15 Reddit Acronyms Everyone Should Know
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 ourtips 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 could 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 ofAvatar, 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 “Spiritis 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 thereasons why Reddit is the best social media platform. it’s possible to 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.
Tailor the content Reddit displays on your home feed with all these customization options.
Goodbye sending links via other apps.
When your rival has to bail out your assistant.
It’s not super flashy, but it can help to keep your computer up and running.
Don’t let aging hardware force you into buying expensive upgrades.
My foolproof plan is to use Windows 10 until 2030, with the latest security updates.
