These 20 acronyms are confusing Americans the most, with one work-related acronym topping the list – How many do you know?
If you’ve ever stared at a text or social media post and wondered whether “SMH” was a polite sigh or some secret code, you’re not alone. The internet is full of acronyms that fly past most of us, leaving us nodding along while secretly Googling what they actually mean. From DND to FOMO to IRL, keeping up with digital shorthand can feel like learning a whole new language overnight.
A recent study by PR Superstar set out to find exactly which acronyms are causing the most confusion. By analyzing search volume data across the United States, the research reveals which abbreviations people are typing into Google most frequently to uncover their meanings.
At the top of the list is NSFW, short for “Not Safe For Work,” with a whopping 713,300 searches per month. Close behind is FOMO, or “Fear Of Missing Out,” which continues to capture the anxiety of staying in the loop, clocking in at 587,960 searches. Rounding out the top five are FAFO (“F*** Around, Find Out”) at 368,000, ISO (“In Search Of”) at 320,250, and TL;DR (“Too Long; Didn’t Read”) at 300,090.
Other popular searches include everyday reactions like SMH (“Shaking My Head”) and DND (“Do Not Disturb”), as well as messaging shortcuts like IMO (“In My Opinion”) and OTP (“One True Pairing” or “On The Phone”). Even terms that have been around for years, such as IRL (“In Real Life”) and LMAO (“Laughing My Ass Off”), remain high on the list.
Some acronyms carry multiple meanings, which may explain why users are frequently Googling them. ASL can mean “American Sign Language” or “Age, Sex, Location,” while PMO can stand for “Private Message Only” or the more colorful “Piss Me Off.” Others, like ISTG (“I Swear To God”) and TBH (“To Be Honest”), reflect the conversational tone of social media and texting.
The full list of the 20 most searched acronyms:
| Rank | Acronym | Meaning | Average monthly searches |
| 1 | NSFW | Not Safe For Work | 713,300 |
| 2 | FOMO | Fear Of Missing Out | 587,960 |
| 3 | FAFO | F*** Around, Find Out | 368,000 |
| 4 | ISO | In Search Of | 320,250 |
| 5 | TL;DR | Too Long; Didn’t Read | 300,090 |
| 6 | SMH | Shaking My Head | 206,050 |
| 7 | DND | Do Not Disturb | 200,100 |
| 8 | ASL | American Sign Language / Age, Sex, Location | 191,430 |
| 9 | ATP | At This Point | 179,980 |
| 10 | IMO | In My Opinion | 179,170 |
| 11 | OTP | One True Pairing / On The Phone | 141,610 |
| 12 | LMAO | Laughing My Ass Off | 138,530 |
| 13 | IRL | In Real Life | 135,780 |
| 14 | NPC | Non-Player Character | 121,000 |
| 15 | POV | Point Of View | 112,500 |
| 16 | PMO | Private Message Only / Piss Me Off | 110,000 |
| 17 | ISTG | I Swear To God | 98,960 |
| 18 | TBH | To Be Honest | 90,500 |
| 19 | DW | Don’t Worry | 81,300 |
| 20 | TBH | To Be Honest | 74,550 |
Methodology
The study analyzed some of the most commonly used internet acronyms to determine which ones leave users most confused. Researchers collected data on the average monthly Google search volume for each acronym’s meaning across the United States. Acronyms were then ranked based on these search volumes to identify the top 20 most searched abbreviations of 2025.
Source: Google Trends