How To Tell What Exactly 'WYD' Means

Ever woke up in the morning to find a missed "wyd" text sent to you at 2 a.m.? Is that "wyd" quite the same as the "wyd friday" your friend texted you a few minutes back? Can't quite wrap your head around the "wyd :)" from a girl from your class? Fear no more, here's a quick explainer on how to tell a normal "wyd" from a horny "wyd," with some meme history to boot.

Where Does "WYD" Come From?

First used in text message shorthand and online chat rooms together with many other acronyms, "wyd" has been around since at least the mid-2000s, although its exact origin is unknown. In most cases, "wyd" translates to "What are you doing?" or "What you doin'?" although it can also mean "What do you do?"

Throughout the 2010s, the acronym achieved massive spread on social media, particularly Twitter, where it allowed users to save space to avoid going over the 140-word limit that existed until 2017. On the app, the word gained particular virality among Black Twitter, with the community helping further its popularity and using the acronym in memes.

Person: wyd
Me: nothing
incoming FaceTime call pic.twitter.com/AgDcnj29as

— tori with an i ✨ (@_GirlFromAtl) June 23, 2017

WYD Usage in Memes

Since 2016, the acronym WYD has appeared in several notable memes both in central and supporting roles. This Guy Slaps Your Girlfriend's Ass, What Do You Do? was the first big meme format to incorporate the acronym, with the memes inquiring what one would do if someone slapped their girlfriend.

The acronym was again used to make meme captions cooler and neater in the WYD After Smokin' This? meme format.

As WYD achieved widespread recognition, the acronym itself became a subject of memes. In It's Always WYD and Never HYD, people complained that getting a "wyd" just doesn't make their day like getting a "how do you do?" or something even nicer would make it. In "LOL You Wild Wyd Tho," memes then made fun of the fuckboys who only want to get in your pants.

What Does It Mean If a Person Texts Me "WYD?"

While WYD means simply "what are you doing?," its implication can vary depending on who is sending the message. In any scenario, the acronym is commonly used to initiate a conversation with a person one is already acquainted.

A friend can send you "wyd" to check in with you and ask if you're currently busy with anything. If you're not quite friends yet, an unexpected "wyd" from a person can tell you that they are interested in you, and may be trying to flirt.

However, a "wyd" can also serve as an unimaginative request for a booty call.

Where Can You Use "WYD?"

WYD is a near-universally understood acronym that you can use in your texts and social media posts when you're feeling a bit too lazy to type out "what you doing?" or "what do you do?" You can also try to use it as an opener, but why do that when there is arguably an unlimited number of better ways to flirt.

A good way to make sure the person you're texting gets exactly what your "wyd" means is by adding an emoji or emoticon!

Examples Of WYD In A Sentence

• Hey Christine, wyd Saturday?
• You come home and find that your girlfriend changed the locks and is throwing your stuff out the window, WYD?
• Woke up and checked my phone to find a missed "wyd ;)" text from last night.

For the full history of WYD, be sure to check out our entry on the slang term here for even more information.