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

Do you know what the abbreviation SU means? This guide will provide you with all of the necessary information on the abbreviation SU, including its meaning, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the abbreviation SU stand for?

SU, or S/U, is a common internet slang that can stand for a variety of different things via text messaging or on social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram.

According to Urban Dictionary, SU can stand for “swipe up.” This is usually used in different frames of sponsored Snapchat or Instagram stories. Within these stories, the posters can advise their viewers to “swipe up” to view a link. This involves the user physically swiping up with their finger on the screen of the Instagram story. This will usually take the person to either a shop or website that the poster is sponsored by, or it will take them to the poster’s own website. People use these to either get more views, or to direct their audience to a brand that is sponsoring them.

Cyber Definitions states that S/U can also stand for “shut up.” This is a very blunt way for someone to tell another person to stop talking or to be quiet. While this may seem rude, it can also be used in a joking or teasing way between friends. For example, if one friend is teasing another about the person they have a crush on, the other one might reply “shut up!” This term can also be used as an exclamation or expression of bewilderment or disbelief, similar to OMG.

Finally, SU can also stand for “straight up.” While other people may be more common with the mixology meaning of straight up – without ice – when it comes to internet jargon, straight up means that one is telling the truth and being honest, per Urban Dictionary. If one questions someone’s honesty, they might respond with “straight up.”

According to Acronym Finder and The Free Dictionary, SU can also stand for a plethora of other meanings, however these are far less common. One should be very careful when using acronyms that have multiple meanings like S/U because if taken out of context, one may be confused as to what one means. Additionally, if they are only familiar with one specific meaning of SU, this could also cause confusion. Overall, one should ensure their context is clear when using acronyms like SU to avoid any confusion.

  • Sudan
  • Steven Universe (series)
  • Soviet Union
  • Supervisory (duties)
  • Sukhoi
  • Aeroflot (airline code)
  • Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
  • Belarus (ISO Country Identifier)
  • Start Up (various organizations)
  • Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
  • Slide Up
  • Student Union
  • Superuser
  • Storage Unit
  • Single Unit (truck)
  • Sudbury (Ontario city)
  • Students’ Union
  • SketchUp (Google application)
  • Sonic Unleashed (video game)
  • Service Unit
  • Software Update
  • Sources and Uses
  • Single User
  • Screw You
  • Sub Unit (USMC)
  • Stumble Upon (website)
  • Summer Universiade (sporting event)
  • Surface Unit
  • Sunnuntai (Finnish: Sunday)
  • Scripture Union
  • Space Unit
  • Switch User (Linux)
  • Stroke Unit (medicine)
  • Standard Unit
  • Superb Used (philately)
  • Sensor Unit
  • Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset (Gothenburg, Sweden hospital)
  • Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (state education grant and loan scheme in Denmark)
  • Signal Unit (CCS #7 ITU-T)
  • Sims Unleashed (game)
  • Skinners Union
  • Signaling Unit
  • Subscriber Unit
  • Siehe Unten (German: see below)
  • Search Unit (US DoD)
  • Special Unitary (mathematics; group theory)
  • Sub Urban Area (terrain type)
  • Switching Unit
  • Scoville Unit (heat level of chili peppers)
  • Situational Understanding (US Army)
  • Stockist Undertaking (UK)
  • Sukhoi, Pavel Osipovich (aircraft designer)
  • Sindh University Jamshoro (Pakistan)
  • Sulphonyl Urea (herbicide)
  • Spitali Ushtarak (Albanian: Military Hospital)
  • Subresolution Attenuated
  • Safe, Undetected Failure
  • Society of the Sisters of St. Ursula (religious order)
  • Submarine Unqualified

How can SU be used in a sentence?

Since the abbreviation SU can mean a few different things, this means that it can be used a few different ways in conversations. In this first example, SU will be used to stand for “swipe up.” 

In this example, Jamie is posting an Instagram story to her audience, and the post is sponsored by a jewelry brand. In the story, Jamie is showing off the jewelry from a photoshoot. She types up her caption:

Jamie: In love with these amazing pieces from Jesse’s Jewels. SU to learn more and use my discount code JAMIE at checkout for 20% off your first purchase! #AD

Here, Jamie uses SU to tell her audience to swipe up on the story to go to the jewelry website. She also uses the #AD to let her audience know that the post is sponsored by the jewelry company. In this next example, the abbreviation SU will stand for “shut up.” In this example, Jamie is talking to her manager Derek.

Derek: The offer finally came in  – we were able to get you $50k per episode on the new Snapchat series.

Jamie: SU! Really?!

Derek: Yes, really! I hope you’re excited!

Jamie: I’m over the moon!

Here, Jamie uses “shut up” to express bewilderment or disbelief. In the last example, SU will stand for straight up. Here, Jamie’s friend Delilah is accusing her of stealing her sponsorship.

Delilah: So you’re telling me they just suddenly pulled by offer for no reason and gave it to you? You didn’t have anything to do with it?

Jamie: Del, no, I swear. SU I have no idea what’s going on with that brand, they made an offer to me but I had no idea about yours. I promise.

Overall, the definition of SU is typically either shut up, straight up, or swipe up. S/U means a variety of different things, so one should be careful when using this slang term that the context is clear and that the reader is not confused. This internet slang term an be used in SMS text messaging, or on social media sites like on an Instagram story, Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, and more.

Sources:

  1. https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/SU
  2. https://www.acronymfinder.com/SU.html
  3. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=SU
  4. https://www.cyberdefinitions.com/definitions/SU.html
  5. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=straight-up