Hey, Parents of Teens: Check Out the 50 Most Searched Texting Acronyms in Amerca
It’s no surprise that parents of teens are often lost when it comes to understanding their lingo. And now there’s evidence, according to Google search data analyzed this week by Unscramblerer, an online tool for solving word puzzles. It shows that there have been hundreds of thousands of searches related to the ever-changing world of acronyms used in text exchanges. And NGL, that’s got to mean moms and dads are trying to figure out what the heck their kids are talking about.
“Acronyms are an effective, lazy and cool way to communicate. Context truly matters when using acronyms in conversations,” said Unscramblerer data researcher Randoh Sallihall in an email.
The analysis looked at searches related to acronym meanings for the period between January and March of this year.
The list of the most confusing American texting acronyms is always changing, and often within a short timeframe, Sallihall added. PMO, for example, switched from “put me on” to “pisses me off.” Meanings can change from community to community, too.
Below, the most searched texting acronyms in America, by monthly searches:
- SYBAU (333 100 searches) Shut your b—h ass up.
- FAFO (274 600 searches) F–k around and find out.
- SMH (201 800 searches) Shaking my head.
- PMO (142 500 searches) “P-sses me off” or “Put me on”.
- TS (97 000 searches) “Tough sh-t” or “Talk soon”.
- TBH (85 500 searches) To be honest.
- OTP (82 800 searches) One true pairing.
- ASL (81 600 searches) As hell.
- NFS (77 900 searches) New friends.
- POV (75 100 searches) Point of view.
- WYD (68 400 searches) What are you doing?
- WYLL (67 000 searches) What you look like.
- WYF (66 700 searches) Where are you from.
- ISTG (65 100 searches) I Swear to god.
- ATP (64 800 searches) At this point.
- WTW (61 500 searches) What’s the word.
- FWB (58 200 searches) Friends with benefits.
- HMU (57 700 searches) Hit me up.
- FML (56 400 searches) F–k my life.
- ICL (54 700 searches) I Can’t Lie.
- FS (54 400 searches) For sure.
- DW (54 100 searches) Don’t worry.
- LMS (52 300 searches) Like my status.
- IMO (51 700 searches) In my opinion.
- WTV (49 600 searches) Whatever.
- ISO (48 900 searches) In search of.
- WSG (48 300 searches) What’s good?
- MB (48 000 searches) My bad.
- GTS (46 500 searches) Go to bed.
- ETA (46 400 searches) Estimated time of arrival.
- WYO (46 100 searches) What you on?
- NGL (43 300 searches) Not gonna lie.
- WTM (38 300 searches) What’s the move.
- ICYMI (38 100 searches) In case you missed it.
- BTA (38 000 searches) “Better than average” or “But then again”.
- BTW (37 100 searches) By the way.
- MK (36 900 searches) Mmm, okay.
- CYA (36 700 searches) Cover your ass.
- MBN (36 600 searches) Must be nice.
- LOML (35 600 searches) Love of my life.
- WFH (35 500 searches) Work from home.
- IIRC (34 500 searches) If i remember correctly.
- PFP (31 600 searches) Picture for proof.
- ETC (27 100 searches) And the rest.
- HY (26 500 searches) Hell yeah.
- NTM (24 800 searches) Nothing much.
- GMFU (23 900 searches) Got me f—-d up.
- TTM (22 700 searches) Talk to me.
- DTM (22 100 searches) Doing too much.
- TFW (17 900 searches) That feeling when.
Use them at your own risk, though: A 2024 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that the use of acronyms, as well as abbreviations — srsly — signaled lower effort and less sincerity to recipients, regardless of age.