86 Of The Most Common English Abbreviations You Should Know
English abbreviations are shortened words and phrases used to communicate faster. Add them to your vocabulary to sound more like a native speaker.
Author:
Barney Meekin
Abbreviations are short forms of words you can use when writing or speaking. They’re a great way to simplify your written and spoken English. Think of them like shortcuts. They keep your messages short and on point, and help you get to the point quicker.
In this article, we’ve got 86 of the most common abbreviations in English.
Types of English abbreviations
There are five types of English abbreviations. Let’s take a look:
Acronyms: "NATO" (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an example of an acronym. It’s a word made from the first letters of other words, normally the name of an organisation.
Initialisms: These are also words made from the first letters of other words. But unlike acronyms, you say each letter separately. For example, "FBI" (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is pronounced as F-B-I. But “NATO” is pronounced as “nay-tow”
Contractions. These are short forms of words. You make them by combining words or leaving out letters, and they often need an apostrophe. Common examples include "can't" from "cannot" or "you're" from "you are."
Truncations. Also known as shortened forms or clippings. These abbreviations leave out part of a word. For example, "math" for "mathematics” or “Sat” for “Saturday”. In fact, all of the days of the week can be truncated.
Symbols and numeronyms. Symbols like “&” or numeronyms (words which include a number) like “B2B” for “business to business.” These are common in texting slang.
List of abbreviations in English
Here are some abbreviations listed in the table below, that you can use in everyday communication.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ad | advertisement | "The new ad campaign launches tomorrow." |
| 2. ASAP | as soon as possible | "I need those reports ASAP." |
| 3. DIY | do it yourself | "She loves doing DIY projects on the weekend." |
| 4. ETA | estimated time of arrival | "What's the ETA for your flight?" |
| 5. FYI | for your information | "FYI, the meeting has been moved to 3PM." |
| 6. Info | information | "You can find more info on our site." |
| 7. Lab | laboratory | "The tests were conducted in the lab." |
| 8. Math | mathematics | "She’s very good at math." |
| 9. Photo | photograph | "Could you please take a photo?" |
| 10. RSVP | répondez s'il vous plaît (“Please respond” in French) | "RSVP to the event by Monday." |
| 11. TBD | to be determined | "The meeting time is still TBD." |
| 12. TBA | to be announced | "The date for the concert is TBA." |
| 13. TGIF | thank God it's Friday | "TGIF! I can't wait for the weekend." |
Common abbreviations in English used in texting
Social media, emojis and texting has really changed the way we communicate. New abbreviations are being created all the time. Here are some of the most common English abbrevations.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 14. AMA | ask me anything | "I'm doing an AMA on Reddit tonight." |
| 15. BFF | best friends forever | "We've been BFFs since childhood." |
| 16. BRB | be right back | "BRB, need to grab a snack." |
| 17. BTW | by the way | "BTW, have you heard about the new restaurant?" |
| 18. DM | direct message | "Send me a DM with your details." |
| 19. FOMO | fear of missing out | "I was tired but I went to the party because I had serious FOMO." |
| 20. h/t | hat tip (giving someone credit for something) | "Big h/t to my team for their hard work." |
| 21. ICYMI | in case you missed it | "ICYMI: Here's a recap of last night's game." |
| 22. IDK | I don't know | "IDK what I'm doing this weekend yet." |
| 23. IMO | in my opinion | "IMO, this is the best game ever." |
| 24. IRL | in real life | "We should meet IRL sometime." |
| 25. IYKYK | if you know, you know (when talking about an inside joke or reference) | "That's the place I refuse to go to, IYKYK." |
| 26. LOL | laugh out loud | "I LOL’d at that meme." |
| 27. NSFW | not safe for work | "Warning: this link is NSFW." |
| 28. OMG | oh my God | "OMG, I can't believe that happened!" |
| 29. ROFL | rolling on the floor laughing | "Your joke had me ROFL." |
| 30. SMH | shaking my head | "He's late again, SMH." |
| 31. TL;DR | too long; didn't read | "Here's a TLDR summary." |
| 32. TTYL | talk to you later | "Got to go now, TTYL!" |
| 33. WTG | way to go | "You passed your exam? WTG!" |
| 34. YOLO | you only live once | "I decided to travel because YOLO." |
Common business English abbreviations
Unlock the world of business English abbreviations to understand everything written in your work emails. Want to learn more business vocab. Check out these 45 words for leveling up your business English vocabulary.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 35. B2B | business to business | "Our company specializes in B2B services." |
| 36. B2C | business to consumer | "Our new product line is targeted towards B2C markets." |
| 37. CEO | chief executive officer | "The CEO will address the company at the annual meeting." |
| 38. CFO | chief financial officer | "The CFO will present the financial report." |
| 39. EOD | end of day | "I need this task completed by EOD." |
| 40. EOY | end of year | "We will evaluate the sales performance at EOY." |
| 41. FY | fiscal year | "The report summarizes the results of FY 2023." |
| 42. HR | human resources | "HR is handling the recruitment process." |
| 43. KPI | key performance indicator | "We need to meet our KPIs for the quarter." |
| 44. NDA | non-disclosure agreement | "All contractors must sign an NDA before working with us." |
| 45. PR | public relations | "Our PR team is working on improving our brand image." |
| 46. ROI | return on investment | "We're analyzing the ROI of our marketing campaigns." |
| 47. SEO | search engine optimization | "Improving SEO is crucial for our online visibility." |
| 48. SME | subject matter expert | "We need an SME to review this technical document." |
| 49. Stats | statistics | "We'll analyze the stats before making a decision." |
| 50. YOY | year over year | "The company reported a 15% YOY growth in revenue." |
Common technology English abbreviations
Here are some common abbreviations in English that you might come across in the technology space.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 51. API | application programming interface | "We're using a new API to improve our app." |
| 52. CSS | cascading style sheets | "We need to update the CSS to change the website's layout." |
| 53. HTML | hypertext markup language | "I'm learning HTML to create web pages." |
| 54. HTTP | hypertext transfer protocol | "HTTP is an important technology for the web." |
| 55. HTTPS | hypertext transfer protocol secure | "Always check for HTTPS in the URL for secure browsing." |
| 56. IoT | internet of things | "IoT is going to change our homes in the future." |
| 57. IP | internet protocol | "Each computer on the network has a unique IP address." |
| 58. SaaS | software as a service | "Our company uses several SaaS products." |
| 59. URL | uniform resource locator | "You can access the website using this URL." |
| 60. UX/UI | user experience/user interface | "A good UX/UI is crucial for the success of an app." |
| 61. VPN | virtual private network | "Using a VPN can keep you safe online." |
| 62. Wi-Fi | wireless fidelity | "Connect to the Wi-Fi to access the internet." |
Educational and academic English abbreviations
Here is a list of English abbreviations that can help you understand academic English and education. Perhaps you might add some of these to your resume.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 63. ACT | American College Testing | "Many universities require the ACT for admission." |
| 64. BA | Bachelor of Arts | "She graduated with a BA in English Literature." |
| 65. BS | Bachelor of Science | "He earned a BS in Computer Science." |
| 66. CEFR | the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages | "His language skills are at the " |
| 67. ESL | English as a second language | "The school gives free ESL classes to new immigrants." |
| 68. GPA | grade point average | "She achieved a 4.0 GPA last year." |
| 69. IELTS | the International English Language Testing System | "She's taking the IELTS exam next month." |
| 70. LMS | learning management system | "The university is using a new LMS for online courses." |
| 71. MA | Master of Arts | "He completed his MA in History last year." |
| 72. MOOC | massive open online course | "I enrolled in a MOOC in digital marketing." |
| 73. MSc | Master of Science | "She got an MSc in Environmental Studies." |
| 74. PGCE | postgraduate certificate in education (in the UK) | "She starts her PGCE in the autumn because she wants to be a school teacher." |
| 75. PhD | Doctor of Philosophy | "She got her PhD in literature last year." |
| 76. PGDip | postgraduate diploma | "He's studying for a PGDip in Education." |
| STEM | science, technology, engineering, mathematics | "STEM fields are a priority at our university." |
| 78. TOEFL | Test of English as a Foreign Language | "Non-native speakers often need a TOEFL score to get into university." |
Medical and scientific English abbreviations
Finally, we have some common English abbreviations that are common in medical and scientific fields.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 79. ADHD | attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | "The child was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age." |
| 80. AIDS | acquired immune deficiency syndrome | "The patient is taking medicine for AIDS." |
| 81. BPM | beats per minute | "Her heart rate was recorded at 80 BPM." |
| 82. DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid | "DNA analysis revealed the suspect's identity." |
| 83. HIV | human immunodeficiency virus | "The patient tested positive for HIV." |
| 84. ICU | intensive care unit | "He's being monitored closely in the ICU." |
| 85. MD | Doctor of Medicine | "She earned her MD from Harvard Medical School." |
| 86. RNA | ribonucleic acid | "RNA and DNA are the 2 most important molecules." |
Bonus English abbreviations that you’ll see everywhere
English pound abbreviation: GBP, symbolized by the pound sign (£)
Etcetera abbreviation in English: etc
Example abbreviation in English: Eg
English abbreviations: Next steps
English Abbreviations are a fantastic way to communicate more effectively and efficiently. All of the examples above, whether they’re acronyms or truncations, allow you to say more in less time. You’ll hear English abbreviations used daily at school, work or chatting with friends.
Don’t overuse them though. If you only speak in abbreviations, it will be difficult to understand what you’re saying. Use them sparingly when you speak, and as often as you like when texting or chatting on social media.
TL;DR: Use English abbreviations to get your message across quicker. This articles lists 86 common ones!
AUTHOR
Barney Meekin
Newlanguages