Teen Slangs in Text You Must Know: What is SMH?

The bond between a parent and a teenager can be rocky. As soon as children get into their teenage years, they’re suddenly mad at the whole world, often having problems with everyone around them, even their parents. As a parent, dealing with teens and trying to understand them can be challenging.

These guys have to make acronyms out of everything, and they even use them in speech. If you’ve ever heard them talk with friends or come across their texts, you’ve undoubtedly asked yourself, what does SMH mean in text? If you’ve wondered, “what does LMK mean?” or the DW meaning in text, stick with us as we’ll go over the SMH meaning, LMK meaning, and other slang terms teens use.

Table of Content

Part 1: Why Do You Need to Know Online Slang as a Parent?

Since communication has evolved to more than just face-to-face conversations or talks over the phone, there’s a rising need to understand these new ways of communicating and understand your children, too. We’re talking, of course, about understanding social media and online chat room slang.

Although parents shouldn’t spy on their children, knowing what they’re doing and saying online is essential to keeping your teens safe. Understanding them, what they’re talking about, and what they’re into can help you as a parent and improve the communication between you and your child.

Read ahead as we’ll discuss some of the most common slang terms and acronyms teens use. You may know some, while you may have heard about others but don’t know their meaning.

Part 2: What does SMH mean?

Origins of SMH

SMH first appeared sometime in the early 2000s, with Urban Dictionary defining it in 2004, as a response to something stupid. Since then, it has spread over the internet’s chat rooms, with people often using it in SMS and other text messaging platforms.

SMH Meaning

If you’re wondering, “What does SMH mean in text?” we’ve got you covered. SMH’s meaning is “shaking my head,” but it can also mean “so much hate,” although the second meaning is much newer and less common.

SMH Usage

People use SMH in many chat rooms, forums, and messaging platforms. You can see it on popular websites such as Reddit, too. The acronym appeared as a way to shorten online communication and spread with the rise of the popularity of SMS.

Teens regularly use SMH to show disappointment. That way, it’s similar to a facepalm, with which teens often use SMH interchangeably.

Examples of Using SMH

These examples might help you better understand SMH’s meaning:

“Have you seen what Ema did to her nose? SMH…”

“Yeah, I know, that’s so dumb.”

“Rebecca said that!? SMH, she’s so dumb…”

Part 3: What does DW mean

Origins of DW

DW is probably the oldest acronym on the list, most likely becoming popular because of the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” from 1988, although the first Urban Dictionary definition is from 2003. However, DW undoubtedly existed before 2003 and became popular in the 1990s and 2000s, often appearing on AOL and other instant messaging apps.

DW Meaning

If you’re asking, “What does DW mean in text?” we’re here to answer your question. DW’s meaning in texts is “don’t worry.” That is its primary and original meaning, but through the years, teens have used DW to say other things, and it can depend on the group’s meaning. That varies from teen to teen and can also mean “do want.”

DW Usage

DW’s meaning in texts is to let someone know they shouldn’t worry. Teens use DW to tell someone to relax. As with other acronyms, it probably became famous because of SMS character limitation and is now prevalent on various messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or iMessage.

Moreover, teens often use it in lowercase letters, so it mostly looks like “dw” and not “DW.”

Examples of Using DW

Examples below might help you learn more about DW’s meaning in a text.

“You haven’t been to school in two days. What’s up?”

“It’s nothing, dw about it.”

“Hey, you seemed a little down today. Something bothering you?”

“Nah, it’s nothing, dw.”

Part 4: What does LMK mean?

Origins of LMK

As an acronym, LMK originated in the 1990s in the internet’s early chat rooms. Although no one knows when teens started using it, it became viral in the 2000s, and Urban Dictionary has its earliest definition of LMK from 2003.

You can read below to learn more about the LMK meaning.

LMK Meaning

If you’re wondering, “What does LMK mean?” it stands for “Let me know.” Since it’s a popular term in online conversations, it made a lot of sense to shorten it and create an acronym that would save you a few cents when communicating via SMS since you could shorten these messages.

LMK Usage

The most common way to use LMK in texts is as an answer to planning. When teens make plans or talk about what they’re about to do, they use LMK to show interest in each other’s ideas or indicate the need to complete making their plans when they find out what, when, and where. Take a look at example 1.

Additionally, teens use it to ask questions like whether someone is interested in doing something. They often do it when someone is offline and want them to let them know as soon as possible or as soon as they get online. You can see that in example 2 below.

Examples of Using LMK

Below are some examples of LMK usage that might make it easier to understand.

“I think I’m gonna go to Jay’s party later.”

“Aight, bet, LMK when. I wanna go, too.”

“I wanna go to the mall tomorrow. LMK if you’re down.”

Part 5: Red Flag Slang Terms

Although the three slang terms above are entirely harmless, there are others you should watch out for, as they have a much darker meaning. For example, have you ever heard of “KYS” or “KMS”? The definition of these two is “kill yourself” and “kill myself,” respectively.

It doesn’t have to be serious, and teens use these slang terms and acronyms almost jokingly, but it’s something you want to have in mind and know if you ever come across it in communication or hear about it.

Remember that teens often use these terms without fully understanding their meaning themselves. In most cases, they don’t mean what they say, and they say it to exaggerate their feelings and discontent with something. You could almost say they use these terms to stay edgy in front of their friends.

However, knowing these slang terms and acronyms is essential. If you know these, you can prevent much darker things from happening, such as cyberbullying and suicides. Context can help you see how serious one is when using these terms.

Part 6: How to Monitor What Messages Your Kids Are Sending/Receiving

You’re not powerless if you’re having trouble communicating with your teenager or feel like you’re losing them emotionally. You can take measures to keep your children safe and monitor their online communication and behavior.

An excellent tool to watch what your kids are doing online, such as their online activity and the content they send and receive, is FamiSafe. The app lets you see your child’s screen time, activity on different apps like YouTube and TikTok, and browser history. Moreover, you can keep track of the content on their phone, as the app has features for detecting inappropriate pictures and explicit content.

With FamiSafe, you can shield your children from harmful and toxic websites by enabling the web filter and safe search. Additionally, you can keep track of their live location and see their location history. If you worry about your child’s safety and online or offline activities, try FamiSafe. It’s an excellent tool for preventing excessive smartphone use and keeping your child safe.

Conclusion

Online chat rooms have kept teens busy for years and are integral to how they communicate today. Understanding the meaning of slang terms teens use in these chat rooms and texts is essential for parents to better understand their children and their online communication and keep them safe.

Knowing the answers to the questions like “what does LMK mean?” or “what does SMH mean in text?” and some other slang terms and acronyms can help you understand what your child is communicating online. Moreover, you can track your child’s online activity, history, and content with FamiSafe and keep them safe online and offline.