Kevin
February 16, 2021
Common Questions

This guide will give you all of the info needed on the acronym tysm, including its definition, origin, example sentences, usage and more!

What does tysm stand for?

The acronym tysm stands for “thank you so much,” and is commonly used internet and texting slang. According to Cyber Definitions, it can also be used sarcastically. This is most commonly used when typing and most people would say the complete phrase “thank you so much” when face-to-face. Over texting and the internet, the abbreviation tysm is very popular.

Where did the term tysm originate?

Tysm originated as chat speak, or SMS text speak, from texting and chatrooms on the early internet. While it is difficult to trace and exact origin of the word, text speak has been around since as early as 1828, according to Visual Thesaurus.

People have been abbreviating language for longer than most people normally imagine, as it feels like something new that came with the advent of the internet. Typing allows people to communicate faster, and it is expected that people will find new ways to shortcut and communicate in even quicker ways.

One of the earliest known abbreviations is “OK,” which originally stood for “oll korrect,” an intentional misspelling of “all correct.” This phrase rose to popularity in the 1830s. Interestingly, this intentional misspellings can still be seen today with internet abbreviations like “thx,” meaning “thanks,” or “kthxbai,” meaning “Okay, thanks, bye.”

Before that, the famous poem “Elegy to the Memory of Miss Emily Kay” is a poem published in 1828 in the London magazine New Monthly. This poem relies heavily on wordplay with abbreviations and requires much deciphering to make sense of these slang words. If a poem today used chat speak, many would probably have an easy time translating the meaning!

How can one use tysm in a sentence?

Below are various examples of using tysm in casual conversation. One of the below examples is genuine, and one is sarcastic.

One friend texts another, “Tysm for submitting my resume for that job!” The other friend replies, “Np at all! My pleasure.” Here, the other friend is also using internet slang – “np,” which stands for “no problem.”

For a sarcastic example, one brother texts the other, “Btw (by the way) Mom’s mad at you for leaving your dishes in the sink. I didn’t tell her they were mine.” The other brother replies, “Tysm! Can’t wait to get yelled at later.” Here, the second brother is using the acronym tysm sarcastically, frustrated with his brother for not fessing up to leaving dirty dishes in the sink.

Is tysm casual or formal?

Tysm is exclusively used in casual contexts and would never be used formally, in business discussions, or in other less casual settings. Since the terms originated as internet slang and is still predominantly used as such, using tysm in more formal settings is inappropriate. Tysm would be used in conversations where other internet slang is also appropriate, like “ilysm” in place of “I love you so much” or “omg” in place of “oh my goodness.”

Tysm is an appropriate abbreviation to be used between friends or casual acquaintances, or in some circumstances even casual coworkers of the same level via instant messenger or text, or on SMS apps like WhatsApp. For example, via instant messenger, two coworkers may have the following conversation:

Maggie: Hey! Could you send me the company letterhead? Can’t find it on my computer.

Joe: Sure! Sending now!

Maggie: Tysm!

The acronym tysm would never be appropriate to use in formal conversations or negotiations. This should not be used when emailing or conversing for business or other professional matters. No doctor’s office would send an email with the header “Tysm for Coming In!” The following would be an inappropriate example of using tysm, and is followed by how the letter should read.

Bad:

Hey Mr. M,

tysm for writing me a letter of rec. will let u know if i get in!

Kev

Good:

Dear Mr. Miller,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write me a letter of recommendation; it means so much to me. I will keep you updated on my application status. Thank you again!

Best,

Kevin

What are synonyms of tysm?

There are many different internet abbreviations that are synonyms for tysm, and can be used interchangeably. Below are many examples of slang terms from All Acronyms and Internet Slang. The definitions of tysm and these other phrases are very similar.

· TY – Thank you

· T/Y – Thank you

· TU – Thank you, in which “you” is represented by its homophone, the letter “u”

· TYVM – Thank you very much

· Thanx – A variation on the spelling of “thanks.”

· TVM – Thanks very much.

· Thanq – Thank you, in which the combination of sounds at the end of “thank” and the word “you” are represented by the homophone of the letter “q.”

· Thx – An abbreviated form of the internet slang “thankx,” meaning “thanks.”

· Tks – An abbreviated form of “thanks.”

· THNQ – Thank you, using homophonic letters to represent the phrase.

· 10Q – Thank you, using homophonic numbers and letters to represent the phrase.

· 10X – Thanks, using homophonic numbers and letters to represent the phrase.

· Thankz – A variation of the spelling of “thanks.”

· Thz – An abbreviated form of the internet slang “thankz,” meaning “thanks.”

· KTHX – Okay, thanks.

· KTHXBAI – Okay, thanks, bye. This is usually used sarcastically or dismissively.

· FNX – Thanks, using a colloquial pronunciation of “thanks,” “fanks.”

· TAL – Thanks a lot

· TYSVM – Thank you so very much

· TYFE – Thank you for everything

Overall, tysm stands for “thank you so much” and is most commonly used as internet slang or when texting. It can be used interchangeably with many other abbreviations and acronyms meaning “thank you.” While this would never be used in formal or business settings or emails, it is usually used via text message or between casual friends.

Sources:

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.