The internet has undeniably changed the way we live, from Amazon getting us our packages overnight to social media giving us a welcome distraction from the doldrums of the workweek. And considering that 77 percent of Americans go online every day, with a quarter of that number claiming to be online "almost constantly," it's no wonder the influence of the internet has crept into our vernacular, as well. In fact, you might be speaking in internet speak and not even realize it. The spread of internet slang is so pervasive that many of the words we use every day were actually once internet lingo. We've rounded up 40 slang words that were invented online, from "fail" to "FOMO." And for the history behind some more frequently used words, check out The Amazing Origins of Everyday Slang Terms You Use Constantly.
As more conversations began taking place without seeing the other person's face or hearing their voice, people needed a way to express shock or excitement that went beyond using a bunch of exclamation points. Thus, OMG was born. And for some fascinating regional language, check out These Are All the Slang Terms You'll Only Hear in the Midwest.
A lot of internet slang stems from a desire for brevity when typing, and especially when writing from your phone. Thus, obvs is a great way to say obviously without having to use so many letters. And it sounds great in a convo too, obvs.
Personally attacked used to be a legitimate way to express feeling like you're being ganged up on. However, we live in an era of irony now, so now saying you feel personally attacked just means you relate to something that you wish you didn't. And to make sure you don't embarrass yourself as you get older, These Are All of the Slang Terms You're Too Old to Use After 40.
When all your communication takes place via messaging and texts, it's super-important to let people know that you are, in fact, just kidding. JK is a great way to do that without all those pesky letters. It's also very handy in conversation if you no longer have the energy to convey your feelings with your tone of voice. Just tack a JK on the end, and everyone will know you're still cool.
Much like obs, srsly is another bit of internet shorthand that's been stripped of vowels. Saying it out loud requires a good amount of disdain. And if you are still holding on to your grunge glory days, check out these 20 Slang Terms From the 1990s No One Uses Anymore.
By the way, it's okay to say BTW in spoken conversation these days. If you're feeling extra-sassy, shorten it to BT-dubs, because it takes a lot of time to pronounce the letter W.
When an online argument turns into a giant catastrophe, that's a dumpster fire. But lots of other things can be dumpster fires too, like your first attempt at making osso buco or the last bachelorette party you went to. And for slang trivia and more delivered to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.