Kevin
March 23, 2021
Common Questions
Have you ever wondered what the full form of the internet slang term W/E is? This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the acronym W/E, including its meaning, usage, example sentences, and more!
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
According to Internet Slang, the acronym W/E stands for “whatever.” Cambridge Dictionary states that the word whatever means that something is not important, or that something makes no difference. This acronym is often used in text messaging and on social media to show when someone has no preference or does not care about something. This is a very common acronym.
The Free Dictionary and Acronym Finder also state that the abbreviation W/E has a few other potential meanings. While these are less common than the meaning “whatever,” W/E can still be used to stand for other things. One should always exercise caution when using abbreviations and ensure that the reader or listener will know what they mean when they use an acronym that could be confusing.
The abbreviation W/E is very casual and should never be sued in professional or formal settings. Like many other text speak and chat slang terms, one should avoid these in circumstances like business emails, letters, and other formal scenarios. One should use the full form of the word or a synonym in these situations. Below is an example of a situation in which it would be inappropriate to use the abbreviation W/E, followed by a revised version of the same message. In the below example, Ciaran is emailing his boss about his availability for the upcoming week.
BAD:
Hey,
I mean I can rly do W/E… it doesn’t matter 2 me. Just schedule me 4 anything n I’ll be there. C U next week, thx
-Ciaran
GOOD:
Hi Tom,
Thanks for reaching out. My schedule is very flexible next week and I can work whatever shifts you are struggling to fill. I can make myself available at any time. Thank you!
Best,
Ciaran
Here, Ciaran should maintain his professionalism when emailing his boss. It shows that he is a competent worker who is well aware of email etiquette.
If one wished to refer to something that they did not have a preference for but did ont want to use the abbreviation W/E, they could use a synonym. A synonym is a word that is used that means the same thing as a given word or phrase. One might choose to use a synonym to adjust their professionalism, to avoid repeating themselves, or to expand their vocabulary. The below list of synonyms is provided by Your Dictionary and Thesaurus.
The acronym W/E can be used in a variety of different circumstances, both via text message and on social media. It is a very versatile phrase that can be used in almost any situation when one wants to express that they have no preference or do not care about something. In the first example, Jena and Jules are discussing what they want to do their American History project on.
Jena: Ok, I emailed Mr. Reid about if it’s APA or MLA. Now we just have 2 figure out what we want 2 do the project about! Do u have any ideas?
Jules: I’m fine with w/e! I feel like the Oregon Trail is overdone, but it’s also really interesting
Jena: I agree! Maybe we can do something similar, like Lewis and Clark or something?
Jules: I like that idea!
Jena: Great! I’ll email Mr. Reid about it.
Here, Jules uses the acronym w/e to show Jena that she has no preference as to what they do their history project on. In this next example, Jena and Jules are getting ready to work on their project as Jules’ house. Jules texts Jena.
Jules: Hey Jena! My mom is ordering dinner, is there any type of food you’re in the mood for or anything you don’t like?
Jena: Oh, thanks! I can eat w/e! Thanks so much.
Jules: Of course! I think we’re just going to go with the easy option and get some pizzas.
Jena: Sweet! I’ll be there in like 15 minutes, my mom is just finishing up work and then she can drive me over. And I will make sure to bring all the glue and pompoms I can find!
Jules: Awesome!
Overall, the acronym W/E stands for “whatever.” Whatever is a word that people use when they do not care about the outcome or result of something, or if they do not have a preference or do not care about something. The acronym W/E is very commonly used in SMS text messaging as well as on different social media sites.
