What Does 'TLDR' Mean? Today, you can find TL;DR posts and comments all over social media, computer help forums, texts, and emails. Don't worry about people who don't have the attention span to read it. Like most internet slang, we dont really know where the word TLDR came from. Use text options like bullet points or horizontal lines to make the text visually distinctive. Ordering a pizza when you should be ordering a salad? Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I havent been able to keep up with this thread (TLDR). After earning a degree in Computer Information Systems, Ben left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. How to Run Your Own DNS Server on Your Local Network, How to Check If the Docker Daemon or a Container Is Running, How to Manage an SSH Config File in Windows and Linux, How to View Kubernetes Pod Logs With Kubectl, How to Run GUI Applications in a Docker Container. If you just cant keep up, dont worrywe sometimes feel that way too. It stands for "too long; didn't read". It's based off the Internet slang "tl;dr," which stands for "too long; didn't read." The expression is often used for short summaries of long posts. You can use them to replace TL;DR. The meaning is quite close to 'executive summary'. TLDR is the shortest way of telling a long story. People appreciate having a synopsis of content like this, so if you ever find a post intimidating and take the time to work through it, posting your own TLDR will probably go over well. These are less common, however, so most people will understand the standard TLDR just fine. Its a phrase that basically means summary and is followed by a short, one- or two-line overview for people who may not have read every word of a long chunk of text. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. It's either a summary of a longer page or it's an indication that the sender didn't find the information worth reading. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Posting a scathing. This might say something like TL;DR: I thought I saw a ghost, but it was really the cat., Youll also see it on Twitter when people sum up their thoughts on a complicated subject. That's certainly the case with the TLDR acronym, as many have wondered what TLDR is. Someone links you to a must-read article that has more pages in it than Tolstoys "War And Peace" or sends you a text that requires you to scroll so much that your fingers get a workout. Its a form of abbreviation in which every letter is pronounced on its own, like DVD or VIP. On the flip side, if you are just starting a friendship or professional relationship, avoid abbreviations until you've developed a relationship rapport. If youre still blow-drying your hair but were supposed to be at dinner ten minutes ago, try texting your significant other something like OMW, see you soon. OMW means on my way and is often used when youre not even really on your waybut will be soon. But if you really want to useTLDR in a professional environment (its big among programmers, marketers, and writers), consider saying TL;DR instead. The pager would light up and/or make noise to indicate that youd been hit up. The phrase was all over the 90s hip-hop sphere, and it stuck around when texting abbreviations began to dominate: HMU became the prevailing way to say it in the late 2000s. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. In this context, tldr is defined as a short summary. Just be sure youre not committing one of these annoying text habits when you reply with this. This texting acronym doesnt have anything to do with four-legged horned mammals. The abbreviation can come off as rude, so its best to avoid using TLDR as a response in professional settings. BTW, I saw you went to the beach yesterdayit looked amazing! Write the TL;DR first. YOLO! If you were on MySpace, Friendster or 4Chan, you probably already know exactly what TL;DR means and have used it many times. TLDR (or TL;DR) is a common internet acronym for Too Long; Didnt Read. At face value, the phrase seems pretty easy to understand. In cases where you can't avoid a large amount of text, you can still format it to make it easy to read. Where is the Savannah River nuclear plant? u/llamageddon01 has written a Reddit Encyclopaedia for times like this :) Wiki page version | Post version. The abbreviation can come off as rude, so it's best to avoid using TLDR as a response in professional settings. Well, in the days before smartphones, and even before keyboard phones, texters were working with a limited number of characters160, to be exactand before unlimited plans became the law of the land,each text cost money to send. If you just cant keep up, dont worrywe sometimes feel that way too. Trying to plan a group event when one person doesnt know if theyll be able to make it? Keep up with her on Twitter for more. A good Saturday [crossword puzzle] clue, in my opinion, will make your heart sink a little. Occasionally, TL;DR can mean "too lazy, didn't read.". Try This Comfy Nodpod Weighted Sleep Mask. Both uppercase and lowercase versions of TL;DR (tldr) mean the same thing and are perfectly acceptable. As mentioned earlier, coming up with a clever or sarcastic TLDR as a commenter is often a crowd-pleaser. epitome. TLDR is far from the only acronym you should know. tl;dr is used to call out another user on the length of their post. A good rule of thumb is that you would not use "TLDR" anywhere in which you wouldn't feel comfortable writing "LOL" (laughing out loud) or a similarly informal acronym. TL;DR: This is when Reddit can get sassy. Use all uppercase (TL;DR ) or all lowercase (tl;dr) letters, and the meaning is identical. But like any abbreviation, theres a time and a place for it; there are different etiquette rules for formal and less formal situations. Japanese. It can also be a verb: DM me to learn more about texting abbreviations.. In its simplest form, TLDR is used to express that a piece of digital text (an article, email, etc.) Its based off the Internet slang tl;dr, which stands for too long; didnt read. The expression is often used for short summaries of long posts. So what does TL;DR mean? Given that this abbreviation is here to stay, you might as well add it to your list of quick-witted, snarky responses to use when someone is totally dragging you down with their boring internet content. Language (and internet culture) continues to evolve, resulting in an ever-changing list of words that are inand words that are out. A TLDR-summary at the end of a long text is sometimes more desirable, as it allows you to sum up all of the details that the reader is digesting. GOAT, almost always preceded by the, means greatest of all time. An acronym thats been all over social media, GOAT can be used to praise a friend (Did you see Michelles fitness routine? The abbreviation is all over the internet, usually accompanying long paragraphs of text. For example, the acronym for "too long, didn't read" can beTL;DRor TLDR. It is much smarter to err on the side of being too professional at first, and then relax your communication over time organically. Short for laughing out loud, LOL is now used to express even the mildest amusement. Meghan Jones is a word nerd who has been writing for RD.com since 2017. Why do people say TLDR? This can include things like nudity, violence, or anything else that someone might find offensive. 27. Initially it was used as a snarky reply to someone who'd posted a wall of text; then it became a way of signposting the summary of a long post, provided for the purposes of people who would otherwise say tldr and skip it. Like most internet trends, we dont really know where this slang term started. For example, youll find it at the end of a Reddit post in which somebody is telling a story that goes on for longer than a few lines. While some instances of TLDR can appear rude or snarky, it is often a helpful suggestion that a user should consider revising and abbreviating their thoughts. If you choose to cut right down to it, using "TL;DR" is your new go-to blunt response that will let them know you mean business. It's fine to use when chatting with coworkers privately, but you probably don't want to use it in a department-wide email. TLDR means: Too Long; Didn't Read You open a lengthy social media post, an article, or a text message and see a separate section titled TLDR (or TL;DR), along with a summary of the post. If someone types TL;DR, they might be requesting a summary of information that was sent, expressing that no one has time to read something that long, or simply notifying the sender or poster that the information was too long and they didn't read it. Generally speaking, you should only use TLDR when summarizing a piece of text, whether youre the author or commenter. The abbreviation can come off as rude, so it's best to avoid. Language (and internet culture) continues to evolve, resulting in an ever-changing list of words that are inand words that are out. TL;DR (also sometimes seen without the semicolon as TLDR) means "too long; didn't read." It's an abbreviation that you'll frequently find at the end of internet communications, usually ones with. Sometimes it can be tongue in cheek, a way of saying, I know I wrote a lot, and it might be too much to read. Think of it as the Cliffs Notes of internet communication! 2023 LifeSavvy Media. While people overuse this term, its proper meaning is a long and rambling block of text with little to no formatting. It is commonly used online to indicate that someone has not read a long message or article. TLDR meaning: 1. abbreviation for too long; didn't read: used to comment on something that someone has written. Its older and most proper form is TL;DR, which includes a semicolon between the L and D. You might also see the TLDR acronym written as TL/DR or TL/DNR, which stands for did not read. For example, TLDR. There is no set rule for where to place TLDR in a piece of writing. There's nothing wrong with a lot of well-formatted text that isn't overly wordy. If you know someone well and it is a personal and informal communication, then absolutely use abbreviations. A TLDR sentence is a short summary that is found at the end of a piece of original text that is used when . WTD is an internet slang acronym used for what to do, as in what to do about a situation or It has its origins in internet and email slang, where it is used to indicate parts of a text were skipped as too lengthy to read. Lisa Mildon is a Lifewire writer and an IT professional with 30 years of experience. Tl;dr stands for "too long; didn't read". No, TLDR is not rude. NWH. What does TLDR mean as an abbreviation? For example, youll find it at the end of a Reddit post in which somebody is telling a story that goes on for longer than a few lines. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. For example,ROFLwould never be spelledR.O.F.L., andTLDRwould never be T.L.D.R. To long, didn't read. What Is a PEM File and How Do You Use It? Hey, tight on time. TL;DR stands for "Too Long; Didn't Read". Even if it can sound a little brusque, thats not really what TL;DR means! Of course, you lose out on some of the finer details by only checking the TLDR. ? *five minutes later* NVM, I found it!. How TLDR Is Used If someone types TL;DR, they might be requesting a summary of . By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Indeed, TLDR means your content was too long and wasn't worth reading. Sadly, Google Analytics started in January 2004, so we cant look any further back than that. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Does the I in iPhone stand for something, 10 group texting etiquette rules everyone should follow, Looking for Better Sleep? But beyond this, you should think about how you write your main post to make a TLDR less important or even unnecessary. Too Long, Didn't Read + 2 . (For more grammar fun, learn about the difference between acronyms and abbreviations with theseacronym examples!) If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In texting terms, the second and third letters of the alphabet dont refer to the time before Christ. BC is short for because. Often, texting abbreviations like these wont even be capitalized. Just tell them LMK when you knowand hopefully they will in good time. This one mightve confused you on Facebook or Instagram, but its a pretty useful text abbreviation to have handy as it just means in case you missed it. Its great for uploading photos after the fact, like a photo from a relatives wedding that you forgot to post the day of or a family photo from years ago. As a compromise, the poster will offer a TLDR consisting of a few lines. Delivered to your inbox! Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. Some people also type it as TLDR without the semicolon. Once a theologian in the making, studying at a fundamentalist Bible school, O'Gieblyn left the faith for a life as a rational materialist, but remained animated by the selfsame questions that course through the human-made story myths we call religion . To summarize a long passage. You can replace TL;DR with any terms that signify a summary or final overview. The distinction between the two is clear (now). While TLDR often appears alongside forum posts, you can also use it as a response. Our best guess is that the phrase originated from discussion boards like the Something Awful Forums and 4Chan during the early 2000s. FTFY: This is a cute acronym that pays homage to the community mindset on Reddit. In a professional setting, you dont want to be the person who has to ask what does FWIW mean? Likewise, you dont want to embarrass others by forcing them to ask what does TL;DR mean?Even though TL;DR isnt rude, its better email etiquette to avoid it in formal settings. The mass of text might put someone off from reading it all, so the TLDR line summarizes everything in a concise way. And, of course, abbreviating is just convenient in general, and is certainly not exclusive to textingjust look at all these common abbreviation and acronym examples. For example, you could place a heading called "TLDR" at the top of a lengthy email and follow it with a bulleted list that summarizes your main points. See additional information. If you see someone posting a funny image of a cat lounging with sunglasses captioned something like TFW youre off of work for a long weekend, know that its one of the funny text abbreviations that people are using these days. Besides, you dont want to accidentally offend somebody by suggesting they may not have read every word of your important email. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over nine years. This is a good time to think back to writing essays for English classwhat kinds of phrases did you use to write conclusions for your papers? It seems impossible to imagine texting without abbreviations today, but how did abbreviations become such a massive part of texting lingo? It isnt a condemnationits a friendly summary to help you follow along with what was said. The most persuasive TL;DRs can stand on their own, rather than just pointing readers to the full report. But it's possible to use this term constructively so everyone gets efficient information. TL;DR is an abbreviation for too long; didnt read that is used to indicate that the person posting about an article or other type of content either didnt read the text it in its entirety or didnt read it at all. TL;DR!". Define TLDR at AcronymFinder.com. Sometimes it can be tongue in cheek, a way of saying, I know I wrote a lot, and it might be too much to read. Think of it as the Cliffs Notes of internet communication! A ten-paragraph product review for a crappy laptop, for example, could simply start with TLDR: this laptop sucks. Thats the quick summary, and you can read further for details. How to use relationship in a sentence. Some people also type it as TLDR without the semicolon. Using the phrase TLDR without offering a useful summary for the content can come off as intentionally rude (but of course, that may be your intention). Finally, you should also be aware of what a wall of text means. This could look like, TL;DR: Kids made a huge mess, and Im going to be late.. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft.