10 Social Media Abbreviations That Stump People the Most

Gone are the days when everything we say is written out in full. Some of it started when we had to type a number four times just to get an “S,” but even since we’ve got normal keyboards on phones, text and social media abbreviations are used everywhere.

It’s just a much faster way of communicating in the world that we live in now. We’re constantly on the go, and we need to send multiple messages fast. However, it turns out that not everyone understands what common abbreviations mean, leading to them having to search on the internet for the meaning.

One of the abbreviations is sure to surprise you. It’s been around for decades. This list covers the top 10, from the most searched abbreviation to the least searched one, according to ProfileTree’s findings.

1. “FB”
2. “TIME”
3. “AMA”
4. “NWS”
5. “MSG”
6. “DL”
7. “ATM”
8. “BBL”
9. “LOL”
10. “SMH”

“FB”

One of the most common phrases used on social media is “FB,” but it stumps around 2.26 million people in a month. Now, the actual meaning of it is going to depend on the context of the message.

“FB” stands for Facebook to a lot of people. However, for younger people, Facebook is on the out, so “FB” will mean “follow back” to them. You’ll usually be able to tell in the context of the wording whether it’s about another social media platform or if someone wants you to follow them on their social media.

“TIME”

Next up is “TIME,” with just more than a million searches in a month, but this acronym has nothing to do with the clock. It’s an emotional indicator, standing for “Tears in My Eyes.” In general, they’re saying how touched or moved they are by something.

I can understand why this abbreviation isn’t understood as much. After all, there’s an emoji to show this now, and a lot of people are going to opt for the emoji use instead.

“AMA”

The next abbreviation is something that you’ll see a lot on social media from celebrities or influencers. “AMA” stands for “Ask Me Anything,” and it’s commonly used when people are doing a Q&A or when they have some time free and they want to create some engagement on their platform.

You may also see it in some live streams. In fact, there is often a TikTok or YouTube live, where you’ll see the “AMA” tag in the caption, opening the floor to people asking the question in the comments and the reply coming through on the video. It’s also very popular on Reddit.

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“NWS”

In fourth place, it’s “NWS,” which does seem a little odd considering what it actually stands for. After all, most abbreviations will use one letter of each individual word, but this opts for one letter of one word and two letters of another.

It stands for “No Worries,” which is often used as a way to accept an apology when there’s been a misunderstanding. But yes, the “S” part of the abbreviation is a little confusing at first. When you do see the context, you can usually work it out, which is probably why the monthly searches for this are around 670,000. What’s funny is that we’ll still use “NP” for “No Problem.”

“MSG”

When you see “MSG,” you’ll probably initially think about food. After all, there are plenty of influencers on TikTok sharing about how they don’t eat something because it has MSG in it. So, it’s not confusing that this abbreviation has stumped a good 668,000 people per month.

Well, it has nothing to do with food when most people send the abbreviation. In fact, it likely won’t even be in capital letters. When someone says “msg,” they want you to “message” them. This one makes sense from the old phone days, so it’s no wonder it’s stuck.

“DL”

Have you ever had someone tell you that they want a situation on the “DL?” This is just their way of saying that they want something to be kept a secret. The abbreviation means “down-low.”

This one may not be used as much anymore, as there is a great emoji to get someone to keep a secret. It’s the face with the “shhh” finger in front of it. However, sometimes, writing “DL” is just much quicker and easier than finding that emoji.

“ATM”

It’s not that surprising that almost 650,000 people a month are searching for what “ATM” means. After all, ATM is all about cash machines, right? That’s what you say; you’re “going to the ATM.”

Well, there are times when someone will mean this when they’re texting. However, when it comes to social media, they’re probably talking about something else. They’re telling you “at the moment.” Some keep the “atm” in lowercase when meaning “at the moment,” so it’s not confused for a cash machine.

“BBL”

“BBL“ pops up in eighth place, which stands for “Brazilian Butt Lift.” If you haven't heard this one, you're likely not on that side of the internet. It is a huge topic, though, and if you do end up in that sphere, you’ll want to know what people are meaning. There are times that it can mean “Be Back Later,” but you’ll know which abbreviation is which based on the context of a text.

“LOL”

Don’t we all know what “LOL” stands for? After all, we can literally use the acronym in sentences when we’re speaking now. However, it’s possibly because of this that people have actually started looking at what it means. And we’re talking around half a million people per month.

It stands for “Laugh(ing) Out Loud,” and it’s just used when something is funny. “LOL can be quicker to type than “haha,“ and it came from the days of having the keypads to text from, as it just seemed easier with only three letters. The laughing face emoji has now become popular instead.

“SMH”

The final one on the list is also a little surprising to be on here, but, like “LOL,” it’s just become so wildly used that people don’t really think about what it means. “SMH” stands for “shaking my head.”

The phrase is commonly used when someone is frustrated with a situation or is disappointed by someone. It can also be used with an “unamused” emoji or with rolling eyes. It just depends on the situation and the type of person typing.

Which of these acronyms have stumped you the most?