DM

DM means “direct message.” It’s a private message sent to one person (or a small group) on a social media platform, instead of a public post or comment.

What does DM mean?

DM stands for “direct message.” It works as a noun (“check your DMs”) and as a verb (“DM me the address”). Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Discord and most other platforms have DMs, and people often say “DM” even on apps that officially call them something else.

How to use DM

• “DM me if you want the recipe.”
• “I left you on read in the DMs, sorry.”
• “Her DMs are open for collab requests.”
• “Don’t reply in the comments, just DM him.”

“Sliding into the DMs”

To “slide into someone’s DMs” means sending a private message to someone you don’t know well, usually to flirt or start a conversation. It can be charming or awkward depending on how it’s done. “Open DMs” means an account accepts messages from people it doesn’t follow; “closed DMs” means it doesn’t.

Where DM comes from

“Direct message” became a familiar term through Twitter, where a DM was the private alternative to a public tweet, and the abbreviation spread to every other platform. In other contexts, DM can mean something else entirely, such as “dungeon master” in tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons.

Related terms

• HMU: hit me up.
• Oomf: one of my followers.
• IRL: in real life.
• Ghosting: suddenly cutting off all contact.

See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide.