What Does WTD Mean In Texting? (Answered!)

WTD can mean a couple of different things, but most commonly it means “what’s the deal”. It can also mean “what to do”, and “who to delete”, among other things. But by far the most common meaning is just “what’s the deal”, which is just the person asking what’s going on.

In most cases, then, it should be quite clear from the context of the text which of these senses the word has.

As I said, by far the most likely meaning is just “what’s the deal”, as this is a very common part of speech that is used all the time.

Let’s find out more.

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What does WTD stand for in texting?

WTD can stand for a couple of things in texting.

However, by far the most common meaning is “what’s the deal.”

There are a variety of subtly different senses this can have, but it is closely equivalent to something like “what’s going on” how just “how are you”.

It could be asked either to a group or to an individual—this would probably be the first determiner in which of these two basic senses it could have.

If this is said to a group, even in a group text, it most likely has the sense of “what’s going on”.

You’re asking what the news is, if there is any.

You could just come in and say this even if no one is talking, asking on a general level—you could also ask it in seeking for clarification about a specific thing.

“What are you all talking about? WTD?” for example.

Interpreting its sense in the first place might be a little bit tricky, then.

In any case, it’s a casual term that doesn’t imply any kind of seriousness.

On the other hand, it could be used in a more serious way.

It could indicate anger and confusion at something someone has done. “Why did you storm off tonight? WTD?” for example.

So, you may have to take a moment to consider precisely what the person might mean by saying this.

At the same time, it really shouldn’t be all that complicated.

Where does this term come from, then?

Where does WTD come from?

In terms of the term “what’s the deal” itself, we can pretty accurately identify the one factor that made this phrase so popular.

It ballooned in popularity during the peak performance of the show Seinfeld, in which the comedian Jerry Seinfeld became known for his catchphrase “what’s the deal with…”

The term was, of course, already in use by then.

Where it was first used we cannot say for sure.

It seems like rather a natural linguistic construction, no different from “what’s going on” in that sense.

Of course, it’s taken on a life of its own since Seinfeld.

How it came to be used in texting is also not completely clear.

However, we can see that it was already being used by the 1990s in the form of “WTD”, so it must have originated in the earliest days of texting.

At that time, with all phones featuring only alphanumeric keyboards, typing anything out was a tedious process.

Everyone wanted to shorten things down as much as possible.

How do you respond to WTD?

How to respond to WTD really depends on the context.

If someone says this to you unprompted, they are most likely simply asking you what’s going on, how you are, and what you’re up to.

It’s a bread-and-butter conversation starter.

So, you can most likely just reply by telling them what you’ve been doing with your day or how you’re feeling.

On the other hand, consider if there’s something someone could be specifically asking you about.

Something may have happened recently that they want to know about, and that they are likely to ask you about.

There’s never any harm in just asking for clarification, though.

What does WTD mean on social media?

WTD usually has the same meaning on social media that it does in texting.

People use it as a way of saying what’s the deal, and it could have any number of applications on social media.

It could be a way of talking about a news event that has you confused, or something similar in your personal life.

That said, though, there are other things that this initialism can mean, so let’s look at those.

What else does WTD mean?

Perhaps the most common alternative meaning for WTD is “what to do”.

This, too, can have multiple senses. It could be someone asking you for help about what to do on a particular thing.

“I have to fix this by tomorrow but I don’t know how. WTD,” for example.

Or, it could mean they are looking for suggestions of things to do together. “I’ll come over around 7, WTD?” for example.

One other sense it can have is “who to delete”.

This is often used by people “purging” their social media accounts of their friends to cut things down and get rid of people they don’t know.

But this is a bit less common.

While texting slang with multiple meanings like this can sometimes be a bit confusing, this one is most likely to mean “what’s the deal”.

This is a very simple and common part of colloquial speech, talking about how everyone is doing and what’s going on.

There might be other senses involved if someone says it to you, but “what’s the deal” is always a good bet.

More in Texting Meanings

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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