Chat SlangSocial media abbreviations
Short forms you see in comments, captions and group chats.
Social media has its own shorthand. Some of these began on message boards and some on apps, and many now appear in captions and comments. Knowing them helps you read a thread without feeling lost.
If you are not sure of a short form, look it up before you reply. A wrong guess can make a reply sound odd or rude.
SMH
Shaking my head; mild disbelief or disappointment.
Example: "he forgot his own birthday, smh"
FOMO
Fear of missing out; worry that others are doing something fun without you.
Example: "I joined the trip out of fomo"
JOMO
Joy of missing out; being glad you skipped something.
Example: "staying home with tea. jomo"
TBT
Throwback Thursday; an old photo posted on a Thursday.
Example: "tbt to our school trip"
OOTD
Outfit of the day; a photo of what you are wearing.
Example: "ootd for the wedding"
POV
Point of view; used to set up a short scene in a video or caption.
Example: "pov: you found the last samosa"
FTW
For the win; a cheer for something good.
Example: "chai ftw"
ICYMI
In case you missed it; used when posting something again.
Example: "icymi: our shop is open on Sunday"
AMA
Ask me anything; an invitation for questions.
Example: "I am a baker, ama"
TL;DR
Too long, did not read; a short summary of a long post.
Example: "tl;dr: the train is delayed"
OP
Original poster; the person who started the thread.
Example: "the op never replied"
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Example: "check the faq first"
BFF
Best friends forever.
Example: "my bff came over"
GOAT
Greatest of all time; high praise for a person.
Example: "that chef is the goat"
NSFW
Not safe for work; warns that content is not suitable at a workplace.
Example: "mark it nsfw before posting"
IMHO
In my humble opinion; a polite way to share a view.
Example: "imho the first plan was better"
YOLO
You only live once; an excuse to try something.
Example: "yolo, I booked the trip"
HMU
Hit me up; contact me.
Example: "hmu when you reach"
LMK
Let me know.
Example: "lmk if you can come"
RT
Retweet or repost; sharing someone else's post.
Example: "rt if you agree"
Questions people ask
Do these words mean the same everywhere?
Mostly, but not always. Slang changes with the group, the app and the year. Use the meaning here as the usual one and check with the context.
Why is a word not listed?
We list words that are common and not mainly abusive. Tell us on the contact page if you want one added.