ASAP
ASAP means “as soon as possible.” It’s one of the oldest abbreviations still in daily use, on work emails, in texts and on sticky notes.
How to say ASAP
Either letter by letter, “A-S-A-P,” or as one word, “AY-sap.” Merriam-Webster lists both, and both are normal. In texts it’s often lowercase: “call me asap.”
How urgent is ASAP?
That depends entirely on who sends it. From your boss it can mean “drop everything.” From a friend it can mean “whenever you get a sec.” Because it’s so vague, plenty of people at work now skip it and give a real time instead: “by 3 p.m.” is clearer than “ASAP,” and less likely to stress anyone out.
Examples
- “Can you send me the slides ASAP?”
- “Call me back asap, it’s about the car.”
- “I need a haircut ASAP.”
Where it came from
Wiktionary dates ASAP to the 1950s and the US military, pointing to its use in The Greatest Airlift (1954), a book about the airlift during the Korean War. Dictionary.com dates ASAP as a word, said “AY-sap,” rather than as initials, to the early 1990s.
Related terms
More abbreviations like this are in our texting abbreviations guide.
Notes
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