Do You Actually Know the Meaning of These Text Acronyms?

By: Beth Hendricks
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Do You Actually Know the Meaning of These Text Acronyms?
Image: Yasser Chalid / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

OK, let's be serious: How many of the acronyms from the opening above did you recognize? You've probably seen "FWIW" - For What It's Worth - but what about "AWHFY" - Are We Having Fun Yet? What about "DW2H" - Don't Work Too Hard? Or, "YGLT" - You're Gonna Love This?

There's a whole unique language that has developed alongside changes in technology. Pagers or beepers started it. We used to type "911" in a message if it was an emergency or "07734" to say "hello." (Trust us, turn your computer upside-down. It sort of resembles the word "hello.") When we graduated to smartphones and text messaging programs, we also found ourselves learning a whole new "language" of OMGs, LOLs and WTHs! Sometimes they're easy to figure out - think IDK or JK, but others can be a bit trickier (looking at you GFI - Go For It).

So, if you've ever found yourself Googling, "What does LMBO mean?" then this is the quiz for you! We've compiled some common and lesser-known text abbreviations you might send or receive in a conversation. Can you get a majority correct? If so, MHOTY (My Hat's Off To You)! Get going - we'll TTYL!

1-LMK
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LMK if you can guess the answer to this one. What does "LMK" mean?
Laughing My Knee
Like My Key
Let Me Know
Late May Keel
2-NP
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I wanted to tell him it wasn't an issue to pick up the files from his office. How could I abbreviate that in a text?
NPB
NOP
NP
NPRB
3-TTYL
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If you've got to run for an appointment, you might text TTYL. What does "TTYL" mean?
Time to Yawn Lately
Thankful to Your Lineage
Talk to You Later
Text Time Yet Lately

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4-FWIW
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She texts me, "FWIW, I think you're right about the yellow." What does "FWIW" mean?
From Where I Went
Forgot Where I Was
For What It's Worth
For What I Want
5-ROFL
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That joke was so funny, I was "ROFL." What was I doing?
Risking Our Family's Lives
Rolling on the Floor Laughing
Running Out of Funny Language
Racing Off to Forest Land
6-ICYMI
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You might text someone this if you think they missed out on something interesting. Which acronym is it?
LYLAS
ICYMI
MFW
TLDR

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7-YMMV
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I really love my new foundation, but I told her YMMV. What does "YMMV" mean?
Your Maximum Makeup Value
Your Mileage May Vary
You Might Miss Variety
Yours Might Maintain Value
8-ILY
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You might tell your significant other ILY when you're signing off on a text. What does "ILY" mean?
I Laughed Yesterday
I Love You
It's Likely U
It'll Last Yourself
9-NLT
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She texted me and said she'd be NLT midnight. What does "NLT" mean?
Not Lacking Anything
Not Likely To
No Later Than
Next Level Trip

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10-BTW
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BTW, you're a quarter of the way through this quiz. What does "BTW" mean?
Buy The Watch
Back To Work
By The Way
By The Water
11-143
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She signed her last text to him 143. What does "143" mean?
Thank You
See You Later
I Love You
Talk To You Soon
12-YOLO
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She decided to go skydiving; after all, YOLO. What does "YOLO" mean?
Yet Our Last Opportunity
You Opt to Live Outside
Yes, Or Laugh Out Loud
You Only Live Once

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13-DM
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If you wanted to have a private chat with someone online, which of these would you send?
FM
DM
CM
AM
14-B-C
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Explaining the reason behind why you did something might be simplified with which of these acronyms?
IBF
B/C
YNT
W/H
15-RBTL
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She said they were still together, but I was able to RBTL. What does "RBTL" mean?
Read Between The Lines
Race Back To Lunch
Rage By The Light
React Before Talking Loudly

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16-FR
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She wanted to show she agreed with his opinion that the movie was terrible. What should she text him?
IDEK
FR
ETA
IC
17-IDK
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If you don't know the answer, which of these shortcuts will let the other person know?
NC
IDK
BTSM
NTS
18-OMG
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OMG! Can you believe she did that? What does "OMG" mean in text talk?
Oh My God
Only My Generosity
Off My Gourd
Obey My Goal

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19-FWP
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She texted me to say the coffee shop forgot to put her whip on top. Which of these replies should I send?
WUT
FWP
SSR
NP
20-BRB
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I stepped out of the office and texted the receptionist, BRB. What does "BRB" mean?
By Reasonable Beginning
Be Rarely Bold
Be Right Back
Break Right Below
21-ETA
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I wanted to know what time she would be at the office. Which of these acronyms could I use to determine that?
RTA
TAO
ETA
ATT

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22-TYVM
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She sent me a photo I could use and I told her TYVM. What does "TYVM" mean?
Teleconference You or Virtual Meeting
That's Your Visual Model
Thankful You're Very Mild-mannered
Thank You Very Much
23-XO
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Which of these acronyms would you use to send "hugs and kisses" to someone?
HNK
KK
HGS
XO
24-NVM
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He asked me to bring him lunch but then said NVM. What does "NVM" mean?
Nothing Major
Natural Mark
Never Mind
Negative Manners

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25-SMH
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I could only respond with "SMH" when he told me he'd broken up with yet another girlfriend. What does "SMH" mean?
Shaking My Head
Sharing My Heart
Stopping My Habit
So Much Happiness
26-LOL
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If something strikes you as funny, you might use this acronym to let the sender know. What is it?
OIC
HA
LOL
FS
27-ISO
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Which of these acronyms could you use to let someone know you're on the hunt for something?
ISO
LF
BAC
WIIA

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28-OFC
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Are you enjoying this quiz as much as we are? OFC. What does "OFC" mean?
Off the Charts
Of Course
Oh, Close
Odd Choice
29-OIC
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Were you enlightened by a text you received? You might respond with which of these acronyms?
ORN
WTU
OIC
LLS
30-POV
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He asked me to consider his POV. What does "POV" mean?
Personal Operation Version
Point Of View
Package Of Variety
Price Of Valuables

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31-WYWH
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You've gone on vacation, but you're missing your friend. Which of these would you send to me?
YMMW
AOK
CYA
WYWH
32-HMU
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Everyone tried making plans, but nothing got confirmed. Which of these could you use to tell someone to text you later?
TXM
HMU
HRU
TTL
33-BFF
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You've probably had a BFF since childhood. You may even text them to tell them they're your BFF. What does "BFF" mean?
Basic Favorite Friend
Bad Feeling Fever
Best Friend(s) Forever
Baby Face Follower

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34-HBU
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"How are you?" "I'm fine ..." What's the next thing you might say in this conversation?
AIM
HBU
TTYL
WAU
35-TMI
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She was telling me about the blister on her toe and I told her TMI. What does "TMI" mean?
To My Imagination
Too Many Illustrations
Too Much Information
Totally Major Incident
36-IKR
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I knew she agreed with me when she texted me these three letters. Which acronym is it?
FTR
LOL
IKR
IMO

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37-OT
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A friend and I were discussing vacation plans when she sent me OT and mentioned a book she'd been reading. What does "OT" mean?
On Target
Open Talk
Off Topic
On Time
38-DBEYR
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A healthy amount of skepticism might prompt you to text someone which of these acronyms?
FWIW
B4N
DBEYR
LYLAS
39-IMO
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IMO, you should take another quiz when you finish this one. What does "IMO" mean?
I'm Making an Offer
In My Opinion
If Many Occur
It's Major Official

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40-JK
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He told me he was quitting his job and then responded JK. What does "JK" mean?
Join Kindly
Just Kidding
Jump Kick
Just Kissing