51吃瓜

To a noob (that’s internet-speak for a newbie), social media can look like alphabet soup. While you’ve probably picked up on the staples like LOL and OMG, there are hundreds of acronyms out there, some of which are way less obvious and way more useful.

Fun fact: The term abbreviation is an umbrella term鈥攕o basically all these little shortened text-speak words we鈥檙e using now are abbreviations because they are essentially just shortened versions of a word or phrase. Rly is a great example 鈥� they just took out the vowels鈥攚ho needs 鈥榚m. And, acronyms are types of abbreviations.听Acronyms are usually in the form of initialisms鈥攚hich is when a phrase is represented by the first letter of each word that makes it up.

Regardless of the technical differences between abbreviations and acronyms … it’s hard not to get lost in the letters鈥攂ut, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 acronyms every internet denizen should know.

TL;DR

Tl;dr听stands for “too long; didn’t read.”

Originally,听tl;dr听was an insult, used in reaction to some post, comment, or content seen as wordy or longwinded鈥攁s if literally saying 鈥淭his is way too long, so I didn鈥檛 read it.鈥� By听2005,听tl;dr听had taken on a second meaning as a shorthand for a 鈥渟ummary,鈥� frequently called the听tl;dr version听of a longer account or article. Related, but used more in the professional editing world is ONW.Tl;dr听can give a genuine summary of a much longer piece鈥攖he gist, the big takeaway, the moral of the story.听Tl;dr听can also issue a snarky take on a longer, more complex topic, as if boiling it down to its essence.

Either way, it’s pretty helpful for those longwinded texts you get from your friend or those social-media comments you just can’t sift through without rolling your eyes …

H/T

Back in the olden days (think the 19^th and 20^th centuries), men always wore hats. And, the way that they expressed their respect for someone was with a hat tip, tipping their hat brim a little bit to someone.

No one wears hats on social media, but we still want to be respectful of each other. That’s where the acronym听H/T听(also sometimes used without the diagonal slash) comes in. It means听hat tip, or听tip of the hat鈥�a way of recognizing the original source of a meme, expression, image, or idea on social media.

It can also be used generally to express gratitude or appreciation for someone. As in, “h/t mom for getting me this sweet car.”

LBS

LBS听may be the abbreviation for pounds (you’re probably used to seeing it in lowercase鈥攍bs) … but it’s also a super helpful way to convey some emotion via text and social-media.

That’s because听LBS听also means “laughing but serious.” It’s a great acronym to throw in after a text or social-media post to show everyone that you definitely don’t take yourself too seriously … however, what you’re writing or posting about is a concern. Sarcasm is tricky business in the digital world.

IMHO

IMHO听is an acronym used mostly in texting, email, and social media that means “in my humble opinion.” It was first used in the 1980s in online forums, and decades later, some began erroneously attributing the听H听to the word听honest.

These days, IMHO is basically always taken to mean “in my honest opinion.” It’s a good way of underlining that you’re taking a strong stance on something, whether it’s classic film or politics.

WOC

WOC stands for “women of color.” It’s a good acronym to know because you’ll probably see it pop up in articles and social-media feeds a lot these days.

As more women and WOCs stand up against abuses, we’re loving this acronym to get the point across quickly and under an umbrella of unity and support.

DWS

You may know DWS as the acronym for听“driving while suspended.” Uh oh.

But, there’s a more fun, more useful meaning too: “dealing with sh!t.” Especially in this climate, this one is more useful than ever.

MUA

If you’re looking for tips on how to get your winged eyeliner *just right* or advice on the best foundation for your skin type, you might want to check out some MUAs on social media. MUA听is an acronym found mostly on social media that means听makeup artist.MUAs are huge on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where they post videos and pictures of their techniques, their looks, and all the famous celebs they pal around with.

SWAG

You may have not known it, but听swag is an acronym! It stands for “stuff we all get,” and it usually refers to free promotional or marketing items.

This may not be one that makes your life easier, necessarily, but it definitely will wow your friends and family when you whip out this fun fact at your next get together.

WYD and WTP

Wyd is a texting and internet acronym that stands for “What (are) you doing?” or “What (would) you do?”.听Wyd听can be a literal question meant to find out what another person is actually up to. It can also be texted as an informal greeting like听What鈥檚 up?听Wyd, like the phrase it abbreviates, also acts as a rhetorical question used to challenge or question someone鈥檚 lifestyle or choices. For instance, one might ask: 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 support your best friend when she鈥檚 sad then wyd?鈥�WTP is similar … but a little more on the nose. Meaning “what’s the plan,” or “what’s the play,” it’s an easy way to get someone to confirm what’s going on for the evening or weekend without having to type out more than one word. Win!

HMU

HMU听is an abbreviation for the phrase 鈥渉it me up.鈥� It鈥檚 often posted online to announce that you鈥檙e looking for something to do and to encourage others to reach out to you. In a one-on-one exchange, it鈥檚 an invitation for continued contact, meaning 鈥渢ext me,鈥� or 鈥渃all me,鈥� or simply 鈥渓et鈥檚 talk again.鈥�HMU听can also stand for 鈥渉ook me up,鈥� which is typically a request to be connected with someone or something in which you have interest.

In 2011, the phrase gained more notice when a teenage boy used it on a giant cardboard sign to ask out his prom date. When the principal of his school banned the boy from prom (because the sign was hung over the front of the school), the news story prompted many publications to define听HMU听for their readers. Google searches for听HMU听peaked in July 2011, most likely in connection with this story.