100+ Coolest Internet Abbreviations of 2021 (+ Tweeting & Texting)

In the world of messengers and chat rooms, the use of Internet abbreviations is as natural as seeing another selfie maker at the street. Somehow these catchy shorthand words have grown into the whole new language used by millennials and Gen Zers.

Some people call it Internet slang since many abbreviations are mostly used in informal conversations of specific groups in social media networks. However, the typical slang of British English, American English, Australian English, and others are typically localized whereas Internet abbreviations are universal and used by any person who catches the gist of a chat.  

The likelihood you can come up with ten common internet abbreviations is almost as high as the fact that you text or tweet your friends each day. But, you probably also see internet abbreviations and acronyms all the time that you don’t understand. That’s why we wrote this article with over 100 of the most popular internet abbreviations of 2021: so you can use it as a reference, test yourself, and master the hip lingo of the internet.

What are the most popular internet abbreviations of 2021?

Here is a selection of the most popular and widely used internet abbreviations in 2021:

  • LOL: Laughing out loud
  • ASAP: As soon as possible
  • FYI: For your information
  • G2G: Got to go
  • FB: Facebook
  • MSG: Message
  • TTYL: Talk to you later
  • IMO: In my opinion
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What makes people abbreviate?

Limits. As simple as it is, people have started abbreviating words due to the limited number of characters permitted in a single message or tweet. Until 2017, one tweet could include no more than 140 characters and 20 characters for a username. This number doubled to 280 characters, yet the tradition to abbreviate is still a trend these days. People want to save their efforts and time for typing especially when it’s made on the go.

Besides, one of the reasons to use shorthand in texting is the accelerated life pace which makes us say or do more in less space and time.

People stopped using long beautiful transition words or phrases like nevertheless, notwithstanding the fact that because it takes too many taps to write them. Hence, the second reason is simply human’s laziness and impatience to type full words. Still, it’s not that bad because idleness has been an engine of progress for many centuries.

The shorthand communication can be compared to a specific secret language code between users in different online chats, social media, instant messaging services like Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, etc. This abbreviation code is also a perfect way to protect one-to-one conversation from someone’s intrusion.

One of the assumptions is that the greater part of abbreviations appeared because teens needed to hide their private chats from parents’ eyes. And there are specific examples that confirm it:

  • PAW (Parents are watching)
  • PITR (Parent in the room)
  • PBB (Parent behind back)
  • POMS (Parent over my shoulder)
  • KPC (Keeping parents clueless)
  • PAH (Parent at home).

The craziest thing is that today our parents also use IM abbreviations to chat with their friends. However, sometimes their messages make us blush and even fofl (falling on floor laughing).

Internet abbreviations list: 100+ of the most popular internet abbreviations for tweeting and texting

Basically, millennials were those who created and popularized the use of internet chat abbreviations. Shortened common words, word combinations, and even sentences have become a part of tweeting and instant messaging. Have you wondered what does NTH mean in texting messaging and why can’t people simply say “Nice to have!”

Of course, you can join a chat and write instead of TTYL or OMG their full variants like Talk to you later / Oh my God. Twitter won’t crash, and others in a chat won’t come with curses. However, eventually, you will write their shorthand variants to keep up with others.

To help you memorize more abbreviations and acronyms, we grouped them according to a similar pattern of use.

Expressing emotions and feelings

HIFW – How I feel when

HIFW has become one of the most common text abbreviations in funny, sarcastic memes and gifs on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. And there are dozens of gifs like the following one with a hashtag HIFW on Imgur, GIPHY, GIFER, etc.

Another example with the full words is also frequently used in blogs and FB posts.

TFW – That feeling when. TFW internet slang often goes in a caption to an image.

MFW – My face when

MRW – My reaction when

IFYP – I feel your pain

LOL – Laughing out loud

TNTL – Trying not to laugh

JK – Just kidding

IDC – I don’t care

ILY – I love you

IMU – I miss you

ADIH – Another day in hell

IDC – I don’t care

ZZZ – Sleeping, bored, tired

WYWH – Wish you were here

TIME – Tears in my eyes

BAE – Before anyone else

You can use it referring to a person who you care for the most. E.g. Me and my BAE have just watched another episode of Game of Thrones!

Here’s another example, I found on Imgur.

SSDD – Same stuff, different day

QQ – Crying

For me, the origin of QQ abbreviation is really surprising. According to Urban Dictionary, at first, QQ meant to quit the game Warcraft II by pressing the hotkey Alt+QQ. Hence, when a player started whining, others offered him to QQ. Soon, it was associated with crying eyes and used in texting and tweeting as well.

FIMH – Forever in my heart

BSAAW – Big smile and a wink

BWL – Bursting with laughter

LMAO – Laughing my a** off

BFF: Best friends forever

CSL – Can’t stop laughing

 

Expressing Opinion and Reaction

IMOIMHO – In my opinionIn my humble opinion

OMDB – Over my dead body

NTH – Nice to have. what does nth mean in texting messaging

POV – Point of View

TBH – To be honest

FTW – For the win

WTF – What the f***

This and the following examples belong to internet slang abbreviations describing something of the best or low (FTL) quality. If you say something is FTW, then it can be splendid, amazing, perfect, etc.

FTL – For the loss

YNK – You never know

SMH – Shaking my head

 

Describing the reaction to something stupid, aggressive, hostile, unfair, etc.

SRSLY – Seriously

YGTR – You got that right

GMTA – Great minds think alike

It is sometimes confused with GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test); however, those who have gone through that painful preparation to exam could always tell the difference. The abbreviation, which refers to the common way of thinking, has become mainstream and even placed as a print on cups, pillows, shirts, etc.

AYMM – Are you my mother?

CWOT – Complete waste of time

 

Disclaimers

IANAL – I am not a lawyer

Next time you share any law-related advice in a public chat, put IANAL or its analogue TINLA (This is not legal advice) so that you are not accused of unlicensed consultation. In the U.S. and other countries, even a small recommendation on how to deal with your assets or running a divorce case can be regarded as unauthorized law practice.

AFAIK – As far as I know

AFAIR – As far as I remember

AFAIC – As far as I’m concerned

ASL – Age, sex, location

AAMOF – As a matter of fact

FWIW – For what it’s worth

YMMV – Your mileage may vary

IIRC – If I remember correctly

DM – Direct message

AFAICT – As far as I can tell

TL;DR – Too long; didn’t read

You can reply with this abbreviation not only to emphasise how long the post is but also to explain that you’ve been too lazy to read and just ignored it. Which is why TL;DR also means Too lazy; didn’t read. Later, it gave birth to ToS; DR (Terms of service; didn’t read). As you may know, many people skip studying this part of a website because of the complex law terms and long sentences.

I found a bundle of other gifs and memes with this abbreviation.

Attracting attention

IRL – In real life

TIL – Today I learned

SOML – Story of my life. What does SOML mean in texting? Most likely a person compares another person’s story with own situation.

EMBM – Early morning business meeting

J4F – Just for fun

JSYK – Just so you know

FAWC – For anyone who cares

RLRT – Real life retweet

OH – Overheard

WUZUP – What’s up?

CS – Career suicide

DWH – During work hours

 

Warning and recommendation

NSFW – Not safe for work

If you see this kind of abbreviation posted near a specific link, then do not click it. Most likely, NSFW acronym will lead to some sexual, nude, brutal or violent content banned to view at your working place.

NSFL – Not safe for life

It refers to even more offensive and shocking content which can possibly cause mental harm.

SFW – Safe for work

GRAS – Generally recognised as safe

NBD – Not big deal

OC – Original content

4AO – For adults only

OP – Original poster

This refers to someone who was the first to publish a post.

PPL – People

ICYMI – In case you missed it

JIC – Just in case

NAGI – Not a good idea

GOI – Get over it

RBTL – Read between the lines

AYOR – At your own risk

DIY – Do it yourself

E123 – Easy as one, two, three

GAHOY – Get a hold of yourself

 

Asking for a favor or advice

TMB – Tweet me back

WTPA – Where the party at?

DAE – Does anyone else?

PRT – Please retweet

PTB – Please text back

TIA – Thanks in advance

BUMP – Bring up my post

 

Notifications, wishes, greetings, closings

 

OMW – On my way

GRATZ – Congratulations

GL – Good luck

IDK – I don’t know

TTYL – Talk to you later

BRB – Be right back

W8 – Wait

NFS – Not for sale

B4N – Bye for now

[email protected] – Back at you

BBBG – Bye bye be good

BBIAS – Be back in a sec

RUOK – Are you OK?

CYT – See you tomorrow

DBMIB – Don’t bother me I’m busy

DM – Direct message

GFN – Gone for now

AFK – Away from keyboard

 

Final thoughts

You can always find the larger list of internet abbreviations and other shortened words on the web. However, even with these examples, you’ll be ready enough to start a conversation in a public chat. Before you begin using any abbreviations from our list look through the chat history. If you find that only reaction abbreviations appear in the chat flow (lol, omg, or such graphical symbols as ) andetc.), then it’s better not to overuse other unknown examples. Most importantly, do not operate with acronyms or abbreviations having a formal chat with your CEO in a corporate chat room.
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