I always use English abbreviations. They help me save time and space in writing (but also in speaking), and I use them in formal and informal contexts.
But I didn’t know there were 2 types of abbreviations! Initialisms and acronyms. What’s the difference?
Let’s get technical for a few seconds…
- Initialisms: these are abbreviations where each letter represents a word and you pronounce each letter individually (e.g. BBC)
- Acronyms: they’re the same as initialisms, but you pronounce all the letters as a single word (e.g. NASA)
End of the lesson 🙂 It’s now time to see some of these little guys in context.
In this post, I’ll show you the most common English abbreviations (initialisms + acronyms) so you can integrate them naturally into spoken and written conversations.
We’ll look at:
Table of Contents
Ready?
Happy learning!
English Slang Abbreviations For Social Media And Texting
1. OMG – Oh My God
Example: “OMG, I can’t believe we won!”
2. BS – Bullsh*t
Example: “I’m telling you. This is not BS !”
3. ROFL – Rolling On the Floor Laughing
Example: “That joke had me ROFL!”
4. BTS – Behind The Scenes
Example: “The BTS footage of the movie is really interesting.”
5. LOL – Laugh Out Loud
Example: “I can't believe @Ryanair have just fallen for this joke LOL retweet!!!” (Taken from The Independent)
6. BRB – Be Right Back
Example: “Just off to my quarters for 27 enlightening minutes – BRB”. (Taken from The Independent – TV and Radio)
7. IDK – I Don’t Know
Example: “Idk” is just an abbreviation, not an acronym, since it is not pronounced as a word.” (Taken from The New York Times)
8. FYI – For Your Information
Example: “FYI portrait mode is awesome for many websites too.”
9. IMO – In My Opinion
Example: “IMO, that was the best movie of the year.”
10. BTW – By The Way
Example: “BTW, did you see the latest episode?”
11. YOLO – You Only Live Once
Example: “Let’s go skydiving, YOLO!”
12. TMI – Too Much Information
Example: “Do you think these marketing strategies are innovative or TMI?”
13. ICYMI – In Case You Missed It
Example: “ICYMI: The August issue of The Times went out to subscribers late last week.”
14. DM – Direct Message
Example: “Send me a DM with your contact info, please.”
15. On my way! – On My Way
Example:
“Where are you?”
“OMW to the party now!”
16. SMH – Shaking My Head
Example: “He forgot his homework again, SMH.”
17. JK – Just Kidding
Example: “Come back soon or I’m gonna eat all your pizza… JK!”
18. TBH – To Be Honest
Example: “TBH, I didn’t enjoy that meal.”
19. LMAO – Laughing My A** Off
Example: “That meme had me LMAO!”
20. BFF – Best Friends Forever
Example: “We’ve been BFFs since childhood.”
21. NVM – Never Mind
Example: “I was going to say something about that, but NVM.”
22. GOAT – Greatest of All Time
Example: “You’re the GOAT in basketball.”
English Abbreviations Used In Gaming
23. GG – Good Game
Example: “That was a tough match, but GG.”
24. WP – Well played.
Example: “WP, guys!”
25. GLHF – Good Luck Have Fun
Example: “Ready? GLHF.”
26. AFK – Away From Keyboard
Example: “I’ll be AFK for a second. BRB.”
Abbreviations In Business English
27. TM – Trademark
Example: “The company’s logo is protected by a TM, so you cannot use it without permission.”
28. Ltd – Limited
Example: “Apple Ltd is a private company.”
29. Inc – Incorporated
Example: “Amazon Inc. is one of the largest companies in the world.”
30. LP – Limited Partnership
Example: “The business was formed as an LP to reduce personal liability for the owners.”
31. ND – Non-Disclosure
Example: “Before discussing the project, we had to sign an ND agreement to protect confidential information.”
32. ASAP – As Soon As Possible
Example: “Please send the documentation along with the report ASAP.”
33. CEO – Chief Executive Officer
Example: “The CEO is giving a speech at the conference and you’re all invited to attend.”
34. VAT – Value Added Tax
Example: “VAT for Italy is 22%”
35. KPI – Key Performance Indicator
Example: “Your management team is already suffering from KPI overload.”
36. Cc – Carbon Copy
Example: “I’ve cc’d John on this email.”
37. Bcc – Blind Carbon Copy
Example: “I’ve bcc’d the manager on the email so she can see it without others employers knowing.”
38. OOO – Out of Office
Example: “I’m OOO next week.”
39. NRN – No Reply Necessary
Example: “This is just an update—NRN.”
40. PTO – Paid Time Off
Example: “What kind of notice do I need to take PTO?”
41. ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
Example: “What’s the ETA on the shipment?”
42. EOD – End of Day
Example: “Please send your updates by EOD.”
43. TBD – To Be Determined
Example: “The location for the event is still TBD.”
44. ROI – Return on Investment
Example: “We need to analyze the ROI before proceeding with this new client.”
45. R&D – Research and Development
Example: “The company is increasing its R&D budget this year. That’s great news for us all!”
46. HR – Human Resources
Example: “Please contact HR for any payment questions.”
47. B2B – Business to Business
Example: “Our company specializes in B2B content creation.”
48. B2C – Business to Consumer
Example: “This campaign is focused on B2C marketing.”
49. TBA – To Be Announced
Example: “The next training session is TBA soon.”
50. CTO – Chief Technology Officer
Example: “The CTO has recently been fired. Who’s going to take her place?”
51. COO – Chief Operating Officer
Example: “The COO is a person who’s responsible for day-to-day operations.”
52. PR – Public Relations
Example: “Our PR team is handling the press release.”
53. RFP – Request for Proposal
Example: “Please send an RFP for the new project by tomorrow morning.”
54. IPO – Initial Public Offering (when a private company starts selling shares of stock to the public)
Example: “The company is planning its IPO for next year.”
55. CFO – Chief Financial Officer
Example: “The CFO will present the financial report at the next meeting.”
56. GDP – Gross Domestic Product
Example: “The country’s GDP has grown by 3% this year.”
57. LLC – Limited Liability Company
Example: “We’ve registered our business as an LLC.”
58. IP – Intellectual Property
Example: “Our company is very protective of its IP.”
Want to learn more language for work? Check out my posts on business English vocabulary, professional English and email writing in English.
Technology And Internet English Abbreviations
59. HTTP – HyperText Transfer Protocol
Example: “Most website addresses start with HTTP.”
60. PC – Personal Computer
Example: “I need a new PC.”
61. CD – Compact Disk (do they still exist?)
Example: “Can I borrow that CD?”
62. DVD – Digital Versatile Disc
Example: “I still have a collection of old DVDs.”
63. VFX – Visual Effects
Example: “The VFX in that movie were mind-blowing!”
64. SFX – Sound Effects
Example: “The SFX team did an amazing job on the action scenes.”
65. EP – Extended Play (a musical recording)
Example: “The band is releasing a new EP next month.”
66. HDMI – High-Definition Multimedia Interface
Example: “Do you have a HDMI cable? I need it to connect my PlayStation to the TV.”
67. URL – Uniform Resource Locator
Example: “The URL for the StoryLearning website is https://storylearning.com/”
68. Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity
Example: “I’m having trouble connecting to the Wi-Fi.”
69. VPN – Virtual Private Network
Example: “I use a VPN to navigate safely.”
70. CPU – Central Processing Unit
Example: “The CPU is the brain of the computer.”
71. AI – Artificial Intelligence
Example: “AI technology is transforming industries all over the world.”
72. HTML – HyperText Markup Language
Example: “I’m learning HTML to build my own website. It’s fun!”
73. PDF – Portable Document Format
Example: “I’ll send you the PDF of the contract ASAP.”
74. CSS – Cascading Style Sheets (a type of computer language)
Example: “The website’s layout is designed using CSS.”
75. IT – Information Technology
Example: “Contact the IT department if you have any technical issues with your computer.”
76. IP – Internet Protocol (a system that controls the connection of computers to the internet by obtaining information about the device to which data is sent)
Example: “You can check your device’s IP address in the settings.”
77. IoT – Internet of Things
Example: “IoT devices are making smart homes more popular.”
78. UX – User Experience (how a user interacts with and experiences a product, system or service)
Example: “The UX of this app is really intuitive. I love it!”
79. UI – User Interface (The Cambridge English Dictionary says UI is “the way in which the information on a computer, phone, etc. and instructions on how to use it are arranged on the screen and shown to the user.”)
Example: “The UI of the website is easy to navigate.”
80. SQL – Structured Query Language (a programming language)
Example: “I use SQL to manage databases.”
81. USB – Universal Serial Bus
Example: “My computer doesn’t have a USB port – can you believe it?”
82. RAM – Random Access Memory
Example: “This computer has 16GB of RAM.”
83. OS – Operating System
Example: “I’ve always used Windows as an OS.”
84. DNS – Domain Name System
Example: “The DNS translates domain names into IP addresses.”
85. ISP – Internet Service Provider
Example: “Who is your ISP? I have Vodafone.”
English Abbreviations For Organisations
86. BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation
Example: “I watched the news on the BBC this morning.”
87. NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Example: “NASA plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.”
88. UN – United Nations
Example: “The UN focuses on global peace and security.”
89. FAO – Food and Agriculture Organisation
Example: “The FAO works to combat world hunger.”
90. NGO – Non-Governmental Organisation
Example: “She works for an NGO that provides education in developing countries.”
91. CNN – Cable News Network
Example: “Did you see the breaking news on CNN.”
92. NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Example: “NATO is a military alliance of several countries.”
93. UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
Example: “UNICEF helps protect children’s rights all over the world.”
94. WHO – World Health Organisation
Example: “The WHO provides guidelines on global health issues.”
95. ISO – International Organisation for Standardisation
Example: “Our company is ISO certified for quality management.”
96. WWF – World Wildlife Fund
Example: “I work for the WWF.”
97. PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Example: “PETA has launched a new campaign for animal rights and veganism.”
98. FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
Example: “The FBI is investigating the case.”
99. IBM – International Business Machines
Example: “IBM is a leader in technology and consulting services.”
100. H&M – Hennes & Mauritz
Example: “I bought this new jacket from H&M. Do you like it?”
101. HSBC – Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Example: “HSBC offers a wide range of banking services.”
English Abbreviations Used In Banking
102. ATM – Automated Teller Machine
Example: “I need to withdraw cash from the ATM. Is there one around here?”
103. PIN – Personal Identification Number
Example: “You should never share your PIN with anyone.”
104. IBAN – International Bank Account Number
Example: “Please send me your IBAN so I can make the transfer.”
105. SWIFT – Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication
Example: “You need a SWIFT code for global payments.”
106. BIC – Bank Identifier Code
Example: “To send me money, you’ll need a BIC code.”
107. EFT – Electronic Funds Transfer
Example: “The payment was made via EFT.”
Medical And Healthcare Abbreviations
108. ICU – Intensive Care Unit
Example: “Fabio was transferred to the ICU after surgery.”
109. CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Example: “Knowing how to perform CPR can save lives.”
110. OTC – Over The Counter (medications that you can buy without a prescription)
Example: “Europe approves far more drugs for OTC sales.”
111. CT Scan – Computed Tomography Scan
Example: “The CT scan and pathological reports confirmed invasive bladder cancer.”
112. MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Example: “Rapid development is taking place in MRI technology.”
113. DNA – Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Example: “DNA testing is often used in criminal investigations.”
114. UV – Ultraviolet
Example: “You should wear sunscreen to protect yourself from UV rays.”
English Acronyms For Common Diseases
115. HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Example: “HIV weakens the immune system over time.”
116. AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Example: “AIDS is caused by HIV.”
117. SARS – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Example: “SARS is a viral respiratory illness.”
118. MS – Multiple Sclerosis
Example: “MS affects the brain and spinal cord. It’s a nasty disease.”
119. TB – Tuberculosis
Example: “TB is a contagious infection that affects the lungs.”
120. COVID-19 – Coronavirus Disease 2019
Example: “COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic.”
121. STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease
Example: “Use protection to prevent STDs.”
122. IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Example: “I’ve been suffering from IBS for years.”
123. ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Example: “ADHD affects focus and behavior.”
Academic And Educational Abbreviations
124. PhD – Doctor of Philosophy
Example: “She earned her PhD in Literature from Oxford University.”
125. MA – Master of Arts
Example: “I’m currently studying for an MA in English Studies.”
126. BA – Bachelor of Arts
Example: “He holds a BA in Medicine.”
127. SAT – Scholastic Assessment Test (a test used in the US)
Example: “She’s preparing for the SATs next month.”
128. CEFR – Common European Framework of Reference for languages
Example: “Olly’s book is suitable for students at CEFR level B1.”
Abbreviations For English Language Exams
129. IELTS – International English Language Testing System
Example: “I need to score at least a 7.5 on the IELTS.”
By the way if you want to score high on IELTS speaking, you'll enjoy my post about IELTS speaking questions.
130. TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language
Example: “Most American universities require the TOEFL for non-native speakers.”
131. TOEIC – Test of English for International Communication
Example: “Many companies use the TOEIC to evaluate employees' English proficiency.”
Sports Abbreviations
132. MVP – Most Valuable Player
Example: “Messi was named MVP for his outstanding performance.”
133. NBA – National Basketball Association
Example: “The NBA Finals were amazing this year!”
134. NFL – National Football League
Example: “He’s been a fan of the NFL since childhood.”
135. FIFA – Fédération Internationale de Football Association
Example: “FIFA is hosting the World Cup next year.”
136. UEFA – Union of European Football Associations
Example: “UEFA distinguishes between global sponsors and national sponsors.”
Time And Date Abbreviations
137. AM – Ante Meridiem (before noon)
Example: “The meeting is scheduled for 10 AM.”
138. PM – Post Meridiem (after noon)
Example: “I’ll finish work by 5 PM.”
139. GMT – Greenwich Mean Time
Example: “The event is being broadcast at 7 PM GMT.”
Abbreviations For Locations And Countries
140. UK – United Kingdom
Example: “I’m travelling to the UK next month.”
141. USA – United States of America
Example: “She’s moving to the USA for work.”
143. NYC – New York City
Example: “I’ve always dreamed of visiting NYC.”
144. UAE – United Arab Emirates
Example: “I’ve never been to the UAE.”
145. EU – European Union
Example: “I’m a citizen of the EU.”
English Abbreviations For Transport And Vehicles
146. GPS – Global Positioning System
Example: “Turn on the GPS, please.”
147. ABS – Anti-lock Braking System
Example: “The ABS kicked in when I braked.”
148. SUV – Sport Utility Vehicle
Example: “We rented an SUV for the trip.”
149. 4WD – Four-Wheel Drive
Example: “We used a 4WD vehicle to explore the Australian outback.”
150. RV – Recreational Vehicle
Example: “Walter White and Jesse Pinkman cooked meth in an RV.”
Various Common Abbreviations
151. FOMO – Fear of Missing Out
Example: “The Internet has planted a seed that creates FOMO (fear of missing out) if we haven't, at one time or another, tweeted a cat gif (or jif, whatever).” (Taken from The Independent)
152. TIA – Thanks In Advance
Example: “Could you send me the document? TIA!”
153. FTW – For The Win (used for expressing support for someone or something)
Example: “Pizza for dinner? FTW!”
154. TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday
Example: “TGIF! I’m ready for the weekend.”
155. WTF – What The F**k!
Example: “I’ve been waiting for you for 3 hours. WTF is wrong with you, man? Where are you?!”
156. SOS – Save Our Souls (help)
Example: “They sent an SOS! We should go and help!”
157. VIP – Very Important Person
Example: “She received VIP treatment at the concert.”
158. RIP – Rest In Peace
Example: “The gravestone read ‘RIP Fabio’.”
159. RSVP – Répondez S’il Vous Plaît (French for “please respond”)
Example: “Don’t forget to RSVP for the wedding by Friday.”
160. AKA – Also Known As
Example: “Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, is a fictional character by DC Comics.”
161. DOB – Date of Birth
Example: “Please provide your DOB on the registration form.”
162. DIY – Do It Yourself
Example: “I love watching DIY home improvement shows but can’t do anything myself – LOL!”
163. N/A – Not Applicable
Example: “For this section of the form, write N/A if it doesn’t apply.”
164. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Example: “Check out the FAQ section for quick answers.”
FAQs About English Abbreviations
What are the top 20 abbreviations?
Here are 20 common abbreviations used in everyday writing:
1. ASAP – As Soon As Possible
2. FYI – For Your Information
3. ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
4. RSVP – Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (Please respond)
5. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
6. ID – Identification
7. DOB – Date of Birth
8. LOL – Laughing Out Loud
9. BRB – Be Right Back
10. TBA – To Be Announced
11. AKA – Also Known As
12. Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity
13. CEO – Chief Executive Officer
14. PS – Postscript
15. VIP – Very Important Person
16. BTW – By The Way
17. TBD – To Be Determined
18. PTO – Paid Time Off
19. DIY – Do It Yourself
20. N/A – Not Applicable
What are the abbreviations in English grammar?
Some common abbreviations in English grammar include:
N – Noun
V – Verb
Adj – Adjective
Adv – Adverb
Prep – Preposition
Conj – Conjunction
Pron – Pronoun
Art – Article
What is an abbreviation in English writing?
An abbreviation in English writing is a shortened form of a word or phrase, usually by omitting letters or syllables.
For example, “Dr.” for Doctor or “Ave.” for Avenue. It helps in simplifying long words or phrases in writing.
What are some abbreviated slang words?
Abbreviated slang words commonly used in texting and informal writing include:
LOL – Laugh Out Loud
OMG – Oh My God
TBH – To Be Honest
IDK – I Don’t Know
BTW – By The Way
SMH – Shaking My Head
YOLO – You Only Live Once
Abbreviations In English
As you can see there are dozens and dozens of abbreviations in the English language! And there are many more!
But you don’t have to memorise them all. You can save this post and come back to it any time you’re not sure about one and check what that abbreviation stands for.
I hope this was useful!
HFL! (An abbreviation I’ve just made up. It means Have Fun Learning!)
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
