Internet Slang
Contents
Discover the latest and most popular internet slang terms with our comprehensive guide. Understand the meaning, origins, and usage of trending abbreviations and phrases to stay up-to-date with online communication. Perfect for both beginners and advanced learners looking to enhance their digital language skills.
Sub-Pages of Internet Slang
Internet Slang
What Is an Internet Slang Term?
If you look at blog posts, online forums, or the comment section underneath a YouTube video, you might find that they are full of abbreviations and words that just look weird. Indeed, the Internet has a language of its own, and it might significantly differ from the standard English you are used to.
As communication on the Internet is usually very personal, casual, and informal, there are many slang words. Some are abbreviations that were created to save time and space, such as BRB (be right back) and LMK (let me know). Some others are words that don’t make a lot of sense outside of the Internet.
For example, Twitter has its own terminology and words like hashtag and retweeting can be considered Internet slang. Generally, while on an online forum or social media, you can come across memes, trolls, lurkers, noobs, and lags. To make the time you spend on the Internet less confusing, you should know what the most common Internet slang words stand for.
Types of Internet Slang Terms
There are multiple types of slang terms that are being used online today. Here’s a list of the most widely used type of internet slang together with a few examples.
Letter Homophones
It is one of the most common types of internet slang which is normally composed of a group of letters taken from the initial components of the words of the phrase.
Examples: the letter c for the word “see,” u for the word “you.”
Learn more: Homophones
Onomatopoeia
It is another popular type of slang that involves the formation of words with its associated sound.
Examples: Hahaha and Woof Woof
Explore more: Onomatopoeia
Punctuation
This type is a widely used slang that involves the usage of the marks, such as question marks, exclamation points, or sometimes periods in conveying a message.
Examples: ???? or !!!!
Related: Punctuation
Heterography
It makes use of a spelling that is different from standard usage which usually comprises a combination of numbers and letters.
Examples: 2day or 2moro
Emojis
Probably one of the most convenient types of internet slang because by the use of expressions or objects, one can convey an idea, impression, or feeling.
Example: A smiley or A sad face
Leetspeak
This involves modification of spellings to form a shortened but readable characters.
Example: “pwned” and “w00t”
Direct Request
This type of slang is used to make an appeal to identify one’s identity which is commonly used in chat engines or online games where a person’s identification is usually hidden or unknown.
Example: ASL (age, sex, and location)
Interjection
Interjections are used as slang words to express emotion, reaction, or excitement.
Examples: ya (yeah), yeet (yes), yah (yes), mhm (yes)
Portmanteau
This type of slang is made up of two existing words in order to create a new sound.
Examples: malding, mansplaining
Discover more: Portmanteau
Jargon
Jargon is a type of internet slang that involves the usage of words or phrases that has a specific meaning in a particular profession or industry.
Example: Cookies – in programming, it is a packet of data from a server to a browser.
Internet Acronyms
Internet acronyms are formed by taking out the first letter of each word in a phrase. These acronyms are most often pronounced as words, as in YOLO or LOL. It can also be pronounced as individual letters, like TGIF or FAQ. Or it can also be a mixture of the two, as in JPEG or JFIF.
Examples:
YOLO is an internet slang that was popularized in 2012. It is the modern equivalent of the Latin aphorism “carpe diem” which means “seize the day.” The internet acronym stands for “you only live once.” It is a statement formed out of the firm conviction that tomorrow is never promised. YOLO can also be an appeal or demand for someone to live life to the fullest or to take risks for we only live now.
LOL is one of the most common internet slang used to express laughter or to convey amusement. It stands for “laughing out loud” and is an extremely popular internet acronym that a few variations were created from it. These variants include LOLZ and ROFLMAO. LOL is a slang utilized every day since it was coined and had been embedded in the online subculture. It has become an important part of life for people online to effectively communicate especially in jovial conversations.
Texting Abbreviations
Texting abbreviations are the shortened forms of words created and utilized to convey a quicker reaction or response. Internet slang are also used in text messaging so it is common to see internet acronyms, leets, and more of its types in text messages.
Examples:
The popular online expression stands for “Oh my God!” and is used to express surprise, shock, or excitement.
This internet slang was coined when LOL became too mainstream. ROFL stand for “rolling on the ground of laughter.”
Originated from Hollywood Squares, FTW stands for “for the win” and is commonly used to create optimism, especially in challenging situations.
- B/C
It is a common text abbreviation that means “because.”
- 121
It is an abbreviation usually used in chat rooms and in group messaging. 121 means “One-to-One” and is a request to initiate a private conversation outside of the group.
- 2day
The acronym represents one of the World’s largest and reliable shorthand words via the internet and mobile devices. 2day is a shortened form of the word “today.”
- 2M2H
It means “too much to handle” and is used to express pressure from a very demanding situation or circumstances.
- 2moro
It is yet another common shortened word that means “tomorrow.”
Examples of Internet Slang Words from Different Origins
(1) From Gamers
- Poggers
It is one of the common emoji or meme used particularly in gaming sites. Poggers is usually portrayed in the form of a frog and is used to convey excitement or shock.
- Farmed
The gaming slang refers to a swiftly defeated enemy with points and valuable materials amassed over a short period of time.
- Noob
It is a term that refers to an inexperienced new player of a game.
- Marinating
The term refers to an act trickery to gain the other player’s trust and confidence.
(2) From Japan
- Nani
It was in 2017 when this meme was made popular by the Japanese manga series “Fist of the North Star.” Nani in English means “what.”
- Senpai
A Japanese slang that refers to a person, especially a girl that you admire. It is a term specifically used if you aim to get that person’s attention.
- Anon
It is used to refer to a person with unknown identity.
- 555
It is a Japanese slang that means “Go! Go! Go” in English.
- W
This single letter is the Japanese equivalent of LOL.
(3) From China
It is a respectful form of address for a skillful master who teaches techniques, especially in material arts.
- Duang
The slang was popularized by Jackie Chan in a shampoo commercial. Duang refers to a sudden and accidental fall.
- 666
This popular Chinese slang means awesome or excellent.
- TMD
It is a slang used to express extreme annoyance in a profane manner.
Examples of Common Internet Slang Words
Believe it or not, social media has its own vocabulary and it keeps developing like a regular language. This is why this article discusses 200+ common social media slang words that you should know.
List of internet slang words and acronyms from A to Z.
- 2day: Today
- 2moro: Tomorrow
- 2nite: Tonight
- 4EAE: For Ever And Ever
- ABT: About
- ADN: Any Day Now
- AFAIC: As Far As I’m Concerned
- AFAICT: As Far As I Can Tell
- AFAIK: As Far As I Know
- AFAIR: As Far As I Remember
- AKA: Also Known As
- AMA: Ask Me Anything
- ASAIC: As Soon As I Can
- ASAP: As Soon As Possible
- ATM: At The Moment
- B4: Before
- B4N: Bye For Now
- Bae: Babe/Before Anyone Else
- BBL: Be Back Later
- BBT: Be Back Tomorrow
- BCNU: Be Seeing You
- BD: Big Deal
- BF: Boy Friend
- BFF: Best Friends Forever
- BMT: Before My Time
- BOL: Be On Later
- BOT: Back On Topic
- BRB: Be Right Back
- BRO: Brother
- BT: But
- BTW: By The Way
- CFY: Calling For You
- CU: See You
- CUL: See You Later
- Cuz: Because
- CYA: Cover Your Ass
- DAE: Does Anyone Else
- DBA: Doing Business As
- DFTBA: Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!
- DIKU: Do I Know You
- DM: Direct Message
- DND: Do Not Disturb
- DR: Double Rainbow
- DWBH: Don’t Worry, Be Happy
- ELI5: Explain Like I’m 5
- EOM: End Of Message
- EOS: End Of Story
- F2F: Face To Face
- FAQ: Frequently Asked Question
- FB: Facebook
- FBF: Flash Back Friday
- FF: Follow Friday
- FIFY: Fixed It For You
- FITB: Fill In The Blank
- FML: F**** My Life
- FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out
- FTFY: Fixed That For You
- FTL: For The Loss
- FTW: For The Win
- FWB: Friends With Benefits
- FWIW: For What It’s Worth
- FYE: For Your Entertainment
- FYEO: For Your Eyes Only
- FYI: For Your Information
- GA: Go Ahead
- GAL: Get A Life
- GF: Girl Friend
- GM: Good Morning
- GN: Good Night
- Gr8: Great
- GTR: Getting Ready
- HAND: Have A Nice Day
- HB: Hurry Back
- HBD: Happy Birthday
- HBU: How About You
- HMB: Hit Be Back
- HMU: Hit Me Up
- HRU: How Are You
- HTH: Hope This Helps
- IAC: In Any Case
- IC: I See
- ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
- IDC: I Don’t Care
- IDK: I Dont Know
- IG: Instagram
- IIRC: If I Remember Correctly
- IKR: I Know Right
- ILY: I Love You
- IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
- IMMD: It Made My Day
- IMY: I Miss You
- IRL: In Real Life
- IS: I’m Sorry
- ISO: In Search Of
- IU2U: It’s Up To You
- J4F: Just For Fun
- JAM: Just A Minute
- JFY: Just For You
- JIC: Just In Case
- JK: Just Kidding
- JSYK: Just So You Know
- KK: Okay
- L8: Late
- L8R: Later
- LMA: Leave Me Alone
- LMAO: Laughing My Ass Off
- LMBO: Laughing My Butt Off
- LMK: Let Me Know
- LOL: Laugh Out Loud
- LTNS: Long Time No See
- LYLAS: Love You Like A Sister
- M/F: Male or Female
- M8: Mate
- MP: My pleasure
- MSM: Mainstream Media
- MU: Miss You
- MYOB: Mind Your Own Business
- NAGI: Not A Good Idea
- NBD: No Big Deal
- NE1: Anyone
- NM: Not Much
- NP: No Problem
- NSFL: Not Safe For Life
- NSFW: Not Safe For Work
- NTS: Note To Self
- NVM: Never Mind
- OC: Original Content
- OH: Overheard
- OIC: Oh ! I See
- OMD: Oh My Damn
- OMG: Oh My Goodness
- OMW: On My Way
- OT: Off Topic
- OFC: Of course
- PAW: Parents Are Watching
- Pls: Please
- POTD: Photo Of The Day
- POV: Point Of View
- PPL: People
- PTB: Please Text Back
- Q4U: Question For You
- QQ: Crying
- RBTL: Read Between The Lines
- RIP: Rest In Peace
- RL: Real Life
- ROFL: Rolling On the Floor Laughing
- RT: Retweet
- RTM: Read The Manual
- SIS: Sister
- SITD: Still In The Dark
- SM: Social Media
- SMH: Shaking My Head
- SMY: Somebody
- SNH: Sarcasm Noted Here
- SOL: Sooner Or Later
- Some1: Someone
- SRSLY: Seriously
- STBY: Sucks To Be You
- Str8: Straight
- SYS: See You Soon
- TBA: To Be Announced
- TBH: To Be Honest
- TBT: Throwback Thursday
- TBT: Truth Be Told
- TFH: Thread From Hell
- TFTI: Thanks For The Invite
- TGIF: Thank God It’s Friday
- THX: Thanks
- TIA: Thanks in Advance
- TIL: Today I Learned
- TIME: Tears In My Eyes
- TL;DR: Too Long; Didn’t Read
- TLC: Tender Loving Care
- TMI: Too Much Information
- TTYL: Talk To You Later
- TTYS: Talk To You Soon
- Txt: Text
- TYVM: Thank You Very Much
- U: You
- U4F: You Forever
- UR: Your
- VBG: Very Big Grin
- VSF: Very Sad Face
- WB: Welcome Back
- WBU: What About You?
- WEG: Wicked Evil Grin
- WKND: Weekend
- WOM: Word of Mouth
- WOTD: Word Of The Day
- Wru: Who Are You
- WTH: What The Heck?
- WTPA: Where The Party At?
- WU?: Whats Up
- WYCM: Will You Call Me?
- WYWH: Wish You Were Here
- XOXO: Hugs and Kisses
- YGM: You’ve Got Mail
- YNK: You Never Know
- YOLO: You Only Live Once
- YT: YouTube
- YW: You’re Welcome
Internet Slang Conversations
You need to keep in mind that generation after generation, take common traditional slang words and add a new meaning(s) to it. Here you will find examples of some slang words where the perception of the word and intended uses have changed or increase over the years. These terms have gained popularity and recognition among all generations.
Internet Slang Example 1:
Mom: Your great aunt just passed away. LOL
Peter: Why is that funny?
Mom: It’s not funny Peter! What do you mean?
Peter: Mom lol means laughing out loud!
Mom: Oh My Godness!! I sent that to everyone I thought It meant lots of love. I have to call everyone back, oh god.
Internet Slang Example 2:
Mom: The road was a little icy out today. Be careful when you drive.
Son: I will
Mom: YOLO.
Son: It’s usually not meant as a warning, Mom.
Internet Slang Example 3:
Son: Mom! I got a 94 on my Math exam!
Mom: WTF, honey!
Son: Mom, what do you think WTF means?
Mom: Well that’s fantastic!
Son: No mom…
Internet Slang Words with Images
Shindig Meaning
Ghosted Meaning
FQA Meaning
“Fiend” Meaning
Creepypasta Meaning
Slide Into The DMs
PMOYS Meaning
QLMS Meaning
Putz Meaning
RBF Meaning
Doxxing Meaning
“Y2K” Meaning
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