make me laugh so much!
#2 – BTW: By the Way
Example:This has nothing to do with you, BTW.
#3 – BRB: Be right back
Example:Hold on a second, I’ll BRB, my food is here.
#4 – ROFL: Rolling on the Floor Laughing
Example:ROFL, I can’t believe he actually said that!
#5 – NVM: Never Mind
Example:Actually, NVM, I think I finally got it myself.
#6 – RN: Right now
Example:Quick question, what are you doing RN?
#7 – STFU: Shut the F*** Up
Example:STFU, there is no way that actually happened!
#8 – IDK: I Don’t Know
Example:IDK, what are you asking me for? I had nothing to do with it.
#9 – TL;DR: Too Long, Didn’t Read
Example:TL;DR: We went to the gym three days ago, still sore.
#10 – LMK: Let me know
Example:LMK if you need anything, I would be happy to help.
#11 – 2NITE: Tonight
Example:Do you have any plans for 2nite?
#12 – TBH: To be Honest / TBF: To Be Frank
Example:TBH, I have no clue what I’m doing here.
Example:TBF, you should have told me about this hours ago.
#13 – HMU: Hit Me Up
Example:HMU whenever you feel like talking.
#14 – FWIW: For What It’s Worth
Example:FWIW, at least we had some fun.
#15 – IMO: In My Opinion
Example:IMO, you shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
#16 – IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
Example:IMHO, this is really great news for all of us!
#17 – FYI: For Your Information
Example:FYI, I’ve spent hours working on this. It didn’t just magically appear here!
#18 – OMG: Oh My God
Example:OMG, you wouldn’t believe what I just witnessed!
#19 – JK: Just Kidding
Example:I’m really angry with you! JK, you are my favorite person, I can’t get mad at you no matter what.
#20 – YOLO: You Only Live Once
Example:YOLO, I’m going in!
#21 – CYA: See Ya
Example:Thank you for sending these over! CYA at school.
#22 – NP: No Problem / YW: You’re Welcome
Example:NP, it was my pleasure.
Example:YW, happy I could help.
#23 – DM: Direct Message
Example:Could you DM me when you get there?
#24 – OMW: On My Way
Example:Wait just 10 more minutes, I’m OMW.
#25 – ILY: I Love You
Example:ILY so much, you know that?
#26 – IRL: In Real Life
Example:I think it would be so fun if this game existed IRL.
#27 – NSFW: Not Safe for Work
Example:I’m sending you a hilarious video. Be careful, though – it’s NSFW.
#28 – FOMO: Fear of Missing Out
Example:All of my friends are already there, I am dealing with some serious FOMO.
#29 – SO: Significant Other
Example:I can’t wait till you meet my SO!
#30 – THX: Thanks / TY: Thank You
Example:THX, you are such a lifesaver!
Example:TY, I really appreciate what you have done here.
#31 – SMH: Shaking My Head
Example:SMH, I can’t believe you said that.
Texting Acronyms That Confuse Many People
Naturally, we have explained the most basic ones first to help set you on the right track. From there on out, there is an ocean of things you have never even heard of.
Now, we won’t be able to cover all of them here, but we will give you a list of those abbreviations that people seem to wonder about the most. We have analyzed the search data, so we know what troubles you, and we are here to fix it!
Additionally, we have written separate articles for almost each of these acronyms, so you have an even better idea of their meaning.
Let’s get into it.
#32 –ISTG: I Swear to God
Example:ISTG, I had no idea what was going on!
#33 –OFN: On Foe Nem
Check out our article on this acronym to fully understand it.
#34 –INB4: In Before
Example:inb4 mods delete this
#35 –KCCO: Keep Calm & Chive On
Example:Don’t worry about it, just KCCO!
#36 –WYM: What You Mean
Example:WYM you are not coming to work?
#37 – HRU: How Are You?
Example: Hey dude, haven’t seen you in a while. HRU?
Why Do We Use Texting Abbreviations?
If they cause so much confusion, why do we need text acronyms in the first place?
The answer is simple:efficiency.
You might think thatsocializing and textingwith other people is not supposed to be efficient but fun. You are right, but shortening specific phrases simply makes for a more convenient way to communicate without typing full-length novels on the go.
The bottom line is: texting abbreviations help us:
- type faster;
- save time;
- get our message across more efficiently.
If you ever plan to comment or read what other people have to say on a Reddit post or simply text your crush, you will be thankful we have created this list!
Your Turn
Now, we would like to hear from you:
What are the texting abbreviations that you use most often?
Also, which acronym has confused you the longest until you finally found out what it meant?
Let us know by leaving a comment down below!
