The Meaning of NP: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of NP? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the abbreviation NP, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the acronym NP stand for?

According to Cyber Definitions and Urban Dictionary, the term NP most often stands for no problem or nurse practitioner. No problem is a casual phrase that is similar to the related terms no sweat, or don’t worry about it. This term is used to tell someone that the thing they are asking for is no problem to execute. This term is also commonly used in response to someone saying thank you, as a more casual form of you’re welcome.  

According to Nurse Practitioner Schools, a nurse practitioner is trained at the graduate level to diagnose illnesses, treat conditions, and provide patients with health education. Ultimately NPs are not physicians, but can advise on numerous different health concerns and medical questions. 

According to The Free Dictionary, the acronym NP can stand for much more than just no problem or nurse practitioner. This acronym has many other possible definitions. However, these are less common. If you do decide to use one of these alternate definitions, make sure that you provide the reader with proper context so that they are not confused. 

  •  Number Pooling
  •  Not Possible
  •  Network Programming
  •  National Party
  •  Non-Pro (hardware)
  •  Navigation Processor
  •  Norsk Petroleumsinstitutt
  •  Nonpay
  •  Network Planner
  •  New Paper – Singapore
  •  New Process
  •  New Providence (New Jersey)
  •  Napolean Dynamite (movie)
  •  NewPlayer (gaming)
  •  North Pocono (Moscow, Pennsylvania)
  •  Nail Polish
  •  National Park
  •  Norma Portuguesa (Portuguese: Portuguese Norm)
  •  Nepal
  •  Neper (unit used to express ratios, such as gain, loss, and relative values)
  •  No Proceedings
  •  Nintendo Power
  •  Non-Polynomial (mathematics, biology)
  •  North Point (place name)
  •  Natural Parenting
  •  Occupation Newspaper (Scott Catalogue prefix; philately)
  •  Na Przyklad (Polish: for example)
  •  No Parking
  •  Nasal Prong (airflow)
  •  National Primary
  •  No Price
  •  Not Provided
  •  1-Nitropyrene
  •  Neopoints (Neopets)
  •  Nitro Performance (various companies)
  •  New Patient
  •  Now Playing
  •  Nonproblematic
  •  No Penis
  •  Neue Presse (German: Newspaper)
  •  No Patience
  •  New Production Reactor (US DOE)
  •  Neoprint
  •  Nationalista Party (Philippines)
  •  Natural Phenomena
  •  Non-Deterministic Polynomial-Time (computer programming)
  •  Nerd Paradise
  •  No Pressure
  •  Network Processor
  •  No Picture
  •  No Pistons (referring to rotary engines)
  •  New Party (Taiwan)
  •  Northern Pacific
  •  New Production
  •  Notary Public
  •  No Pets (classified ads for rentals)
  •  Neptunium (chemical symbol, radioactive transuranic metallic element) 
  •  No Passes
  •  Natalie Portman
  •  Nolle Prosequi (Latin: Not Prosecute; legal motion)
  •  No Page
  •  Numbering Plan
  •  Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Singapore)
  •  Nicolo Paganini (classical composer and violinist)
  •  Newbury Park (California)
  •  Number of Pitches (baseball)
  •  Noun Phrase
  •  Neupreis (German :price if new)
  •  Negative Pressure
  •  Notes Payable
  •  No Point
  •  Network Protocol
  •  Noteworthy Practice
  •  Newport (postal code for Newport, Wales)
  •  Namibia Post (Windhoek, Namibia)
  •  No Protest
  •  Naval Prison (US Navy)
  •  Negro Please
  •  Number Portability (Mobile Services)
  •  Normandy Park (Washington)
  •  Nanoparticle
  •  New Plymouth (New Zealand)
  •  Neighborhood Processor
  •  Nice Pass
  •  NeoPets, Neopia
  •  Nasal Polyp
  •  Naturopathic Practitioner
  •  Nosler Partition (bullet)
  •  Nondeterministic-Polynomial
  •  Nonpublished (number)
  •  Network Port
  •  Nonpolar (chemistry)
  •  Nintendo Power (magazine)
  •  Nuclear Power
  •  Bureau of Non Proliferation (US Department of State)
  •  Null Pointer
  •  no penalty
  •  Network Pause (ANSI)
  •  Negative Polarity
  •  Nobel Prize
  •  Network Provider
  •  No Publisher
  •  National Product (band)
  •  No Post
  •  Nucleoside Phosphorylase
  •  Nice Person
  •  Neurophysin
  •  North Port (Florida)
  •  Network Protector
  •  Non-Public
  •  Nature Photographer
  •  Non-Parity
  •  Nonylphenol
  •  Nippon Paint (Japan)
  •  Nonviolent Peaceforce
  •  Not Present
  •  Napalm
  •  National Permit (India)
  •  Nonproliferation
  •  North Pole
  •  Net Profit
  •  New Paragraph (proofreading)
  •  No Place
  •  Nose Plug
  •  Neighbourhood Park
  •  National President
  •  NASA Publication
  •  Notice Period
  •  Nutrification Potential (semiconductors)
  •  New Pence (English penny)
  •  Neutron-Physical (physics)

What are examples of NP used in a sentence?

The term NP can either be used to mean no problem ro nurse practitioner. In this first example, NP will mean no problem. Kelsie was absent from school and reaches out to Jess for the homework that she missed. 

Kelsie: Hi! I was absent today – stomach flu. Could u please send me the homework for math and history?

Jess: Of course NP! I’ll text u a photo of what we have to do and my notes from today. Feel better!

Kelsie: Thank u so much!

Here, Jess says “NP” to Kelsie to tell her that it is not a problem that she is asking for the homework from the day. Next, the term NP will be used to mean nurse practitioner. Kelsie goes to the hospital when her stomach pain does not improve.

Nurse Practitioner: Hi, I’m going to be taking care of you today.

Kelsie: Are you the doctor?

Nurse Practitioner: No, I’m the NP. But I’m going to be able to help you a lot faster. Can you tell me a little bit about your stomach pain? When did it start, and what does it feel like?

Is the acronym NP casual or formal?

When the term NP is used to mean no problem, it is considered casual. Most of the time, internet slang terms will be considered casual and not appropriate for formal or professional uses. Steer clear of using this term to mean no problem in a business email or formal letter. When using the term NP to mean nurse practitioner, there is more of a gray area. This shorthand is commonly used in hospitals or by a registered nurse or someone else NPs work with, and is not considered overly casual when in these settings. Someone might use the term NP when talking about medication or other nurse practitioner duties. However, if you are in a situation where someone may not know what NP stands for, be on the safe side and use the full form of the phrase. 

Overall, there are various possible meanings of the acronym NP. Most often, NP is used to mean the internet slang term no problem or the title nurse-practitioner. Make sure that you provide the reader with proper context if you are going to use the term NP. 

Sources:

  1. https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/NP
  2. https://www.cyberdefinitions.com/definitions/NP.html#:~:text=The%20abbreviation%20NP%20is%20widely,You’re%20welcome%22).
  3. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=NP
  4. https://www.nursepractitionerschools.com/faq/np-vs-doctor/