100 bite-sized letter strings—match each one to what people actually mean.
By Richie.Zh01
30 Questions
L1 Difficulty
1 × 30 Points
Read MoreRead Less
About This Quiz
From IRC and Usenet to TikTok and Slack, these abbreviations move at warp speed. Whether you’re keeping it office-formal (FYI, EOD) or diving into meme-born chaos (TFW, IYKYK), watch out for near-identical twins that swap places on the fly (ETA, ASAP, BRB). This isn’t just vocab—it’s culture.
Each question gives you four possible expansions. Three are gloriously wrong; only one pays off. Hints hide in punctuation, context, and platform: some slang lives in gaming chat, some in email chains, some in stan-fandom threads.
Race through all 100 and claim your title as the internet’s reigning decoder. Rack up streaks, laugh at the traps, and sharpen reflexes you’ll actually use in tomorrow’s chats, briefings, posts, and push-notifications.
[B] Great minds think alike | Originated from 1618 play "The Mourning Bride," fully stated as "Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ." The internet dropped the insulting second half because nobody wants to admit they might be the fool.
2/30
IDC?
[A] I don't care | The anthem of teenage apathy since 1995. Icona Pop's "I Love It" made "I don't care" a chorus in 2012. Typing IDC takes the same effort as caring but sends the opposite message.
3/30
ETA?
[B] Estimated time of arrival | Aviation term from 1940s, now used for everything from pizza delivery to relationship status. GPS made ETAs accurate, humans still make them lies. "What's your ETA?" is modern for "where the hell are you?"
4/30
BYOB?
[D] Bring your own beer | 1970s college party essential, though prohibition-era speakeasies had "bring your own bottle." The variant BYOD (device) proves we'll acronym-ize any possession. BYOE (everything) is peak 2020 energy.
5/30
SNAFU?
[A] Situation normal, all f***** up | WWII military acronym (1941) that's somehow still classified in origin documents. The fact that "f***** up" is considered "normal" tells you everything about military bureaucracy. Spawned FUBAR, TARFU, and other creative pessimism.
6/30
LOL?
[C] Laugh out loud | Wayne Pearson claims he invented it in the 1980s on a Calgary BBS. Your grandma thinks it means "Lots of Love," leading to "Sorry for your loss LOL" texts. Studies show only 7% of LOL usage involves actual laughter.
7/30
IDK?
[A] I don't know | The honest answer nobody wants to hear. Somehow more acceptable in text than saying it out loud. Adding the shrug emoji ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ makes it 50% less frustrating.
8/30
ASL?
[B] Age, sex, location | The trinity of 90s chat room introductions, before privacy was a concept. Killed by Facebook making everything public. Chris Hansen made this acronym terrifying forever.
9/30
WYWH?
[C] Wish you were here | Pink Floyd's 1975 album made it iconic, texting made it an acronym. The passive-aggressive vacation text. Posted with sunset photos to make followers jealous.
10/30
OMDB?
[D] Over my dead body | Drama incarnate since 1840s melodrama, acronym-ized for text arguments. The digital equivalent of throwing yourself across a doorway. Parents' favorite response to teenage requests.
11/30
YGTR?
[C] You got that right | Agreement so enthusiastic it needs an acronym. Born in Southern US vernacular, digitized in chat rooms. The "T" is crucial - YGR sounds like a growl.
12/30
BC?
[A] Because | The laziest abbreviation - saves three letters. Kids use it to annoy teachers. "BC" vs "B/C" wars rage in grammar forums. Some claim it means "be cool" but they're wrong.
13/30
LMK?
[B] Let me know | The polite demand for future information. Corporate speak for "the ball's in your court." Adding "ASAP" after LMK creates a paradox of casual urgency.
14/30
FOMO?
[D] Fear of missing out | Coined by Patrick McGinnis in 2004, became epidemic with Instagram. The anxiety that everyone's having more fun than you. Opposite: JOMO (joy of missing out), for reformed extroverts.
15/30
CC?
[B] Send a copy to | From carbon paper copies (1806), survived into email age. "CC" means "I want you to see this," BCC means "I want you to secretly see this." Email politics 101.
16/30
NGL?
[C] Not gonna lie | Honesty announcement that implies previous dishonesty. Started in hip-hop, mainstreamed on Twitter. "NGL" before compliments makes them seem more genuine. Psychology is weird.
17/30
WTF?
[D] What the f*** | First seen on Usenet in 1985, peaked with "WTF" becoming Acronym of the Year in 2009. Has its own emoji in Japan (◎_◎). The only appropriate response to 2020-2024.
18/30
SRSLY?
[A] Seriously | Vowels are so 2005. The death of the vowel started here, spread to "pls" and "thx." Linguists cry, teenagers don't care. Pronounced "sears-lee" by people who miss the point.
19/30
IMO?
[B] In my opinion | The shield of subjectivity since 1990s forums. Adding "H" for "humble" (IMHO) doesn't actually make opinions humbler. Legal protection disguised as casual conversation.
20/30
HIFW?
[D] How I feel when | Reaction GIF culture's favorite setup (2010). Always followed by absurdly specific scenarios. "HIFW the pizza arrives just as the movie starts" - peak human happiness.
21/30
IMHO?
[A] In my humble opinion | The "humble" is never sincere. Like saying "with all due respect" before disrespect. Created by people who wanted to seem less aggressive while being exactly as aggressive.
22/30
TGIF?
[C] Thank goodness it's Friday | Restaurant chain made it mainstream (1965), though the phrase dates to 1940s. The universal worker's prayer. Spawned TGIM (Thank God It's Monday) used exclusively by psychopaths.
23/30
ASAP?
[D] As soon as possible | Military urgency from 1955, corporate anxiety since forever. "ASAP" in emails means "I should have asked sooner." Rocky (Adrian Schoolcraft) tried to make it a name.
24/30
BRB?
[B] Be right back | The AFK of the AIM generation. Half the time means "going to the bathroom," other half means "this conversation is boring." Your cat walking on keyboard is always the excuse.
25/30
IKR?
[C] I know, right? | Valley girl speak went digital (2004). The question mark is rhetorical - agreement is assumed. Somehow sounds sarcastic even when sincere. The "right?" adds nothing but attitude.
26/30
CSL?
[A] Can't stop laughing | The LOL upgrade for actual laughter. Usually a lie - most CSL moments involve slight nostril exhales. Reserved for friends who send actually funny memes.
27/30
TTYL?
[B] Talk to you later | AIM sign-off classic (1997). The promise that kept friendships alive between school bells. Now used to end conversations that should've ended 20 minutes ago.
28/30
GOAT?
[A] Greatest of all time | Muhammad Ali claimed it first (1960s), LL Cool J made it hip-hop currency (2000). The emoji confused boomers who thought millennials really loved goats.
29/30
BSAAW?
[D] Big smile and a wink | Flirting for people who find ";)" too forward. Peak usage: 2003 AOL chat rooms. Now sounds like something your creepy uncle would text.
30/30
NSFW?
[C] Not safe for work | Born on Snopes forums (1998) to warn about emails that could get you fired. Now labels everything from mild cursing to things that would horrify HR. The internet's most ignored warning label.