From "POS" to “GTFO,” Breaking Down the Meaning of Insult Abbreviations

Abbreviations are useful tools for shortening words and communicating quickly and casually. While people have always used abbreviations and shorthand to communicate—one only needs to do some cursory research into old-fashioned slang to see that—social media and the rise of texting have generated a whole new array of slang words, abbreviations, and acronyms that communicate everything from basic concepts to extremely nuanced emotions. 

Some of these terms are benign, like the iconic LOL, but others are a bit sharper and come in handy whenever you need to express something a bit more intense. The following abbreviations are insults that can either be used humorously in the right context, or that can be genuinely sharp and cruel takedowns. 

A caveat: it’s important to make sure you know your audience and fully understand the meaning of each these words before using them. If you’re tempted to throw out one of these terms in an online argument, it is also worth remembering that the person on the other side of the screen is a real person with real thoughts and feelings—not an NPC, as tempting as it might be to call them one when incensed. 

1. GTFO
2. POS
3. IDC
4. TL;DR
5. IDGAF
6. STFU
7. GALMA
8. SMH
9. GOMB
10. NPC
11. SOB

GTFO

GTFO stands for “get the fuck out,” and is generally used to shut someone else down or to tell them to leave the conversation. It is sometimes also used to express shock or surprise, and can also refer to leaving for a trip or exiting a situation. According to slang lexicographer Jonathan Green, this acronym actually dates back to the 1990s.

POS

POS stands for “piece of shit.” It is, in short, not a very nice thing to call someone.

IDC

While not exactly always an insult, IDC often functions as a highly dismissive way to simply say, “I don’t care.”

TL;DR

TL;DR means “too long, didn’t read.” This is also not always an insult, but it can serve as a belittling takedown when deposited beneath someone’s long and heartfelt post or comment. In its non-insulting context, it can signify a summary of a longer text or video.

IDGAF

This abbreviation stands for “I don’t give a fuck,” and it is a rather savage way to say you don’t care about someone or something at all.

STFU

STFU stands for “shut the fuck up” and is yet another way to forcefully tell someone to be quiet. 

GALMA

GALMA means “go away, leave me alone,” and like many other terms on this list, it is a way of telling someone to get out, stop, cease, log off, or otherwise stop interacting.

SMH

SMH means “shaking my head,” and it can be used in many contexts to express disapproval, disappointment, or sometimes contempt. 

GOMB

GOMB typically stands for “get off my back,” and is a way to command someone to stop bothering or trolling you. It can also mean “get off my brain,” which is typically said when someone posts something you were just about to write in a group chat or on a comment thread and means, “stop reading my mind.” These meanings are not to be confused with the Hungarian word gomb, which means “button,” or the Illinois Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB).

NPC

NPC stands for “non-playable character,” and originates from video games, where it refers to characters who can’t be controlled or manipulated by the player. As an insult, it can refer to someone who seems to have little independence, autonomy, or critical thinking, and can be used to describe someone who is perceived as boring or overly willing to conform to social or political ideologies. 

SOB

SOB stands for “son of a bitch” and is generally a way of insulting someone, technically by way of insulting their mother. Hey, even Shakespeare made “yo mama” jokes.

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