70 Texting Abbreviations Everyone Should Know
There used to be a time when the best way to communicate was by making a phone call. Now, texting seems to be the quickest and most efficient way to connect with someone. Typing up full sentences or phrases, however, has mostly been taken over by texting abbreviations, which are acronyms of words or phrases.
Abbreviations aren’t limited to just texting someone. They’re also used in social media and even via email. With most of us rushing through life with work, friends and family obligations, digital conversations are when we get a chance to send a quick note to someone—so it's increasingly more important to stay up to date on the abbreviated language being used.
Thanks to social media, more and more abbreviations for texting continue to pop up—and it can be hard to keep them straight. If you want to advance your level of coolness, it’s pretty much essential to know what the heck people are talking about. One step is to learn basic abbreviations. Here's a list of 70 of the most common abbreviations in texting—like WYD, NSFW, TIA, ICYMI and more—to know.
Related: 50 Gen Z Slang Words You Need To Know To Keep From Becoming 'Cheugy'
Why Do We Use Abbreviations When We Text?
Texting abbreviations are quick ways to communicate without typing long sentences. They’re pretty handy because they can capture meanings using shorter characters. Say you want to tell your spouse to pick up dinner or an ingredient for your recipe, sending a text is faster than making a phone call.
In some instances, texting abbreviations can liven up conversations and even break the ice for new situations. Since they’re informal and short, you don’t have to worry about spelling a word wrong (because spell-check isn’t always helpful). And abbreviations are a must when quickly gossiping with your best friend!
Related: Huh? Here’s What ‘DW’ Means in a Text
Classic Texting Abbreviations
1. LOL – Laugh Out Loud
2. OMG – Oh My God/Gosh
3. BRB – Be Right Back
4. HBD – Happy Birthday
5. FYI – For Your Information
6. ASAP – As Soon as Possible
7. OMW – On My Way
8. BTW – By the Way
9. NP – No Problem
10. TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday
11. TTYL – Talk to You Later
12. G2G – Got To Go
13. THX – Thanks
14. YW – You’re Welcome
15. GOAT – Greatest of All Time
Related: Wait, What? Here's Exactly What 'DNI' Means on Social Media
Basic Texting Abbreviations
16. LMK – Let Me Know
17. JK – Just Kidding
18. BFF – Best Friends Forever
19. RN – Right Now
20. IDK – I Don't Know
21. HBU – How About You?
22. ILY – I Love You
23. LMAO – Laughing My A-- Off
24. ROFL – Rolling on the Floor Laughing
25. WYD – What Are You Doing?
26. ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
27. TIA – Thanks in Advance
28. GM – Good Morning
29. GN – Good Night
30. TTYS – Talk to You Soon
31. PLZ – Please
32. BC – Because
33. NBD – No Big Deal
34. SRY – Sorry
Related: Huh? What Does 'IB' Mean on Social Media?
Social Media Abbreviations
35. FB – Facebook
36. IG – Instagram
37. LI – LinkedIn
38. YT – YouTube
39. DM – Direct Message
40. RT – Retweet
41. F4F – Follow for Follow
42. L4L – Like for Like
43. ICYMI – In Case You Missed It
44. TL;DR – Too Long; Didn't Read
45. IRL – In Real Life
46. YOLO – You Only Live Once
47. FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out
48. TBT – Throwback Thursday
49. NSFW – Not Safe For Work
50. TBT – Throwback Thursday
51. MCM – Man Crush Monday
52. WCW – Woman Crush Wednesday
53. AMA – Ask Me Anything
54. OOTD – Outfit of the Day
55. GRWM – Get Ready With Me
Related: Huh? Here's Exactly What 'WYLL' Means on Social Media
Opinionated Texting Abbreviations
56. IMO – In My Opinion
57. IMHO – In My Humble Opinion
58. TBH – To Be Honest
59. IDC – I Don't Care
60. FTR – For the Record
61. SMH – Shaking My Head
62. BFD – Big F---ing Deal
63. TMI – Too Much Information
64. FWIW – For What It’s Worth
65. FML – F--k My Life
66. AFAIK – As Far As I Know
67. OTOH – On the Other Hand
68. ICWYDT – I See What You Did There
69. TFW - That Feeling When
70. YKWIS - You Know What I'm Saying?
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