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What Does “YW” Stand for in Slang? Decode the meaning of YW in all your text messages Co-authored by Janice Tieperman
Last Updated: January 27, 2026 Fact Checked
YW Meaning
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How to Use
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How to Reply
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Alternate Meanings
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Janice is a professional and creative writer who has worked at wikiHow since 2019. With both a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University, she has a passion for writing a wide variety of content for anyone and everyone. In her free time, you can find her working on a new crochet pattern, listening to true crime podcasts, or tackling a new creative writing project. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 93,266 times. Learn more...
“YW” typically stands for “you’re welcome,” so it’s no wonder you’re spotting it in a lot of your texts and online convos. We’ll take a closer look at this popular acronym, including how it’s used, how to reply to it, and what else it can mean besides “you’re welcome.” In a matter of minutes, you’ll be a total expert on this piece of texting slang.
YW Meaning in Social Media and Over Text
YW means “You’re Welcome,” and is commonly used online and over text in response to a message like “ty” (thank you) or “tysm” (thank you so much). Alternately, YW can also mean something like “Yeah, Whatever.”
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
What does YW mean?
YW typically means “you’re welcome” online and over text. You know how “TY” is an abbreviation for “thank you”? YW is the abbreviation equivalent for “you’re welcome.” Most times, you’ll see this word sent in reply to a “thanks,” “ty,” or “tysm” (thank you so much) message.[1]XResearch source
YW can be spelled in all capital or all lowercase letters—either way, it has the same meaning.
YW isn’t exclusive to just one digital platform. If you see it on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, or any other social media platform, it most likely stands for “you’re welcome.”
Person 1: “Tysm for lending me money for the train 🥺”Person 2: “YW! It’s really no big deal”
Person 1: “Ty for feeding Mittens while I was gone! 🐈”Person 2: “YW, I’m happy to watch her anytime 😻”
Advertisement Section 2 of 4:
How to Use YW
Shoot a quick reply to a “thank you” message with YW. Maybe you did your friend a solid, or you did your sibling a quick favor before heading out for the day. When they send you a quick “thanks,” “ty,” or “tysm” message, reply with a simple YW.[2]XResearch source
Friend: “Thanks for letting me vent last night 💛”You: “YW! 😄”
Sister: “Tysm for filling up the car 🚗”You: “YW! You’re on gas duty next time 😝”
Section 3 of 4:
How to Reply to YW
You don’t need to reply to “you’re welcome.” YW is used as a follow-up reply and pretty much concludes the exchange. You don’t have to respond unless you’d like to keep the conversation going by changing the subject.
You: “Ty!! I really appreciate it ❤”Them: “YW 😄”You: “This is totally random, but are you going to Kyle’s party this Friday?”
Advertisement Section 4 of 4:
Alternate Meanings
1 YW can mean “Yeah, Whatever.” The phrase “yeah, whatever” pretty much means the same thing as “you’re welcome,” but is often used when a person is trying to downplay their role in a situation. You might also use it as a sarcastic reply when someone is playfully teasing you over text.[3]XResearch source
Person 1: “Thanks for bringing in coffee for us today! ☕”Person 2: “YW 😝”
Person 1: “I saw someone staring at Josh during class today…👀”Person 2: “YW 🙄”
2 YW sometimes means “Yes, Way.” Maybe you just sent a “no way!” message to your friend, who responded back with YW. In this context, YW stands for “yes, way,” which is a playful, mirrored response to “no way.”
You: “You bumped into my dad at the grocery store? No way LMAO 🤣”Friend: “YW!! We talked for like 5 minutes 😋”
3 YW occasionally stands for “Yearling Weight.” In the cattle community, YW represents the combined weight of a calf before and after it’s weaned. As the name suggests, YW gets measured in pounds.[4]XResearch source
Example: The YW was 900 lb (410 kg).
4 YW can mean “Young Women” in the context of the Mormon church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) manages an organization called Young Women.[5]XResearch source On occasion, this group name may be abbreviated as YW.
Example: “I think YW is sponsoring the event on Friday.”
5 YW sometimes stands for “Yo, Wassup.” If someone starts off a conversation with “YW,” there’s a good chance they’re using the shorthand of “Yo, Wassup.” Feel free to reply with a friendly greeting of your own![6]XResearch source
Them: “YW 😄”You: “Not much! What’s up with you? 😊”
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Co-authored by: Janice Tieperman wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Janice is a professional and creative writer who has worked at wikiHow since 2019. With both a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University, she has a passion for writing a wide variety of content for anyone and everyone. In her free time, you can find her working on a new crochet pattern, listening to true crime podcasts, or tackling a new creative writing project. This article has been viewed 93,266 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 7Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 93,266 Categories: Online Communications
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Co-authored by: Janice Tieperman wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Janice is a professional and creative writer who has worked at wikiHow since 2019. With both a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University, she has a passion for writing a wide variety of content for anyone and everyone. In her free time, you can find her working on a new crochet pattern, listening to true crime podcasts, or tackling a new creative writing project. This article has been viewed 93,266 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 7 Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 93,266 Categories: Online Communications 
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YW typically means “you’re welcome” online and over text. You know how “TY” is an abbreviation for “thank you”? YW is the abbreviation equivalent for “you’re welcome.” Most times, you’ll see this word sent in reply to a “thanks,” “ty,” or “tysm” (thank you so much) message.[1] 
Shoot a quick reply to a “thank you” message with YW. Maybe you did your friend a solid, or you did your sibling a quick favor before heading out for the day. When they send you a quick “thanks,” “ty,” or “tysm” message, reply with a simple YW.[2] 
You don’t need to reply to “you’re welcome.” YW is used as a follow-up reply and pretty much concludes the exchange. You don’t have to respond unless you’d like to keep the conversation going by changing the subject. 
1 YW can mean “Yeah, Whatever.” The phrase “yeah, whatever” pretty much means the same thing as “you’re welcome,” but is often used when a person is trying to downplay their role in a situation. You might also use it as a sarcastic reply when someone is playfully teasing you over text.[3] 
2 YW sometimes means “Yes, Way.” Maybe you just sent a “no way!” message to your friend, who responded back with YW. In this context, YW stands for “yes, way,” which is a playful, mirrored response to “no way.” 
3 YW occasionally stands for “Yearling Weight.” In the cattle community, YW represents the combined weight of a calf before and after it’s weaned. As the name suggests, YW gets measured in pounds.[4] 
4 YW can mean “Young Women” in the context of the Mormon church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) manages an organization called Young Women.[5] On occasion, this group name may be abbreviated as YW. 
5 YW sometimes stands for “Yo, Wassup.” If someone starts off a conversation with “YW,” there’s a good chance they’re using the shorthand of “Yo, Wassup.” Feel free to reply with a friendly greeting of your own![6]