15 Reddit Acronyms Everyone Should Know – MUO – MakeUseOf

Feel right at home while browsing Reddit by learning these popular acronyms that Redditors use.
There is no shortage of acronyms and abbreviations when it comes to internet slang. It seems like a new one pops up every other day. But when you lurk on Reddit, you may notice that the platform has its unique set of acronyms—ones that are not common on other social media.
What does OP mean on Reddit? Why's there a TL;DR at the end of long posts? Questions like these are probably lingering on your mind if you're new to Reddit. So, let's look at some of the most popular Reddit acronyms, their meanings, and the context in which they're used.
OP means "Original Poster" or "Original Post" on Reddit. The term refers to the user who made a post or the post itself. Comments such as "Refer to OP's update" or "Read the OP" are examples of the acronym in use.
If you just started using Reddit, check out our tips for Reddit beginners.
TL;DR is short for "Too Long; Didn't Read." It's used to provide a summary of a post's content. If you're writing a long post to get something off your chest, you can use a TL;DR to summarize the main points from the block of text. This gets your message across more easily to other Redditors.
Next in our Reddit acronym list is DAE. DAE stands for "Does Anyone Else." For example, "DAE explore your phone's settings to pretend you're busy texting someone?"
People capitalize on the anonymous nature of Reddit to ask whether they're the only ones with an odd quirk, a somewhat awkward or unusual way of doing specific tasks, or a particular opinion.
IIRC is "If I Remember/Recall Correctly." It's used when people are unsure if they are 100 percent correct about the statement they made. For example, "IIRC Azula was introduced in Season 2 of Avatar, not Season 1."
Another acronym Redditors use in a similar context is AFAIK, which stands for "As Far As I Know."
This Reddit acronym has been mistaken as a swear word due to the double presence of a certain letter, but FTFY simply means "Fixed That For You." You can use it as a genuine response to an accidental sentence error. But it's also utilized as a humorous expression to add to another person's opinion.
Let's say "Spirit is one of the best movies about horses" is the original comment. Another user may reply to this comment, strikethrough "one of," and add FTFY at the end: "Spirit is the best movie about horses. FTFY."
A similar variation of FTFY is FITY, which means "Fixed It For You."
AMA stands for "Ask Me Anything." It's a type of Q&A thread on Reddit and one of the reasons why Reddit is the best social media platform. You can find directors, actors, and other famous individuals who have held AMAs on the platform.
AMAA ("Ask Me Almost Anything") is a similar acronym, but it indicates that some questions will be off-limits for the Q&A session. IAmA ("I am a …") is the dedicated subreddit for AMAs.
CMV stands for "Change My View." Like AMAs, there's a subreddit for this. The CMV forum is designated for the discussion of topics where there are mainly two opposing viewpoints.
For example, someone can make a post titled "CMV: Social Media Does More Good Than Harm." In the description, the poster would explain their beliefs as to why they hold this view. The CMV acronym shows that they are open to having their opinion challenged and want to hear the thoughts of people on the other side.
LPT is short for "Life Pro Tip." It refers to a useful hack or trick that aims to help improve your quality of life or, at the very least, make how you carry out daily tasks more convenient.
For example, you may share a life pro tip for a student as follows: "LPT: Can't cite Wikipedia? Evaluate the sources used in a Wikipedia article to see if they're worth referencing."
ELI5 stands for "Explain Like I'm 5." Redditors place this acronym before asking a question about a complex or scientific topic. For example, "ELI5: What is the metaverse?"
ELI5 tells readers that the asker seeks a layman's explanation for their inquiry. Anyone who answers should aim to use simple language that even a five-year-old can comprehend.
IMO means "In My Opinion." A similar acronym is IMHO, which means "In My Humble Opinion" or "In My Honest Opinion." Of course, these two convey different expressions despite sharing the same acronym.
You may need to use punctuation or other phrases to demonstrate whether it's a "humble" or "honest" take.
YMMV means "Your Mileage May Vary." You'll likely see this term in skincare subreddits. For example, "Product ABC is my holy grail, but YMMV!"
Although there are ways to search Reddit effectively, nothing beats a direct request for product recommendations. Most Redditors are more than happy to share their personal experience, but since each person is different, people will add a YMMV as a reminder that what works for them may not work for others.
SO is short for "Significant Other," a gender-neutral synonym of the word "partner." Some users prefer this term because it's a more endearing title for one's romantic companion. SO is occasionally written as S/O.
YSK stands for "You Should Know." Ranging from wholesome to simply casual, Redditors use it when they want to share a fact or a word of advice that might not be common knowledge for people who are not actively involved in the said topic.
For example, "YSK that ironing and pressing your fabric is important when sewing. It improves your final garment dramatically."
However, YSK is also sometimes used as part of a rant from someone who experienced and witnessed something ridiculous or out of the norm.
PSA means "Public Service Announcement" and is commonly used in the title of a Reddit post. While the acronym suggests that the content will benefit the general public, more often than not, it's a rant post combined with personal opinions. So, our reminder is that you shouldn't immediately take any PSA as a universal fact!
TIL stands for "Today I Learned." Redditors use it when they're sharing a fact that they only learned about for the first time in their lives.
You may utilize the TIL abbreviation as an expression of disbelief, surprise, or amazement, but you can also reserve it for self-deprecating humor. For example, "TIL I've been cooking rice wrong the whole time."
Although content is often crossposted on different social media sites, each platform still has its own culture and slang. We hope our Reddit acronyms list has cleared up some confusion you've had while reading on Reddit. Now that you know what these Reddit abbreviations mean, you'll quickly find yourself right at home in the Reddit community.
Denise writes about Apple devices at MakeUseOf. Her first gadget was the iPhone 6. Since then, she has been an avid iPhone user for more than 7 years. She graduated with a Double Major in Marketing and Management and is currently working on her Master of English Studies thesis.

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