What Does 'HMS' Mean? The Origin Of The Viral Acronym And Slang Term Explained

Content Warning: Portions of this article make mention of suicide, which some may find difficult or upsetting. If you need support or are dealing with suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's website or call 1-800-273-8255.

Internet slang terms can be hard to understand, which often leaves us doubting their meanings sometimes. Although HMS is not a particularly new acronym on social media, the term resurfaced this summer on TikTok and Snapchat after spreading on the two platforms.

The most common meaning of HMS is in reference to killing oneself (though typically in a joking way, such as someone saying they'll shoot themselves over a stressful situation), meaning "hanging myself." Similar to the slang flooding the internet like "IYKYK," "IJBOL" or "KMS," "HMS" requires a bit of chronically online behavior to understand its usage and meaning.

Where Does 'HMS' Come From?

Some of the first mentions of HMS began appearing around early 2014 on various slang sites, like the one posted on the Acronyms and Slang website on February 22nd, 2014. The post (shown below) explains the acronym is an abbreviation for "Hanging My Self."

The acronym has a similar meaning to "KMS" (Killing Myself) and it's often used as a joke or dark humor, especially in content related to dealing with stress or other mental health issues.

How Is 'HMS' Used In Memes?

HMS appeared online as early as the mid-2010s and was popularized on social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat around the early 2020s. It became a commonplace term starting in 2021, ultimately spreading as 2023 approached.

The term is usually applied in sentences clinging to dark humor, stress or any other problem related to mental health. For example, on July 3rd, 2023, TikToker @8d1.emxlyy posted a video to comment on how she felt after seeing "6th graders putting 'hms' in their bios…" The post (shown below) amassed 4 million plays in a month.

Even on the internet, the term is not easily understood, as TikToker @the_mighty_bismarck posted a video with the overlay text saying "When you realize 'HMS' could also mean as 'Heavy Metal Ships,'" which amassed roughly 5,000 plays.

How Do You Use 'HMS' In A Sentence?

• "I'm gonna HMS, why did he do that!?"
• "HMS at 5 P.M. today."
• "brb HMS now."

For the full history of HMS, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry on the slang term for even more information.