What Does ICL Mean In Texting? (Helpful Content)

ICL usually means “I can’t lie” in texting. It’s a common phrase used in speech to slightly soften something you’re about to say. It essentially means that, as much as you might not want to, you can’t avoid telling the truth about something. It can have one or two other meanings sometimes.

Most of the time if someone says “ICL” to you in a text, then, they probably mean they can’t lie.

They have to tell the truth about what they’re saying.

This could be used in a huge variety of contexts, from very serious to very jokey and unserious situations.

Let’s find out more.

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What does ICL stand for in texting?

ICL most commonly stands for I can’t lie in texting.

It’s a phrase used in a few slightly different ways, though the meaning is generally the same overall.

It’s a way of suggesting that you are being honest about something because you feel obligated to do so.

You cannot, however much you might want to, lie about something.

I’m sure you can picture a situation where this kind of phrase would be used, and indeed you may well have heard some form of it in spoken language. “I can’t lie, the cake that she brought wasn’t very nice,” for example.

In this example, still, it’s not being said to the person—merely two people are sharing something privately between them, though they do still feel bad about it in some way.

On the other hand, many people do seem to use this phrase merely as an emphasis, as a natural part of their speech pattern, without any specific intended sense.

It may not even be, really, an issue of truth or honesty. “I’m looking forward to going out tonight ICL” for example.

There’s no reason someone would lie about this. It’s just added emphasis, it’s adding extra significance to what was said.

In spoken English, especially in Britain, you very often hear people say “I won’t lie” or “to be honest” merely as emphasizing phrases.

They are expressed in opposite ways but they mean the same thing. It’s about honesty, but merely honesty as a tool of emphasis.

It is perhaps more commonly used in Britain though is plainly also used in the U.S. to a great degree.

So, ICL can have a couple of slightly different senses even within its one meaning.

So, where did this phrase come from?

Where did ICL come from in texting?

We aren’t sure where exactly ICL originated in texting talk.

It’s usually very hard to trace the precise origin of such widely used slang terms.

Shorthand, abbreviations and initialisms like this were very popular in early text speech for one key reason.

Everyone was typing on an alphanumeric keyboard, and so texting was a much more laborious process than it is today.

Thus, whatever common phrases could be shortened down usually were.

From there, ICL would have spread to the internet, too, where it was further popularized.

Again, common phrases used in speech like this are often shortened so as to make their use easier and in turn more common on the internet and social media.

We can see that ICL was in widespread use by the early 2000s, so it’s likely that it originated sometime in the 1990s, when mobile phones and the internet were becoming more accessible. Does ICL have any other meanings on social media?

What does ICL mean on social media?

In most cases, ICL on social media is still going to mean I can’t lie.

It’s used in mostly the same way and doesn’t really mean anything else.

It could accompany a post as well as going in a direct message. “Can’t stop thinking about dinner tonight ICL” for example.

It might be used in a slightly different way but it means the same thing.

There are a few other things it can mean, in more specific contexts, on social media. “In Christian love” is one other way that this abbreviation is used, usually on social media.

This is used again as a sign off usually, obviously from people of the Christian faith.

“Here with the whole family for thanksgiving this year, ICL” for example.

Naturally, that one is not the most common use of the phrase.

But it is one you might see so it’s worth being aware of.

Are there any other meanings it can have?

What does ICL mean on Snapchat?

The ICL meaning in Snapchat is going to be the same. It just means I can’t lie.

What does ICL mean on TikTok?

Again, it’s not going to mean anything different.

ICL meaning in TikTok is the same as Snapchat and most other social media channels.

It just means I can’t lie.

What else does ICL mean?

There are a handful of other things which may be meant by ICL, though these are not very commonly used.

One of these is “Instructions come later,” meaning that you’ll be told how to do something later on.

Again, the utility of this one is quite limited, but it is still used sometimes.

“In chat life” is one other option sometimes suggested, though whatever utility this abbreviation may once have had, it has none of that now.

In the vast majority of cases, “ICL” in texting, on social media and on the internet in general means “I can’t lie”.

So, there may be other intended meanings depending on the context, but in the vast majority of cases, ICL stands for I can’t lie.

This is used to emphasise that you are telling the truth, and doing so because you have to and can’t do otherwise.

This is simultaneously a throw-away phrase that people attach to sentences simply for emphasis and a very serious and important signifier of honesty.

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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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