How good is your acronym game?

So many acronyms, so little time.

Acronyms were initially used to save space to make it less distracting for readers and have gained popularity as a result of our rapid communication through emails and text messages. Today, some acronyms are even considered normal words. And the list continues to grow.

If you’re a savvy social media user, you probably know at least some of the acronyms on this list, but we’re sure we’ll stump you with a couple. And if you’re not big on social media, well you’re about to learn a whole new language.

So, do you want to brush up on your acronym skills? We got you!

Here are 15 acronyms you might not know but should:

LMK- Let me know

Starting off with an easy one. If you didn’t know this before, now you do.

TLDR- Too long; didn’t read

Have you ever received emails and messages that were too long? Now you know what to say in response.

FOMO- Fear of missing out

The next time you’re feeling anxious about missing an opportunity, you have the perfect acronym for it.

FWIW- For what it’s worth

This is the perfect acronym for when you’re giving out information and don’t know if it’s useful or not.

PSA- Public Service Announcement

Have you ever read or heard PSA somewhere and had no idea what it meant? Well, now you know.

FTW- For the win

If you’re supporting something either genuinely or sarcastically, FTW is the acronym for you.

AWOL- Absent without leave

Remember that coworker who was supposed to attend the meeting but didn’t show up? You got it, they went AWOL!

YAHOO- Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle

Admit it. You didn’t know that Yahoo was an acronym.

FISH- First In, still here

Next time you go to work early and stay late, tell your boss that you’re FISH.

GIF- Graphic interchange format

Whether you pronounce it gif or jif, we bet you didn’t know what it meant, but now you do!

AFK- Away from keyboard

AFK is the ultimate acronym to know when you’re working from home. Or if you’re playing online games with your friends.

IMO- In my opinion

Do you want to impress your Gen Z peers? IMO is the acronym to use.

NOYB- None of your business

Internet slang for telling people to keep their nose out of your business.

IRL- In real life

This acronym is perfect for referring to things outside of the digital world. We know it can get confusing.

SMOM- Special Meeting of the Members

A special acronym Humber College and University of Guelph-Humber students should know. SMOM stands for Special Meeting of the Members, an event hosted by IGNITE, your student union. It’s a chance for us to share with you what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and see how you feel about it! After all, everything we do is with you in mind. We actively seek your input and feedback to help shape all of our events, services and supports to ensure your student life is everything it should be!

This year’s SMOM is taking place on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 11:00 a.m. via Microsoft Teams, meaning you can even join SMOM for the comforts of your own bed. So, join the IGNITE team and your fellow students at this year’s SMOM and have a say in how you’re supported on campus! Plus, as an added thank you, the first 150 students who register and stay for duration of the full event will receive a $25 Uber Eats gift card in thanks!

So don’t miss out and register now!

Acronyms are a cool little way of showing that you’re all caught up with the internet’s slang language. Whether you use them while hanging out with friends or at work, some of them always come in handy.


Need more? Here are the best solo and group brain games you have to play

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